As a recent new pet owner I still find myself constantly on the prowl for dog friendly beaches in…read morethe Auckland area. So far a good rule of thumb is that the Regional Parks are a good bet on being dog friendly, Dept of Conservation tracks/parks are usually a no-go zone, and Council land are 50/50. The Kakamatua inlet is basically a dog's dream and it's actually fun for owners too. There's about a 5-minute bush walk to get to the beach and opens up to an ample off-lead beach with no time-of-day restrictions throughout the year. The beach is super tidal so if you go at low tide the beach about triples in size, but don't worry about high tide as there is still ample beach for your pooch. The waves are gentle and swim-friendly for dogs of all sizes and it's a really good place for dogs to brush up on their social skills. The car park can be quite full as it is a real local favorite (especially on the weekend). There are several rubbish bins at various points of the walk to dispose of your pooch's dirty business and there is even a loo for humans too! If you're looking for an off-lead dog friendly beach especially during summer venturing out West to the Kakamatua Inlet won't disappoint!

I love kakamatua because my dog has an amazing time at this beach! She loves too run around and…read moreplay on the huge massive space! I recommend taking your dog/s to play because there is often many other dogs there too! But just be careful because there are crabs in the water so take your water shoes just incase but besides by that the beach is very fun!

The Waitakere ranges was one of the biggest draw cards for my husband and I to settling out West…read morewhen we moved here last year from Australia. The West of Auckland has a hit and miss reputation, but that is ok, so does Tasmania in Aus where we were living for the last five years. We have managed to go camping out in Whatipu, Waitakere Ranges, once so far, visited most of the beaches, and done a couple of tramps around the bush a bit closer to the city side. No major, hard-core tramps/camps for days on end, but more leisurely 'park the car day trips' kind of thing. I would highly recommend going with the kids if you are interested too, there is a variety of walks set out that would suit many levels of fitness. It is also well maintained with conservation awareness well set up, so taking the kids would be educational as well as the many other blessings you get when you go.

This past Easter weekend, my family and I spent two of the four days travelling across the…read moreWaitakere ranges. First visit was to the amazing Bethells Beach to get through the ranges, we had to start our journey at scenic drive, merging with Te Henga road, and then Bethells road which travels up the northern ridge of the ranges. We travelled through the beautiful cascade Kauri zone (where if you're keen for stretching the legs walk the 8 km track to see the biggest Kauri trees in Auckland) and finally arrived at the west coast- Bethells Beach. The drive is purely scenic as its name describes, and nature at its finest. The other journey I took was to Huia and Whatipu Beach, We started at Titirangi, and following signs headed towards the southern part of the ranges, first you past turn off's for Cornwallis, Huia and once in Little Huia, follow the Whatipu road which climbs up into the forest before plunging down towards Whatipu and the beach- this road is gravel and very twisty so be prepared for the drive. I really enjoyed my adventures through the ranges and loved the scenery and beaches I found.

The ultimate, one and only dog friendly beach in Auckland. Here you can bring your dogs to freely…read moreroam and meet up with other dog-minded friends of the two- and four-legged variety. Just past Cornwallis Beach is Kakamatua. Park in the carpark and then it's a ten minute bush walk to the river estuary and ultimately the beach. At high tide the sandy stretch is diminished, but at low tide you can walk right down to the end of the tidal bay where you get an incredibly beautiful view out to the Manukau headland. This is also a place to bring families as we have had many a great day out here. Pack a picnic, the sunscreen and enjoy.

Great for dog watching…read more I have a dog. She also watches other dogs then she catches a ball at this particular beach. On busy days, there will often be a bit of a scuffle between some crazy mutts, but nothing too serious. Um. Yeah. It's a nice place. Quiet and good for plane watching too, if you like that. Dogs. Planes. Beach. Yup.

This is an awesome park. The scale of it is insane. There are a number of tennis courts and plenty…read moreof football (soccer) fields which are also handy for all the other sports groups out there. That's why whenever you go there to walk your dog or to just go for a mere stroll with a friend, you are likely to see the teams at practise on a Saturday morning playing a game or 10. The space is also great for little kids, they can run around for miles. And there is a relatively new and modern play ground set up, which also doubles as an exercise spot. It's a really neat place. I like to go there just to go for a walk and stretch my legs - get some fresh air. There are hills and plenty of stairs too, so it's a great place for a workout!

One of my favourite Titirangi parks to walk the dog is Crum. This is due to it's wide open spaces,…read morebush setting and a water hole for Labrador dog to wallow in, not to mention the other well behaved pooches who we see on a regular basis morning, noon or night. Whatever the weather, it is a good day to walk the dog, the other thing about this park is that in winter it's never too soggy to walk as there are concrete paths meandering through the fields. There are three soccer fields, well utilized by local teams. This park also has two tennis courts, playgrounds and clubrooms with toilets.

During my photography course at uni, I really needed to discover natural locations that looked like…read moreuntamed wildernesses. I got on google and searched around, discovering Otuataua Stonefields. When I got there it was amazing! It had farm type fields, small beaches, forest and track walks. It took the best part of a day to walk around and I didn't see a single person the whole time. It has excellent parking, no security but I guess you just park there at your own risk. Also if you visit, take some food and water because there definitely is nothing around haha, also wear good walking shoes. Another thing, there are NO toilets there, just saying, things could get a little awkward. I still think regularly think about my day at the stonefields and can't wait to return!

