I was truly excited to visit Whatipu Beach because I have been to so many of our West Auckland…read morebeach favourites, but I had not experienced this wonder. Upon arrival I was off with my family to walk the 20 minute/1.5km track to the Whatipu Caves. On the walk to the biggest cave you pass smaller old sea caves along the track, they are really fun to walk into for some exploring. The big cave was very impressive; I really enjoyed walking around and hearing my voice bounce around its walls. I made sure I listened to the department of conservation- and sprayed a disinfectant on the bottoms of my shoes before and after entering the walk; this would help prevent the deadly Kauri collar rot which is easily passed from soiled footwear to trees. After the cave walk, I headed to the beach for a bite of lunch and a chance to soak in the scenery, hardly a sole to see. Picturesque waves rolled in to the shore, while in the distance the Manukau bar dramatically splashed up almost to say check me out I'm dangerous. I will be back Whatipu I promised as I departed this afternoon- you are a mysterious beauty.

Over Christmas my husband and I knew we wanted to go camping but also wanted some quietude, so we…read morelooked somewhere close to home, the Waitakere ranges were it, and Whatipu Lodge camp grounds looked quite remote but interesting. It took quite a windy drive to get to, passing very close to the oceans edge and down some narrow curly passes but with just a mild case of nausea (for me) we eventually got there. The space was very open and had one other camper nearby, a family tenting. We have a van decked out, which was ideal as the place was very windy and wet. It rained the whole time, but I liked it none the less, it wasn't cold and a bit of rain is no drama in my world. The hike up the big hill was easy and gave amazing views of the coast that we had walked along earlier in the day. The wind up on the cliffs did mean we had to keep our wits about us, and no rock climbing. We tried to get to the caves but it wasn't really possible without more serious wet weather gear, we got soggy shoes and socks even through the mere attempt to get at them. I recently read about all the ghost sightings in this place, we saw, nor felt, none, but it did give off a rather haunting feel. But that could also be because it felt like such an isolated environment and was so wet and windy. We did, however, see a lot of bird life. Bird watching is not a hobby of mine but it was kind of cool to see so many and all their antics. The lodge caretakers came over to the car and collected the $15 (per night, per car) and had a brief chat soon after we had arrived. Bookings are essential before you arrive.

My wife and I were on a week long vacation to Auckland and we saw many good reviews for this tour…read more We boarded and took a 40 minute trip to Waiheke Island for some scientific readings and then it was off to see some dolphins and birds and whales. They told us if you find these cool Gannett birds, it should tell you where the dolphins are. They divebomb the fish as the dolphins rile them up. We saw at least 400 dolphins on this trip and then we saw a whale, and they kept us out for an extra hour to check out a dolphin in the harbor. Great crew, that was very fun and you can order beer on the trip. Plus!

We had the most fabulous time today! We saw manta rays, wholes, dolphins and even a shark! Zara…read moretaught us a few things about phytoplankton, tiny plants living near the surface of the ocean, that are responsible for producing the oxygen we breathe for 3 of 5 breaths ! If we do Ty take care of our oceans, we'll have a hard time breathing! My 5 yo and 8 yo said it was a great day that they will never forget.

This is one of the most beautiful green spaces I've ever seen in my life. I thoroughly enjoyed…read morewandering through the grounds of the domain. Especially the greenhouses. I wanted to stay in those spaces, smell all the flowers, touch all the plants, and pick some of the very ripe fruits and vegetables. I admit to smelling some flowers and touching a few plants, but no fruits or veggies were at risk. Highly recommend the Auckland Domain if you are in Auckland. It's free, beautiful, and walking it is great exercise. It's made of win.

Green lawns, ball fields, gazebos with live music, clean public restrooms, unique trees & shrubs,…read moreendless trails with lots of benches & a very nice day. I loved the trees, I expected to see a Hobbit crawl out. We were walking to the museum & then back to our hotel. We passed pristine rolling hills, a bowling center, tennis center, Olympic aquatic center .... Many were biking, walking, jogging and enjoying the green space. There is a botanic garden near the museum.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I had such a great time! This place is so much fun! Whether you're an…read moreAuckland native or a tourist. This place is a must! I can't believe I haven't done this earlier. Do I sound too enthusiastic? But seriously. Do it. Instructors here are AWESOME! Great demonstration, very interactive people. We took the 90min lesson so they were constantly around and giving us tips on how to become better paddle boarders. You get to paddle around Mission Bay, and I suppose if you aren't doing the lesson and have more time, you could paddle to St Heliers bay if confident: two beaches down and back. The equipment they use are a mixture: My life jacket looked pretty old, but the board I was on was quite new. Nonetheless, all good quality. I fell in the water 5 times, and was still afloat so I have nothing to complain about! I am definitely gonna hit this up again before summer ends! Things I would note: -Don't forget to slip, slop, slap and wrap! I ended up buying $10 sunnies from the convenience store because I didn't wanna get seawater on my Raybans! So that's an option. -Kids must be over 8. Under 16's must have adult supervision. -You can chuck your belongings in their trailer which is well-looked after while you are out on the water.

