Waiatarua Reserve is a wetlands dog exercising park located in Meadowbank (close to the Remuera…read moreGolf Course). Perfect if you have a dog that needs to have a good run around and interact with others. There are a number of ponds around the reserve, perfect for your pooch to jump into and have a splash about. Dogs are not allowed in the wetlands area, but there you can be sure to find Pukekos hiding in between the reeds. On the skirts of the reserve is a half basketball court and a stake board park, perfect entertainment for the kids while you take the dog for a run. This has to be my favourite dog park located in the suburban area, definitely one to check out if you have an active dog that needs to let off some steam. There is a car park and plenty of parking available on street. The car park is security locked at 9:30pm daylight savings time and 8:30pm in the winter.

The Waiatarua Reserve is no secret to any dog-owner. The good part about this though is that the…read moreReserve is so large that even if it is quite busy there is still ample room for every pup and pooch to roam free, to sniff til their heart's content, and to play fetch like a maniac. There are several access points so parking is never a problem and the Reserve's users are generally very responsible it cleaning up after their dog's. It is a really excellent place for all dogs to brush up on their social skills and to have a doggie date with friends. The walking trail is pram friendly for all keen families. There are a few things to be weary of: 1) There is a pond which can be great for dogs take a swim. However, the water quality is notoriously dubious (with reports of dogs getting sick) and there can be a strong undercurrent after a big downpour. In fact, my pooch Tilly had a near drowning their last winter. 2) The reserve is not fully contained, so there are parts where a very driven dog could go on a walkabout into someone's yard if the pooch doesn't have good recall. 3) There are quite a few giant muddy puddles that every dogs insists on submerging themselves in. If you aren't prepared to give your dog a bath immediately afterward, plan accordingly. Likewise, if it is rainy bring your gumboots.

This place is GINORMOUS and an absolute haven for pooches. A friend and I took ours here on…read moreSaturday and they had an absolute hoot of a time off-roading through the forest. Just a few handy tips... 1. Keep your pups on a leash until your on the track. Apparently logging trucks go through here on the reg. 2. Take water! Before you know it you've walked for 3 hours and both and your pooch are panting. 3. If your dogs don't have very good recall, keep them on the leash. There are a tonne of smells in the forrest and it's huge. Apparently it's not uncommon for dogs to get lost! Woodhill is definitely worth a visit, with or without dogs. Next time we are definitely going to make a day trip out of it and take the costal path down to the beach!

Old fav. A working Forrest, I think it's cool they share it with the community. Horse tracks, bike…read moretracks, adventure playgrounds and of course the reason I go, lots of places to walk/run the dogs. Stretching from Muriwai Beach in the south to South Head in the north (figure that one out) there is everything from beaches to streams to forests to venture through. To keep everyone please remember water and sunscreen (yes for pooch), to keep your dog on lead if they're prey driven or nose driven and be aware of your surroundings, where trees are being harvested and stay away. For more info or if in doubt as to where you can and can't go call the forest recreation services on 09 420 9566, they're very helpful. Remember no smoking, fires or firearms in the Forrest. Oh and lastly, being a sand based Forrest it is less muddy in winter.

Northwood Reserve is a neighbourhood park in the Rosedale area that backs onto a whole lot of…read morenative bush with a stream that runs all the way through it. This is a really awesome park for walking the dog or taking children to as there's so much room to run around, there's a playground with a covered shade area and seats, and theres even a barbeque station set up so it pretty much keeps the whole family happy. I take a lot of pram walks down here because its close to my work and it is perfect for quiet walks with the baby mainly because there is hardly ever anybody here! The reserve had a major overhaul last year when the council put some power lines underground so there was a lot of digging and fenced off areas but it seems to have recovered okay and you'd hardly even know anything had happened here. For a neighbourhood park I always wonder why this place isn't always packed but I think its because the area is still relatively quiet so nobody knows about it yet! I'm pretty sure this will change fairly soon. In the meantime I'm happy to take peaceful walks through the park on my own.

