A lot of Aucklanders of my generation have memories of sneaking in here on hot summer nights. It…read morewas just the best thing to enjoy this huge pool after dark without the crowds. There was usually at least one other group but that's ok, we were bonded in the knowledge of our tresspass. Nowadays you'd be lucky to ever find this place on the quiet side but I love that it's cold - usually the coldest public pool you can find when Auckland's heat kicks in. There's a nice high diving board for bombs, frolicking space and lanes. There's a spa as well if you come in the chillier months and no doubt they heat the pool a bit too. You can find yourself a shady spot on the grass, kick back and let the kids run wild. There's even a playground. Like I said, it does get crazy busy and the parking can be a drama but this place just feels like Summer holidays.

Open air pools can be a bit of an acquired taste if you have not been brought up going to them,…read morethey certainly have been for me. Point Erin is secluded and surrounded by greenery. There is a couple of pools to choose from, with a good diving platform for getting adventurous off. Once you are done with the fun and excitement in the main pool, the spa pool provides a welcome place to relax. Fully fenced, with plenty of grass on which to relax with bookable BBQ points, I can imagine it's a great location for a family day out and judging from the number of families there at the weekends I think I might be right. Also not bad for lane swimming, just avoid times that it's full of kids!

Yesterday the swimming pool was the dirtiest I have ever seen it. There were clumps of hair…read morefloating and the water looked murky and unclear. Unfortunately I won't be going back there. Very unhygienic.

Situated quietly in Bellevue Road, this is still a bit of a secret. We come here when we don't have…read morea lot of time and just really need a dip; nothing flash, no slides, diving boards or carry-on, just a good old basic swimming pool. I love that even during summer school holidays it's not particularly busy. Whenever we've visited, there's only been half a dozen or so other groups which is unheard of at the more popular pools. The Dean Greenwood swim school operates out of here so like most of the public pools, you should check your times if you don't want to be surrounded by splashing kiddies. There's sweet and salty snacks available at the counter (ok junk food), and a range of togs and goggles etc. Cheap as chips, and although heated year round, the temperature is lovely and cool on a hot day making this place perfect any time. It's everything you need and nothing more.

We come to these pools at least once a week, and I probably wouldn't bother going anywhere else…read more It's clean, the changing rooms are nice enough (and there's plenty of hair dryers). I do find the changing room exhibitionists rather intriguing though... There's a huge spa, with an adults section and a kids section. Also a huge lane pool, and a kids pool. Tips: there's a cafe near the spas, and my best tip is for parking - you can get your parking ticket from the Davis Cres carpark validated for cheaper parking (approx half price).

This pool is amazing!! Really!!! I certainly took the pool for granted when I lived in Auckland!…read more I am from New York, but lived in Auckland for two years while getting my Masters degree. In those two years I adopted swimming as my preferred fitness activity. I went to the pool whenever I was stressed or sad or bored, and within minutes of entering the pool, I was as happy as I could ever be. This pool has soooo many things you can't find in New York: - As a student, it only cost me $5 or so to pop by for a swim. Almost every pool (aside from the dingy pools) in New York require membership just to be able to walk into the facility. And even the dingy pools require membership outside of Summer. - It's a 50 meter pool. You would be surprised how rare that is. - It has a kiddie pool, hot tub, jacuzzi, steam room, TWO saunas, a cafe, a gym, fitness classes, SCUBA CLASSES (!!!) an incredible locker room with curtains AND hot water.... really just incredible facilities. Nothing in New York comes close to that. Not even remotely. - The price is absolutely insane. Again, I only paid $5 to swim, and they don't force you to get a membership or anything. The only establishment that I've been to that comes close to this pool is Chelsea Piers in Manhattan. But a day pass is $50 USD (So maybe $60 NZD.... just for the day). Yearly membership for the pool alone is over $600. I would do anything to be able to go back to this pool. Count your lucky stars, Aucklanders!!!! ;)

