This is a fabulous facility, close to the CBD, with good programs for kids as well as adults. This…read moreis only for the pool and changing room facilities, but not for the greater gym which is also available here. The pool area has both a 25m pool suitable for competitive swim training, but also a warmer, shallow pool for those who are doing young swim lessons and more relaxed laps. I swim with Future Dreams swimming which has workouts 3-5 days a week, typically with 2-3 options on times (morning, midday and evening MWF). It's a good group with a range of abilities, so would encourage you to try out a workout. Instructors for swim lessons seem quite knowledgeable and good, although the holiday programs can have a broad range of abilities which can be tough for swimmers on either end of the spectrum. The showers and changing rooms do the trick; hair dryer and iron are available but you should bring all your toiletries and towels.

Located off Auckland's CBD near the viaduct harbour, and (not so) fresh from a reopening in 2012…read moreafter a rennovation in 2010, Tepid Baths has a great location that is easy to visit (there is a parking lot nearby too) and has affordable prices (free for children under 16, $6.70 for adults 17 and older, $5.30 for seniors aged 65+, community service card users, disability access owners, and adults with an infant) Tepid Baths is a great place to spend your weekend or enjoy your morning/afternoon while working out. It's said that there is a cafe on site but I haven't visited it so I can't confirm that. The service is okay, the lifeguards watch over the swimmers well - kindly reminding them to change lanes if they are too slow/fast for that lane. I mainly go to their swimming pools, but they also have a gym that has a partial glass floor that overlooks the children's swimming pool below. They have a clean facility (although I suggest that they clean their floors and lower row of lockers more often) and a main pool with differed rows from aqua jogging/kids play area and a slow, medium, to fast speed for accommodate all sorts of swimmers. They also have a pool used for learners and kids (which is usually used for swim school to 1pm on weekends) and most excitingly, they have a spa (mind you, it's really hot) a sauna and a steaming facility (wooohoooo!) They have free lockable lockers that you can access in the bathrooms (it's BYO...lock) and they are conservative with water since they use timed showers (the ones that you have to press to turn on and then it turns off after a certain time, and you can press again until you are finished using the shower) and for the ladies they have two ghd hairdryers and straighteners that can be used anytime (yay no more bad hair days after swimming!)

There's something very retro-cool about Parnell Baths. I think it's the fact that it's been there…read moreso long. There have been pools on the site since the 1880s but the last renovation reflects its heydey as a 1930s Lido. The toddler pool is awesome; massive with an interactive playground and a family spa (there is an adults only spa too). The main pool is huge and provides more than enough space for serious swimmers and serious frolickers (that would be me) alike. All the pools are salt water which I personally find much more pleasant and given that you can see the sea across Tamaki Drive, it adds to the holiday feeling Parnell Baths seems to always have in the summer. There is a grassed area at one end with picnic tables and a BBQ area, both of which can be booked for groups. It is a good idea to have a strategy because if you're not in the shade here, you will almost definitely melt after not very long at all. There are sun loungers down the side for the hardy leathery brigade but either bring your own shade or be on alert for people leaving and vacating the shady spots. It can be a bit of a bun fight in that respect so don't forget to bring your manners. Really Aucklanders, it's ok to talk to each other. I recently spent a lovely afternoon here with a friend from Dunedin who befriended a lovely multi-generational family and said of course they could share our table, setting an example to all the other folk with their grumpy faces on. We took a picnic lunch and kicked back, the kids hopping in and out of the pools for hours on end. There's a shop that sells some surprisingly healthy and yummy looking lunch options and we ladies enjoyed a mid-afternoon frappe which totally hit the spot. This particular day was so busy that by the end of it the ice block freezer was almost empty. I can only hope that emergency supplies out the back!

Great affordable summer attraction. Saltwater pools which are great, kids area is fun and safe,…read morebig pool provided lots of activity for older kids. Loved that you could bring your own lunch in as well, perfect day out. Parking is a premium so get there early. A must go place!

Fantastic experience at this swim school - especially swim instructors (Chloe is our fave!) who…read moregently and creatively guided our once nervous girl to grow in confidence and have fun in the water...Now she looks forward to her lessons every week!

My niece teaches at Dean Greenwood Swim School and I can tell you the youngsters are in good hands…read more She has the longtime experience and backing to impart life-saving skills of swimming to the children. My children all had swimming lessons from a very young age and it is no different at Dean Greenwood Swim School. Learn to swim classes are 30 minutes duration and allow for games in which skills are introduced and developed, which makes the whole experience FUN and something the kids want to come back to. These classes are at various locations around Auckland, my niece is at the Kelston School Pool.