Despite being a bit scared of dogs, Mt Eden Dog Park is one of my favourite places in Auckland…read more Situated halfway up the mountain, it has a brilliant view for you to enjoy while letting your dog (or in my case, my friend's dog) have a good run around. I've spent hours up there over the years, gossiping and catching up with my best friend. We often take milkshakes bought in Mt Eden Village up there with us, and it's a really nice way to spend a few hours in the afternoon. The park itself is big enough for your dog to have a good run and explore, while also offering a trough of water to keep them hydrated. Bonus: Every now and again couches magically appear in the dog park, and tucking up on them with a friend and yum drink is a great way to enjoy the amazing view.

I am not a dog lover or even an animal lover. Dogs scare me and for a reason. I have been chased…read moreand nearly bitten by dogs so it took a lot of strength for me to even go to the dog park. A friend of mine has a dog a cute dog called Million. She is the first dog I have ever patted and she is a bundle of joy. My friend and I took her for a walk and we ended up at dog park with other dogs. It was rather interesting watching the dogs interact with each other. The owners of the dogs all got along and talked about their dogs. I actually had a lovely time and I learnt something different.

I went there yesterday for the first time in years and loved it. There isn't many places where dogs…read morecan run around in a safe environment and it was nice not having to worry about people that are afraid of dogs. It was just a great, relaxed break in the day that me and my dog, Chonker, thoroughly enjoyed.

I only recently found this place. I was looking for a safe area where my boy Zuzu & I could get a…read morelittle exercise, away from cars & construction & danger. We found it. Zuzu has a ball in this place. The fences off area is amazing for a chap who doesn't normally get the chance to be free to explore without me tugging on his lead all the time. As an added bonus there are other dogs there too. Zuzu doesn't get much of a chance to socialise with other dogs, they are usually to busy or too far away. So having a relaxed environment where the pressure is off is great. Especially for Zuzu. The only downside is that you have to drive there. I say its a downside because Zuzu has a tendency to get car sick really easily. So if you're a lucky owner who's dog doesn't get sick, jump in your car & get there. After all..... There is no better sight than seeing your dog having a blast, wagging its tail & frolicking in the long grass.

My best Panmure Basin story involves me coming across at man while I was out on a mid-week walk…read morearound the Basin. He was down at the water's edge, in a suit and tie and looking very smart, but he was throwing a stick for his dog like it was the weekend. As I got closer I noticed he was talking quite loudly into his cell phone, something along the lines of "Oh nah mate we're absolutely flat out here, it's so full-on, I can't talk mate, I've gotta go, I'm in a meeting". And I thought "Good on ya mate". I love walking my dog around Panmure Basin. She's only little so it takes us the best part of an hour to get around the whole thing. It's a great spot to walk or run since there's car parking (not heaps, but enough), and most of the walkway is in good condition, although there are places where the tree roots are busting through.

The Basin is an idyllic recreational facility located in Panmure just off the Pakuranga Highway…read more The track around the basin is a decent 3.6 kilometres, and is perfect for both joggers and walkers - I have lots of memories running around and around lap after lap when I was young and crazy and ran much more than I currently do. There are lots of exercise stations located around the basin, so you can have quite an all-rounded workout mixing up running and body-weight resistance training. There are a decent number of seats to stop and sit at if you get a bit tired, and also a few hills in the mix for that extra challenge on your morning jog. Dogs are allowed and there are plenty of toilets located around the track, making for a convenient and attractive exercise location with lots of facilities available.

I probably like Milford park more than the average punter because I grew up down the road…read more Throughout my childhood, I spent many a day at Milford Park climbing the trees, playing BYC and go home stay home. Trip down memory lane aside, Milford Park is still a great spot to bring the kiddies. There is a freshly painted, bright blue playground, toilets, BBQ pits AND the Beach is right next door. Not to mention in Summer there is frequently concerts or outdoor movie screenings. Oh, and for all those runners out there every Wednesday night there is a fun run that leaves from the Milford Cruising Club in the park and goes to Takapuna and back for only $7 ($3 for kids), free drink included!

