The park is clean and the playground is super duper exciting with a huge climbing structure made of…read morerope. More for the advanced of young climbers, 8 years and up. There's a two person swing which again should only be attempted by the agile and sober...and preferably of the smaller in stature and of similar sizes. The park is clean with well kept gardens. The toilets are on an electronic release and subjected to vandalism. It would pay to bring your own disinfectant wipes but there is toilet paper and the hand dryers are working! Bonus! The park benches are under luscious green trees which provide cool shade which was welcome respite on a hot day like today. Best not to hang around after dark. Best not to park your freedom camper nearby either. The area can be a bit rough. Other than that, enjoy! Other than that, it's a blast!

My daughters love riding and we are so pleased to have discovered Sonshine Ranch, a Christian camp…read morefor boys and girls who love to ride. The facility is amazing with wide open fields for horses to ride on as well as four horseriding arenas. The barn was recently renovated and is a really modern place for groups to gather for meals and sharing time. The sleeping quarters are just fine, 10 per cabin. There is also a new playground. Staff are so friendly, very welcoming and ever once have my girls missed home when they've been there. The 4 day 3 night holiday camps are just amazing, including horse riding sessions and activities involving archery, rock climbing, glow worm trail, confidence course, orienteering, flying fox, rope swing, camp fires, etc. The sunrises and sunsets are beautiful.

Bruce Pulman is over 60 hectares of green grass and sports and recreation facilities. Its home to…read moremany sports teams and is in full swing during the netball and rugby seasons. It's also a wonderful local spot for those who like keep fit and active. Its great for a leisurely walk or a long run; a little more scenic and serene than road running. You won't feel like you're running around the block and there's a lot of open space to cover. There's also barely any traffic noise and away from the hustle and bustle of busy streets and jaywalkers. You could even throw the ball around a have a game of touch rugby here with some friends as there is ample space. If your mates are a bit more serious, the fields are available for hire in the evenings which includes extra gear, lights and so on. Bruce Pulman is also home the Gymsport Complex, which offers a range of classes from beginner levels and holiday programmes to competitive and advanced gymnasts. It's hosted many national and international competitions so its safe to say the facilities are top of the line; great to keep in mind if you've got children or you yourself are interested in having a go! Bruce Pulman is a great facility for many athletes, exercise lovers and people that just want to stay active and appreciate the great facilities we've got here.

The Massy Park Aquatic Centre is always packed. It's home to the SwimMagic swim school which has…read moreclasses for toddlers through to adults and pregnant mums; they have an after school and holiday programme; and this place attracts families every weekend. They've got neat little pools for younger kids and some very cool water features and a mini playground in the area. There's hydroslide and bigger indoor pool for the older pre-teen crowd, while the big outdoor pool is great for lazing about and doing a few laps. The steam room and sauna are also available at a small cost. While I'm not much of a swimmer, I'm a fan of their big outdoor pool- its a little less packed than it can get inside and there's easy access to the cafe if you get peckish. The changing rooms here are quite spacious and I can safely say from experience that you won't find many shy people here- but there are cubicles if you aren't feeling too bold on the day!

My partner and I stopped here for our first lunch in New Zealand and it did not disappoint! I…read moreordered a Vege Frittata, Beetroot Salad, and an iced latte. My partner ordered a Breakfast Bagel and Frangipine Bar. Not only was it extremely affordable (about US$21), but it was delicious and satisfying. The location is perfect! It's located in front of the botanical gardens and has a breathtaking view. The lady that took our order was extremely kind and engaging. I would absolutely recommend stopping here if you're in Auckland!

The best carrot cake, coffee and savoury tart I've had in a very long time! Highly recommend !…read more10/10!

Chipmunks Playland in Manukau has had a re-vamp over the years and it's still a popular venue for…read morekids in the area today. I've taken younger family members here and it's definitely enjoyable for parents/caregivers too. There's a few different play areas for the kids depending on how old they are, so there's a little something for all of them. Car rides to rock climbing walls, slides and nets are just some of the playground features that literally keep them entertained for hours. The massive slide is the most popular attraction, especially for the older ones (I know I've gone down that slide many times!). I'd avoid taking younger children there when its busy- some kids can be a little too rowdy at times. Chipmunks runs a pretty solid (yet a little expensive) cafe to buy food, like nuggets and fries, sandwiches, burgers, you name it. They do kids meals aswell so if you haven't had time to pack lunch from home, it's a handy alternative without leaving the kids unsupervised. I've also been quite a few birthday parties here held in the function rooms. It's an awesome birthday venue and kids will love being in one of the different themed rooms! Definitely worth a look if you're after a venue (side note: they supply snacks for the adults at the parties too!)

Run down needs a good paint job on the outside, inside the rooms smell. My daughter had her fifth…read morebirthday there a few years ago, I went back to check it out for her 7th, to see if there were any improvements. No way!

Though often accompanied with the noise of the nearby Murphy's Rd traffic or ever going development…read morenoises of Flat Bush, Murphy's Bush is still a delight to walk through with it's trickling stream, nice shaded, forest walks and beautiful fairy glade in the midst of it to have a picnic lunch or put up a marquee in for a special event. The tracks are a bit confusing and random, so be sure to note the signs or you'll find yourself right back where you started within 10 minutes! A good place if you're looking for a light walk rather than a challenging tramp. Not recommended for little ones, as there is no playground to entertain them with.

Beautiful native bush to show off to visitors. If you are into 'earthing' it is great place to go…read morebarefoot. Listen out for the sounds of native birds and be humbled by the height of the tall, straight trees. It is easy to get "displaced" despite the signage - as there is more than one carpark and picnic area.

We came here today before our flight out of AKL airport. $89 for family of 4 with their family day…read morepass package. That saves you $10. We saw the croc feeding encounter, eel feeding and got to feed the goats chickens and bunnies. Playgrounds available to get the energy out. They keep your luggage for you in their storage area. Shuttle available to take you to airport too.

Zoo, aquarium, butterflies, animatronic dinosaurs, mythical creatures, a train... when I read they…read morehad all that, I honestly expected it to be a bit mediocre. But you know what? It was very well done! They manage to do a lot of different things quite well! A fun day for us and our 3.5-year-old - even the playground at the cafe!