I will always have a soft spot for Mt Eden Kindergarten. As the kindergarten I attended as a child,…read morethis place has been around for decades and still attracts hundreds of locals. Conveniently situated on Milton Road off Dominion Road, this kindy offers all sorts of fun games and activities for kids. Painting, dress ups, miniature houses, puzzles, building blocks, picture book, a sandpit, swings, lots of balls and a whole playground are part of this place. The children I babysit both went to this kindergarten, so while I haven't been enrolled there for over 16 years, I have visited in regularly in the past few years and the feedback from the kids has always been brilliant. The staff that work at this kindy genuinely love children and are very good at teaching them the basics - reading, writing, sharing - in a fun and innovative manner. Mt Eden Kindy is a small community - everyone there knows each other, and I actually found myself recognising many of the parents and being included in their conversations. An extremely friendly, welcoming kindergarten that I would happily send my own kids to!

Even though the Stardome is now named after a benefactor (can't be helped I guess), it is still as…read morecool as it ever was. The staff don't mind if you just wander in and have a look around and the foyer alone has enough to amuse the kiddies for at least half an hour, probably longer. During the school holidays they run all kinds of fun stuff and if you haven't been before, it's unlike anything else you can do around the town. You absolutely have to be organised and book in advance and maybe the movie is a bit dated, but it's fascinating and presented in a way that makes astronomy accessible to everyone - even 3 year olds. There's an arty crafty session where the kids get to make their own (artistically questionable) souvenir but the highlight is that the film is shown Cinema 180 style on the ceiling. A bit hard on the neck but SO worth it. You can hire the Stardome for functions but when I looked into booking it for an event, I ran in to the problem of how to keep kids from playing unsupervised in the lobby so that's something to consider. I'm ashamed to say I have never been here in the evening and actually looked through that giant telescope at the night sky. I intend to do it every Winter but late nights out in Winter just don't seem to happen. This is the year.

We were thinking about what show we should pick and have chosen "The winter sky". It was just…read moreamazing, to see what stats and planets we can see with our naked eye from Auckland. At least in good weather. After the show we went outside to see the Saturn through telescopes. Not the Zeiss one, but smaller. I saw the Saturn through the telescope for the first time and it was the biggest happy moment I have had in years! You can actually see the planet and the rings! Super cool! We haven't had a chance to use the Zeiss telescope because of the weather, but we are definitely going to do this next time.

Victoria Phillips is where my siblings and I have come to dance a large portion of our lives. I…read morehave thoroughly enjoyed every moment of being part of this dance studio. The dance routines are always fun! The end of year shows are phenomenal!! And it's also a great place to come and meet new friends! At Victoria Phillips they specialise in jazz, hip hop, contemporary, stretch, strength and conditioning and ballet technique. Offering classes to both boys and girls from as young as pre-school age. This studio is not only for children, but they also offer adult classes in both hip hop and jazz. There are three studios at Victoria Phillips, also a waiting area for parents, and a dance store to purchase the uniforms. There is also a securely locked front door that requires a 4 digit passcode for. I don't mean to be bias, but no word of a lie, Victoria Phillips put on the best end of year shows! All the children get a chance to be on stage and show off all the new skills they have been learning.

I only have very good things to say about Family Planning Newmarket. I've been going there for the…read morelast 9 years, and even after moving away from the area, I'll drive an hour for an appointment. The staff are wonderful; friendly and efficient. The ladies behind the front desk do a good job of making people feel comfortable on arrival. The nurses and doctors are brilliant. You can ask them anything; they are open and non judgmental. I think what I like the best is that they are relaxed (and not over the top professional like some doctors) which means you feel comfortable; important for discussing topics such as contraception and sexual health. The best thing is that if you're under 22 the service is free, or only $23 if you are over 22 - much cheaper than a usual doctor! They get very busy, so book your appointment well in advance.

This is such a cool store, one of the go to options for when I have to buy gifts because everything…read morethere is unique. Even though it is New Zealand designed and made, there is not too much kiwiana, that makes for good gifts for tourists or people you know who are overseas but much of the store is just products created by amazingly talented people of whom Texan Art Schools bring collectively into their store. You'll find textiles, glass, ceramics, jewelry and prints here as well as what I think must be feijoa candles because the store smells of feijoas. A while back I purchased some amazing glass vases and a dish for myself and had wanted to go back and get another colour of one of the vases. It was gone. So lesson here is that you need to just buy it at the time. Stock is often limited.