On the city side of Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium, is this great expanse of grass with a good playground right in the middle.

There’s a wooden boat that’s elevated and various options for climbing up and down. There’s a flying fix, swings that meet in the middle, a bucket swing, a Rocktopus and a spinning wheel. For younger kids there are preschooler swings and a course with low level walkways and bridges and various pieces of equipment attached like smaller slides.

The grass all around the playground is big enough for ball games, kite flying etc. You could take scooters or bikes and go exploring. There are toilets near the playground and a beach just across the road. It’s within walking distance (less than a kilometre and along pavements so fine for a buggy) to Kelly Tarlton’s if you need some fresh air after a visit there. Buses to/from the city are reasonably frequent along the main road.