I shouldn't review the park as high as I would prefer to keep this to myself - but better to be…read morehonest. A good little suburban park - good parking, safe kids playground, beach volleyball courts and the beach a hop and a skip away. The Creek provides a bit of action if the tide is in as the yachts and fisher boats trailing and out over the 4 hours of tide. Good takeouts and coffee close by in Milford and it is not surprising the number of people who get fish and chips from PJs (another secret) and eat them on the picnic tables worth a visit

A dog friendly park along the coast of Eastern Beach, this place is smothered with hills, forested…read moreways and big stretches of grass. You can walk on and off leash all the way down to the beach, then back up again. It's a solid, long walk, taking 30 - 45 mins, depending on your route and walking speed. Be sure your dog is friendly to other dogs, as you will encounter many along the way. I thought this place was good, but not very well signposted, as you can find yourself going around in a few circles. The path is very gravelly and dusty at the moment, which would probably be muddy after raining, so wear a good pair of walking shoes. Other than that, an enjoyable walk.

I was pretty stoked to check out Macleans Park with my little Aussie terrier Tilly this weekend…read morewhile the sun was beaming. Macleans Park runs parallel to the beautiful Eastern beach which is also dog off-lead friendly. However, during daylight savings no dogs are allowed on the beach from 9AM-7PM. We got there a little bit before 9 and were able to play fetch in the ocean for a wee bit before walking the park. Overall the park is quite large and there are some really beautiful views of Rangitoto and the Hauraki Gulf especially on a sunny day. There are sports fields, bush sections, and even some mountain biking tracks. Although there are very defined walking tracks they all seem to be a bit random and rarely seem to connect. Therefore, we ended up on quite a few dead ends or decoy paths and it didn't feel continuous or cohesive. I kept feeling like I was lost or forced to choose to make a decision to go left or right without any maps or sign-posting. If you know the park, you probably wouldn't even notice this bugbear but it makes it feel like you are walking to nowhere and in random circles. Overall, Macleans park is nice but as someone who has so much choice out in West Auckland, the park doesn't compare.

Totally disagree with Eddy D on this one. I've taken dogs that ice been dog sitting here and had no…read moreproblems even with ones that are easily distracted. State housing? I live in Mission Bay and the homes and good people of Waterview seem fine to me. The grassed areas are rolling slopes away from from the road and there is a beautiful forest area that backs onto the water inlet. The playground is about 100m away from the road, there are almost always families playing there and using the lying fox. There is a public toilet which is well maintained. The dog area is away from the playground and even further from the road. If you are running a dog, they can't even see the road and get good exercise on the gentle slopes. There are well constructed loop paths down even further away from the road, under the trees. Think quaint bridges across a bubbling creek (weather dependent) and shady massive native trees with grasses clearings and park benches to enjoy the view. There is actually two loops, one that follows the creek and a slightly longer one which follows the edge of the estuary. Although this back part of the park is leash on, I've always seen dogs roaming free with their owners.

Heron Park had been recommended to me in the past but I have only had a chance to get there this…read moreweek for the first time. Cool place! I welcomed the rolling hills, albeit small ones, with serene views of the hills off in the distance as I approached on foot from Great North Road. The more I walk along the pathway winding its way around these grassy mounds, the more the sound of traffic winds it way back. The play ground is set quite far back from the road which is great, otherwise safety would be a bit of a worry for parents. They also have a flying fox, fun for the older kiddies. A designated dog off leash area too, which by the look of the map is probably a bit too close to the road however. It was an enjoyable stroll amongst a very open area, with some well established trees and some young ones slowly maturing. If you want to get here by car, the entrance is on Cadman Avenue.

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.