There are a few different activities to do near Auckland airport and this one is a great free activity if the weather is OK and you want some fresh air and gentle exercise before catching a flight. At just over a kilometre from the international terminal (a little less from…
At the end of the peninsular, east of Matakana and 80km north of central Auckland, Tawharanui Regional Park is a great place to come to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. There are a whole lot of free activities to choose from, any of which make for a…
Kawau Island, in the Hauraki Gulf to the North East of Auckland is only accessible by boat with ferries and water taxis going across from Sandspit. Kawau doesn’t have any roads or cars making it very peaceful but also problematic to get around if you don’t have your own water…
Just outside of Matakana on the road to Leigh, this is a huge space with options for all weather although most attractions are better suited to days without rain. The playground is large with various wooden structures like a pink castle, fire truck, buzzy bee ship lighthouse and then more…
Warkworth is a popular service centre for the surrounding beach towns and SH1 passes just nearby and can be a good stopping place if you’re on a longer journey North of Auckland. This playground is a good place for younger children to run off some energy. This playground is right in the…
As New Zealand’s only real theme park, Rainbow’s End can be a great day out for those that enjoy the thrill of rides. To some extent there is something for everyone from a soft play area for toddlers, to a mini-rides area for under 8 year olds and everything from…
It can be annoying when the weather tries to spoil your planned beach holiday but with 3 screens, this cinema shows the most recent releases and usually has a movie on to suit all ages. As with most cinemas in small tourist centres though, you’ll need to book ahead if…
The restaurant at this brewery is very child friendly with great, friendly staff. The kids’ menu has a platter of different finger food to pick at with the choice of 3 main protein items to choose from. The regular menu lends itself to sharing so if your kids are into trying different…
At the end of the road at Ti Point there’s a wharf that’s perfect for kids to fish off – plenty of little fish for kids to spot swimming around the wooden posts and enough space for several youngsters to each cast a line in. If you’re lucky you might…
Around since 1857 this is certainly an old pub which happens to have a good restaurant. It feels like a world away from Auckland yet is actually less than 30km from the central downtown area. The menu is extensive covering brunch, lunch and dinner and there’s a separate kids’ menu…
