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…
With wide paths that are either sealed or shingle, the tracks in Wainuiomata Recreation Area are great for all ages and abilities of walkers and cyclists. If you park on Reservoir Road (see below for directions) there are a couple of different route options. The road to the lower dam…
This is a great family activity if you go prepared with some old pieces of cardboard (one for everyone that wants a turn is preferable!) Head to the grassy hill to the west of Harling Park armed with your cardboard, trudge to the top of the hill and enjoy a…
Just a 5-minute drive from Wanaka, this Lavendar Farm is a lovely place to relax on a warm day. There are of course lots of lavendar plants to wonder round in the 10 acres of beautiful gardens. But there are also games dotted around like giant Connect 4 and Petanque which…
Just a couple of kilometres north of Glenorchy, this farm lets families get up close to a huge variety of animals in a beautiful setting. The area that the animals occupy is small, making it very easily accessible for kids of all ages. The animals are friendly and happy to…
As the name implies, Pirate’s Cove is a pirate themed, 18 hole mini golf course. A pirate ship is visible from the road and there is actually a hole laid out on the deck! Other holes are have a tombstone, there are skulls dotted around, there’s great attention to pirate-y…
Right off SH2 en route between Auckland and Tauranga/The Mount, the Karangahake Gorge is a very accessible area to explore whether you’re having a holiday in the Coromandel or taking a break during a car journey. The gorge is the site of an old gold mine which began work in…
Updated at the end of 2016, this playground has a huge amount of interesting equipment for lots of different ages, packed into a fairly small area. This makes it reasonably easy to keep a check on several kids that might be playing on different things. The playground is set to…
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…