I really love do anything water sports related, and I was keen for my partner and I to get active…read moreso I booked us both in for an hour session of paddle boarding down at beautiful Mission Bay. Showed up on a weekend day about 1 pm, and met with the Water sports team Ollie and Charlie, on quite a windy day, they were not too sure if as beginner paddle boarders we would have a lot of fun, with a swell running and the water choppy. I was given the choice to either re book another day or take the risk and try it out; I decided to give it a go. The staffs were super supportive and welcomed the motion, and about 1/2 an hour later we were set up with life jackets, paddles and boards. With some precautions to take and some advice about how to paddle, we were sent on our way with a kind wave. Surely was a workout, and had heaps of fun paddling out, falling of a few times and gliding back in smoothly. Great views, awesome fun and a must try for all those water babies.

I went here yesterday for the first time, suggested by some friends from Auckland (who I hadn't…read moreseen in 15 years) as a nice place that would be child friendly. Driving up from Hamilton with two sets of directions (printed from Google maps and navigation from my phone) and we still got a little lost... I'll take some credit for that, but also to forewarn you that the signing up to the park isn't that great and it's a little out of the way. There was plenty of parking when we arrived around 10:15 on a Saturday morning. There were already a lot of people there, appeared to be many birthdays and parties, rented jump houses and the like. There are lots of picnic tables around. It would be friendly for strollers/prams/push chairs. We also brought our son's little balance bike, and he enjoyed riding around on it there. Mostly, it's flat gravel areas for walking, flat grassy areas and very little paved area. The park was free to enter and to view the animals. It didn't appear to be staffed during the time we were there. You just walk around the various animal areas. We saw some rabbits, chickens, sheep, cows, goats, horses and a pig. My son (3-years-old) liked it, but wasn't blown away. Maybe we've been to too many animal parks lately. After walking through the animal areas (took about 30 minutes at a very slow pace), we grabbed a picnic table and chatted until my friends had to leave. One, somewhat bizarre thing, is that we couldn't find any garbage cans/rubbish bins here. So, if you are planning to generate trash, bring some bags with you. There appears to be some camping areas and some walking tracks. We didn't go around any of these, so I don't have any comment about those. Overall, I thought this place was fine, but not amazing. It's free, so you can't complain too much :)

Except for the rain, I had an excellent Ambury Park experience. You go through it as part of the Te…read moreAraroa trail (hiking trail that spans the length of NZ) so it makes an excellent place to stop for the night. I bumped into a park ranger as I arrived and she was really awesome, and since I was hiking the TA, allowed me to camp free of charge. The grass is flat, the toilet facilities are clean, and there's water available: everything a tramper could ever want. I didn't spend much time wandering the rest of the park (after walking in the rain all day I was kind of over it) but it's a nice outdoor area and a great place to take the family.

Killarney Park should be more popular than it is. It almost seems like people (including myself)…read morejust forget about it. And it really is beautiful (if you can avoid the duck poo). Situated right on the bank of the beautiful Lake Pupuke, Killarney Park is a lovely place to relax. Sit in the sun with some lunch, relax under a tree with a book, grab a coffee from the nearby cafe, or take a stroll around the lake. Despite being right in the middle of busy Takapuna, you honestly feel miles away when you're here, and you realise how cool and unique it is that you can walk from beach to lake in 5 minutes. The lake itself is always busy with little boaters, kayakers and dive groups. You'll often find our Olympic rowers and kayakers training here. The walk around the lake is a really nice one, and I highly recommend it, although there are some annioying parts that don't let you take dogs, those can be avoided though. It is close to many of Takapunas cafes, but doesn't have them in the immediate vacinity, which actually makes for a much more relaxed, natural atmosphere. Lovely.