Tonight went down to my local pool. This is the pool where I more or less learnt to swim to the…read morelevel I am today, the pool where I first snuck into a sauna and thought "why would anyone ever do this to themself?" On entry I was pleasantly suprised to find a very good student price - $4.50 including sauna, steam and spa. The pool itself is a quite magnificent beast, with well regulated lanes and a clear division between classes and free swimmers. After a few laps, I went to the sauna. Impressive. They offer a self - regulating sauna (eliminating splash-and-dash) , and a lot of bench space - although this quickly filled up as the adult swimming class finished. Unfortunately , after a couple of reheats, the sauna filled up and I experienced another sauna trauma - spitting onto the sauna rocks. Up there with farting in the sauna and weeing on the sauna, this act filled the room with an unsavoury scent and also looked disgusting as it sizzled away. Overall , a good sauna / swim experience. Walking past the door of "Nan's Pool" bought back memories of struggling to hold onto the side of the pool wall as I valiantly kicked away , bringing tears of joy to my eyes as I watched the aqua joggers slowly canter through the chlorine-filled, aqua blue sardine tin.

Cheap way to relax after a day or week's work. So cheap you will enjoy your stay after using the…read moregym and have a dip in the spa or pool.

There's an urban legend about Parakai that involves a woman squeezing the pus out of pimples on her…read moreman's back while sitting in a hot pool. I almost feel like I have seen it happen myself because I actually think I did. In the really hot adults-only pool. Anyway, such are the risks you take when sharing water with others. Ergh. The whole place has hardly changed in years and has a slightly sad faded feel about it which does nothing to deter the masses from descending, particular on chilly Winter's days. The slides are pretty rough but the kids think that's a good thing (uh huh) and the facilities in general are just a bit dilapidated. Still, it's so wholeheartedly Kiwi that you just gotta love it. I remember we used to have friends who would take their campervan to Helensville (the whole 40 minute drive from home) and camp at the campground here, which is part of the Springs complex. I was so jealous. Now I'm not really sure why you would - it's nice and green enough but there's better places. Still, like I said, it's classic Noo Zilland.

I hadn't been to Parakai since the last year of High School which was over 10 years back, so was…read morelooking forward to seeing if anything had changed since my last visit. Other than possibly redoing the reception, and maybe cafe area, I don't think a lot has changed since I last swam here. I did have a blast coming down the hydro slides with the kids on the mats provided; however I'm sure the owners could possibly put a bit more money in sprucing up the facilities and particularly the padding on the stairs up to the top as it looks a bit tired in places. The hot pool inside is great, and had it been a colder time of year I would of spent more time inside, however it was sweltering hot, so I had a quick splash and spent more time in the sun, and riding the slide. It felt like the busiest Saturday ever, 100's packed in to the springs, and the pool was a sea of faces- quite fun, but also hard to enjoy your own space really. I would recommend trying the pools out on a week day, when the kids at school next time.

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!)

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.

Absolutely perfect setup! From the weights area, tennis courts to the pool…read more The staff are always very helpful and friendly. The cleanliness and support are second to none. Thanks heaps for everything you do.

This place is my personal sanctuary. I don't think I've ever looked forward to working out so much,…read morethan I do now that I have started my membership at 151. It's a calm oasis in there, with the most amazing air con and facilities you have seen in a gym. In fact I think gym is too much of a dirty word to associate with this pristine place. Because they keep a cap on membership, there is never a line for the equipment, the instructors are always on hand to dole out helpful advice and they even email to check up on you when you haven't been in for a few days. The facilities available to all members and casual members include a swimming pool, sauna room,a tennis court and a great range of weights/ exercise bikes and heaps of other exercise equipment. There are classes available too, a favourite of mine being tennis fit! And don't even get my started on the bathrooms, and the straighteners available, the shampoo/ conditioner\ bathrobes. They really have thought of everything. Why just the other day I got offered a free hour long facial and massage just for being a member. Have I tempted you yet?

When I was growing up - this was the place to be in the summer! The outside pools rocked with the…read moreslides and deep diving pool. Now I'm a bit older ... I have to admit I've dropped into the free Aquacise classes and laughed my head off with the local mamas. I haven't tried the gym but it looks good and I like the strap line they use "no egos just real people"