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

Just had a bite at Catalina and need to walk the dog so I meandered over through the park and to…read morethe playground. What a great space with its cool climbing structures that look like pieces of sculpture art and are loads of fun for the kids to play on. This will be an anchor in the new community that is going to include hundreds of new houses and schools. The playground is surrounded by native plantings and wide open spaces with shady trees. This playground and surrounding park will form part of a coastal walk and cycleway.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!…read more Discovered this park the other day with my one year old son. I can't believe the amount of times I have driven by and not stopped for a closer look!! Duck feeding - yes Picnic friendly - yes Fully equipped modern playground - yes Sherwood reserve is expansive and connects to Freyburg Park off Anzac Road. If you are keen on a family picnic and/or outing to the playground with the kids but don't want to deal with tlhe crowds that Browns Bay has, this is a MUST VISIT!!

Gorgeous reserve. I use the walkway that runs through it from time to time and I love the scenery…read moreand the huge fresh grassy patches. The pathway that winds down and around is perfect for a bit of bike riding or skating down. Just don't do what I did and jump off your board on a downward slope... I had to watch in horror as my skateboard took a dive into the stream! There's a block of shops at the top of the reserve with a dairy and there's also a playground up top. Great spot for a slow Sunday stroll.

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.

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!

Matakana Country Park is a great place to take the kids; there is SO much for them to do. The…read moreanimal farm is always a winner (and if not an experience at least!). It's free entry and then for $3 you can buy a little bag of nibbles to feed the animals. There are sheep, goats, an emu, a very big pig and even llamas. There are also pony rides (so cute) and train rides. When they tire of the animals there's a large colourful playground complete with a giant Buzzy Bee, Nemo and a pirate ship. It can be pretty hard to pull them away from the playground, but you can always entice them off with a fluffy and piece of cake from the 'Speckled Hen Café' on site also.

Little Oneroa is to the east of the popular, touristy beach, Oneroa. I've driven past it a tonne of…read moretimes en route to Onetangi and Palm Beach and never really thought it had much to offer but as it turns out, I was wrong. We came here for a day at the beach last weekend and I was pretty damn impressed with all this petite, rather secluded beach had to offer. Plenty of shade, picnic tables, a bbq, playground, toilets, somewhat scummy showers, a dairy for refreshments, a fish 'n chip shop and food stand, Dragonfired, which is open 7 days a week during summer, just churning out woodfired pizzas and other such delectables. Although being a steamy AKL day, the beach wasn't at all crowded and we were able to nab a possie on the grass with a bit of a shade and a picnic table. It was absolute bliss! Definitely worth a look as an alternative to the hustle & bustle of the other Waiheke beaches.

This is a beautiful beach near lots of restaurants and an amazing playground for kids! Would be a…read moremust visit for me with kids in Auckland.

Even in winter I can not resist the feeling of ocean water swirling about my feet. With only a 15…read moreminute drive from the CBD, this beach offers an amazing view of Rangitoto Island, a nice place to have lunch on the waterfront as well as a park as an added bonus. Aside from the stunning scenery and crystal clear water, it is also very dog friendly. Titus and I met plenty of furry-friends swimming, playing fetch and just having a grand 'ol time. Don't leave Fido at home. While the beach itself is not a bay, it does have a crescent shape to it, which means there are hardly any waves. No surfs up dude! Good for the kiddies, pups and lap swimmers. Another reason I enjoyed this beach is that the sandbar is long and wide. So there's plenty of space for everyone to spread out and lounge. If you're not a fan of sand just behind the beach is a small sloped park where you can chill out on the grass and enjoy the view.