There are some places where you come to hang with your mates, some where you just like to be alone,…read moreand some where you don't mind either way. For me, Killarney Park falls into the *alone* category. My high school years were spent at the nearby Rosmini College, and Killarney Park is where I came just to unwind and be with my thoughts during those turbulent teenage years. For somewhere so close to central Takapuna it is incredibly serene and peaceful - it's something to do with the lake and the rowers on it...or the ducks - something about things gently passing while you're still is just relaxing. So yeah I come here to chill - lie on the grass, walk among the dew in the morning, sometimes I'll bring my guitar down and sit under a tree and have a quiet play to myself. Blissful.

A team and I hosted Miss Africa Auckland 2012 at Alexandra Park and everything went smoothly thanks…read moreto the Jacquie who was the event coordinator at Alexandra Park. Jacquie answered all our questions, assisted us in drawing a stage after the one we had originally requested was too big for the room. She managed to set up the hall using diagrams and worked closely with the lightning and stage crew to make sure that everything was working from the sound system to the lights. Jacquie went out of her way to ensure that everything we asked was there and because it was christmas, we even had fairy lights around the room and a christmas tree at the front.

I recently attended a 2 day conference at Alexandra Park. I attend a few conference through work…read moreand have to say the food and staff at Alexandra Park were better than most four/five star hotels. To end the conference we had dinner and enjoyed a race night. It was my first time going to Alexandra park and will definitely go back and recommend to friends.

Having decided to try visiting this bird sanctuary on a lark (thanks folks, I'll be here all…read morenight), I was impressed enough with it. One visits by boat either from downtown Auckland (which I imagine is a scenic ride) or from a more remote peninsula near the island where the boat stops just before reaching it (which is nice if you want somewhere free to park for the day). The boat ride is most of the cost; for a small additional fee you get a guided tour lead by one of a remarkably large number of local volunteers. Why not? The guide leads you through the middle of the island with some narration, before finishing at a lighthouse and leaving you the second half of the day to roam alone. There weren't that many visible birds during New Zealand "winter"; you'd here more than you see. The island was once a farm before being purposefully replanted as a forest. Things grow fast here; it looks quite wild. Up to the point of reaching the light house, I'd probably have written a four star review. However, they buried the lead. Exploring alone yielded vast panoramic views of the entire region. The island is centrally located between the city and a variety of other islands. New Zealand's indigenous people are of Polynesian descent, and while you walk around here you might confuse the volcanic landscapes, abundant greenery, and clear turquoise water for a more archetypically Polynesian vacation spot. There are a few swimmable spots. It is a big enough island that there were significant areas of track that I did not see even after hustling around the coastline. Always leave 'em wanting more, the saying goes. If I had occasion to, I wouldn't mine going again, which having paid $60 to see an island that had no trees at the time I was born is something. Tips: *There were a ton of local schoolkids, but the guides kindly separated out kids and adults for the tour, and once you're off the boat, it really isn't an issue. *Adults get free tea and coffee at the end of the tour, but no food. There is literally nothing even to buy. Bring decent food. *A truck loads any bags you might want to leave at the wharf, and carries them to the lighthouse and back, meaning you do not need to carry what you bring while walking the island. *They are very concerned about biosecurity, so wear clean shoes and bring only closed, zippable bags. *Apparently the name means that it's a really windy island. Which it really is. Be ready for wild temperature differences based on wind and shade.

Seriously one of Auckland's greatest outdoor treasures. This pest-free island is a magical place…read morethat harkens back to the days before massive deforestation for farming, hunting, and introduction of pests shrank the population of New Zealand's birds. The bird songs you'll hear here are incredible! Amazing work has been done to reforest native plants and trees, and reintroduce rare birds on this island. You can see hihi (stitchbirds), saddlebacks, kakariki (red crowned parakeets), bellbirds, north island robin, heaps and heaps of tui, wood pigeon, little blue penguins, kokako (if you're lucky) and of course, my favorite - the takahē (a population of less than 300 exist in the world, and this is one of the few places you can see them in the wild - plus BABIES!) So worth paying the $70 to take the ferry out there. Pack your lunch and your sunscreen, bring your swimsuit and good hiking shoes, and get ready for an amazing day. The extra $5 for the guided tour is worth doing at least once. The guides are very knowledgable and will point out the birds and interesting plants and give you a history of the island. However, when we went the second time without the group, we saw heaps more birds, I think as we were separate from many of the larger (noisier) groups. I'm dying to stay overnight at the DOC hut and try to spot a kiwi! The huts are booked well in advance so you're gonna have to troll the website for an opening. Also be sure to book your trip well in advance as the ferry can book up during peak season, and you don't want to miss out!!