Hillsborough Bay is a place of beauty. Just off the top of Hillsborough Road there is also a track…read moreyou can take which is like walking through the jungle to get there. At the bottom lies a green and a picnic table. Carry on across the road down steps to the bay and you will be in awe of the beautiful surroundings. You can see a couple of mountains before you. The setting is tranquil and there are wooden benches to sit on. Take a book and sit under the shade of a tree. There is a children's park at the end, however, it is rarely used. There is also a beach area, however its quite stoney. If you want to meditate or go somewhere peaceful this is your place.

do NOT go to this beach. my whole family got bit by something and gave them red itchy bites just by…read moregoing in the water. Also we saw plenty of poisonous jellyfish which could've sent my babies to the hospital

Narrow Neck Beach is simply the most beautiful beach in Auckland !…read moreNear Devo, this beach is very large and quiet. Here, you will find clear water, fine sand not forgetting a wonderful view. But the photographs will talk better about it than a long explanation. Just the perfect place to go and relax after a working day.

Pretty cool park with a neat little road track with stop signs and stuff for kids (and some adults)…read moreto learn the road rules, and a funky swing that looks like something out of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. And... A ridiculously steep slide!!! Check out my pics and read the tip on this one, you're gonna need it... I can hear you shiver with antici - - - - pation!

This has to be one of the busiest beaches during the summer months! And it's pretty obvious why…read more The beach itself is absolutely beautiful. The water is clear and crisp and the sand is squeaky clean... it actually squeaks sometimes when you rub your feet in it! This is a great beach for the family as more often that not there are little waves, which make for some fun boogie boarding or body surfing. As Jacob said it's not often that there's real surf-able waves here but when the east coast swell gets up and hits at the right angle you might be in for a treat. There are some awesome rock pools to explore and a hill to climb which gives you a great look out over the bay. But be careful! I once saw a group of young kids get washed along the rocks as a set wave rolled in. Make sure you accompany your kids and only go exploring if there aren't big waves and the tide's not too high!

Beautiful Anchor Bay is a day trip spent perfectly in one of our regions golden treasures…read more I spent Easter Sunday here with my son and partner, we arrived not too long after lunch, and the car park close by was already packed to maximum capacity. A short walk down to the beach via the beach path and we found a lovely patch of sand with our name on it. I spent my time here swimming in the beautiful clean cool ocean, body surfing waves, and sun tanning. I recommend if you're not too relaxed to take a walk down the beach towards the rock pools which fill up and explore a deep human sized rock pool that you can dive bomb into! Sublime. The little kids will enjoy running about the rock pools and soaking in them, or searching for the little and big crabs that call it their home. The oceans out beyond the bay are protected as a marine reserve so the fish/sea creatures are happy and you won't see a fisherman in this regional park area. I love the peace I feel at Anchor Bay and always cherish my time here.

Papakura has needed this new skate park for...well forever really. The old skate park (if you can…read moreactually call it that) was in a similar location as the present one, but it was in the carpark. I'm not even sure that it was supposed to be there or if some kids just added various obstacles to it, but basically all it contained was a few boxes, rails and an old washing machine for grinding. Classic Kura ingenuity. Anyway the new, proper concreted skate park is 100 times better than the old one. Complete with ramps, rails, kickers, quarter pipes and a little bowl part, this park is quite small, but smooth and well built. Like any skate park, you're best to go here while the kids are at school, because afterwards it gets busy with anyone who has something on wheels.

Lake Pupuke was created by a volcanic eruption, aaaages ago. It was the same one that created that…read morecool Kauri fossil forest in between Takapuna Beach & Thorne Bay. Anyways, nowadays it's used for a flurry of activities in Summer. There's a windsurfing school down by Sylvian Park, plenty of kayakers and dragon boaters and even regular sailing and rowing competitions. Yes, you can swim at Lake Pupuke too but the sea at the Eastern end is only a couple of hundred metres away and is much nicer! The great thing about the lake is that if it's windy at the beach, 90% of the time it'll be calm at the lake and vice versa! I'll admit, I grew up around the corner so may be somewhat biased but I think it's an all round decent lake that's well-worth visiting for a summer picnic or water based activity!

Totara Park is a South Auckland staple. Its highly likely that growing up in the Manurewa/Manukau…read morearea meant you were here for swimming lessons, a day out with family or school, or a hangout with friends. Its ideal for family picnics, barbecues (they have facilities available) and get-togethers. The children's playground keeps the younger ones, and the young at heart, entertained. The free supervised swimming pools are open in February and March, and are perfect for that relaxing swim on a scorching day. As a teenager, my dad dragged my siblings and I here every morning of the school holidays for the 45 minute bush walk, and while I barely liked it back then, I'm grateful. These days, that bush walk, among the other trails you can take at Totara Park, are somewhat of a blessing (apart from the killer stairs!). The farm track from the Redoubt Rd entrance to the main picnic area on Wairere Road is a popular one, just be sure not to run past the cows as they can get pretty scary (for me at least). Another track, the Puhinui Stream Forest Trail, takes about two hours to complete and connects Totara Park with the nearby Botanic Gardens.

Another favourite with the dogs, Sylvan Park is located on the Northern side of Lake Pupuke and is…read moreless well-known than the South side, where the Pump house is. This suits both me and the dogs just fine. We are more than happy to roam the grassy embankment, play catch and discover new bush trails alone. Enter the park behind the tennis courts on Dodson Ave. Head down the RHS of the back courts and you will find yourself on a trail. Go right and you will end up at the back of Milford Primary (15 - 20mins), where there is a boat ramp if you want to go for a dip (too much swan poop for me - be each their own). Head left and you end up in an opening, which if you keep following round turns into the main part of the park. Here you will find toilets, BBQs and Madloop Windsurfing School. Whilst Sylvan Park ain't huge, it's a great daytime option during summer when our four legged friends are banned from the beaches!

Fantastic little inner city escape with lake beside it and away from the hustle of the city!read more