A really neat place to wander around if you a) like wandering around, and b) are interested in the…read morehistory of the area. If neither of those things appeal then this isn't the place for you. I walked through the Stonefields on my journey on the Te Araroa trail so I didn't linger too long as I had a full pack in tow, but I enjoyed the quiet emptiness of the place. Didn't see anyone else (which helped when I had to answer to nature's call; what can I say, I was super hydrated) which makes you feel like you're having a more remote experience which is nice. It's a cool place to explore, as long as you don't get too unnerved by sharing the area with cows.

Until high-school I'd never really had much to do with Craigavon Park. Located on the outskirts of…read moreBlockhouse Bay it's a little further west than I'd ever had reason to venture, but throughout my high-school years cross country runs, fun-runs and various other fundraisers were held at this park. Home to a pretty decent playground, BBQs, a scenic walk and even a skate park - Craigavon Park has activities and events that cater to the whole family. Pack a picnic, the Frisbee, backyard cricket set and your dog - and enjoy the day at one of west Auckland's most popular parks. Bonus: Craigavon Park played host to the Hippie festival late last year. It was such a great day. Travelling painted vans, palm readings, eclectic knick-knacks, decorated lightbulbs, handcrafted wooden toys, and delicious food - the festival was absolutely brilliant and if it ever comes back to Craigavon Park, make sure you don't miss it!

Blockhouse Bay Beach is, strictly speaking, artificial. The white sand on the beach is trucked in…read moreto create the beach area for people to enjoy, but once you're out into the water, it's actually a muddy bottom, which you can see at low tide. Don't let this put you off though, as the water tends to be nice and calm, sheltered from the harbour as it is by the headland. We went down to check it out as a place to paddleboard from, and we had a great time paddling out past the headland and around the basin. The park facilities are awesome, and despite being right in the middle of the suburbs, it never really tends to be that busy, which is choice, as I hate beaches and parks that get spoilt by an overabundance of people. All in all, a great little spot to head out for a paddle, or chill out with fish and chips on the grass and enjoy the day.

This side of the harbour seems to be strangely under used, I suspect because everyone heads out to…read morethe more scenic Titirangi, but it's actually a really good place to come and hang out on a good day. Blockhouse Bay is a little horseshoe shape, so it's a bit more sheltered than some of the other beaches around the area which are more exposed, so even on a windy day it's quite pleasant. Swimming isn't that wonderful here as the tide never comes in that far, so it's always a bit of a wade out to somewhere where it's more than ankle deep, but it's a good place for a wander, or a swing on the swings, or just to sit and read a book and eat an iceblock.

Unfortunately there is an object in the playground here that inadvertently turns me into someone…read morethat pushes children aside; it's a big round disc that you lie in and then can gently swing on. It's both relaxing and good fun at the same time, but of course popular with children, so means I have to casually sit near by and then run for it before anyone else gets on it. Many times I have been thwarted by the faster legs of a small child, and then have to retreat to a seat, ready to make another approach once they are bored. I'm sorry to anyone I have glared at because they snaked me for the disc swing. Aside from a pretty grouse playground (the only downside is that there's no enclosed section, which means it's less relaxing for the responsible adults), Olympic Park also features a spider sanctuary, some art work recreating eels, and a scary make-out point section under a rail bridge. That all makes it sound horrible, but it's actually a pretty cool space, with an art trail, a creek, plenty of places to lie back and look at the clouds, and a great respite from the industrial grimness of New Lynn. At the moment, it really needs a good weed, as there's quite a few weeds popping up, but that's an easy thing to remedy. It also incorporates sports grounds and the athletics track that Arthur Lydiard trained many of his athletes, hence its name.

This must surely be one of Auckland's most sprawling parks. It's MASSIVE. However you feel about…read moreKeith Hay and his conservative Christian politics (although non-Aucklanders may have never heard of him), this big green space is pretty cool. It is home to two of Auckland's most iconic amateur sports clubs Three Kings United Football and TriStar Gymnastics. It is also where you'll find Cameron Pool, the Eden Roskill Cricket Club and Akarana Golf Course, as well as several playgrounds and some nice paths and wide open spaces to walk the dog or just get some outdoor exercise. The playing fields must be some of the most well used in the city as they are totally swarmed on Saturday mornings for the TKU soccer games. There's even a regular sausage sizzle, coffee van and merchandise stand. I always think we are so lucky in Auckland to have so much greenery and Keith Hay Park is a great example of this.

Keith Hay park played a massive part in my life when I first moved to Auckland. It was adjoined to…read moremy intermediate school (Waikowhai Intermediate,) as well as across the road from Roskill Grammar. Keith Hay Park played host to many memorable games of soccer for me over the years - I remember doing the Wynton Rufer academy and failing to do 15 juggles continually, while getting watched by the whole course. A little bit embarassing. Keith Hay Park is huge - if i remember correctly there are 15 full sized soccer piches on it, as well as a few cricket pitches and batting nets. It also serves as a home for Cameron Pools and the gymnastic centre, so it really serves as a centrepiece, one size fits all sporting destination.