Coming from the perspective of an avid climber, it's rare and great to find gyms like this one…read more There was a great variety of bouldering problems and rope climbs and an extensive kids area. I am deducting a star though for a definite lack of upkeep. Lots of places were losing paint etc. More importantly, I had to hire (rent) some shoes being on a vacation and we had to check 4 pairs before I found some that didn't have holes clean through and mine were pretty torn up. I've spent time at a number of gyms and you can tell which ones let things drop and which don't and signs of things being run down make it harder to trust the safety equipment you rely on. If this place took more pride in upkeep, it would be a gem.

What an awesome indoor climbing gym! Ample parking and suitable for all ages. There was an…read moreabundance of kids earlier in the evening with special courses and rooms dedicated solely to the little ones and even some of New Zealand's top climbers were spotted training here last night. There is also quite an array of routes with multiple routes per level and belay instructions are included for first-timers at no additional charge. There is no pretentiousness here. I am a complete novice and was climbing at their busiest time flanked on both sides by very experienced climbers. Everyone is really encouraging and content to wait their turn, even if it does take you a little longer than average to reach the top. For entrance and shoe and harness rental, the combo price for adults is $27.50. Entrance alone is $17.50 if you already have your own equipment. Package deals and monthly rates are also available. Best to go in even numbers as all routes require a belayer.

This was so. much. fun!! My friend and I had heard about Jump and were so keen to give it a go! We…read morebooked our session at Jump on the shore - we booked the hour long session! An hour is definitely plenty of time because maaaan is it tiring! But such a fantastic way to get active and do a little exercise whilst having tons of fun! Definitely recommend! You will feel like you're 5 years old again :)

The driving range is a really popular spot among people I know. Apart from being open 24 hours a…read moreday, its a great price and lots of fun. I'm terrible at golf but that fact that I can buy 100 balls to hit for $13 (and that handy little driver, what would I do without you!), chances are I'll hit at least one with a good swing. Theres a lot of bays here so there isn't usually a waiting time. Alternatively, you can share a bay with friends and take turns which usually turns out to be more fun anyway! What I like the most about the driving range is that you can go at your own pace and there's no one waiting in line. It's a great group activity or if you're flying solo, a great stress reliever. The guys at JK's are really helpful and knowledgeable, so you're in good hands 24/7.

The best thing about JK's? It's open 24 hours a day! So no matter what time I feel like smashing…read moresome balls, I know I can head out there and get my fix. Perfect for people staying near the airport, maybe on a business trip or stopover, and there's usually no issues finding a gallery to use.

I came here for a wedding and I was really stoked on the venue. It is modest but yet so amazing as…read moreit looks right over the water. There are balconies around the entire building so the guests can take in the fresh sea air and the beautiful view. I'd recommend checking the tides though so that your wedding lines up with high tide as it goes out quite a way. While we waited for the couple to arrive we went for a walk around the water on the beach. It's the perfect way to have a chilled out Kiwi wedding. We watched the sunset across the harbour while eating dinner by caterers the couple got in. It was a really beautiful setting; as good as you'll get really and for a fraction of the price. It's not a huge venue but would be perfect for a smaller wedding. At the end of the night they just cleared the tables and made way for a dance floor.

A couple of my friends have got married here, and while the view is absolutely fantastic, the venue…read moreitself isn't that great. Hold that thought, it's a great venue for a small wedding; a terrible venue for a not so small wedding. My friend's wedding wasn't the smallest so we were packed in, not comfortably either. Our table was right next to the bar so people seemed to be around us constantly, and my head kept smacking against the side of the bar where our table was. The best thing about the venue however are the balconies. They wrap right around one side over the beach. The sea smell is gorgeous and the views are stunning, especially when the sun starts to set. The whole place is surrounded by huge windows making it appear bigger than it is, and giving great light and views from everywhere. Fantastic photo ops, especially for selfies.

I've been coming to the yoga classes here for over 10 years. There used to be Thursday and Tuesday…read morenight sessions but now there's a class on Monday morning at 10.45 and Tuesday evening at 7.35. Both are taught by Diana Radcliffe and have been for as long as I can remember. The style of yoga is simple Hatha yoga in the Satyananda style and what this means to you is that it's suitable for all levels. Diana provides alternatives for beginners and takes an individual approach when needed, keeping an eye on the newbies. Each class starts with a gentle warm-up followed by floor postures before moving into standing poses, usually incorporating a series of movements into a flow. There are variations each week so you don't get bored and every session finishes with 10 minutes of breathing and relaxation. Yoga doesn't have to be a weird thing you have to go to a hippy place to do; it's for everyone and I would highly recommend starting here with Diana.

I went to the gym at the YMCA in Mt Albert while I was in high-school and it was perfect. As a…read morestudent at Mt Albert Grammar the YMCA actually offered me a discount, so not only did I have access to all the equipment and classes, but at a cheap price! It is things like this - providing local students with cheaper rates - that always impresses me about the YMCA. It is a business that really looks after locals - it's very community oriented. An example of this community spirit is the YMCA used to rent out one of their rooms to my dance school at a cheap rate so we had enough room to have proper rehearsals and practices. Without their help we would have been at a loss! Offering great school holiday programmes, hosting kids birthday parties, before and after school care, special youth programmes that promote leadership and creativity - the Mt Albert YMCA is fantastic.

I discovered this park when I visited Burger Queen on a lovely summer's evening and wanted to eat…read moremy burger outside. After some investigating using my phone, I saw this park nearby, so I went to check it out. And it isn't just a patch of grass. There was a fierce game of volleyball going on (the net is always up) and lots of kids using the skatepark. There was a modern playground fo ther children to play on, that included climbing walls, a roundabout and wait for it, a flying fox! There was some sports fields also and I even spotted some vegetable plot areas (which I imagine are for the community to use).

Owairaka is a meanage skate-park dudes. It's not pretty or classy and the locals love their…read morevandalism but if you're after jumps and ramps this is the place. It gets full-on busy at the weekends and there's a bit of posing and attitude so probably not good for the younger kids. It's a jungle out there yo. There's also a really cool modern design playground with some stuff I haven't seen before; as well as a flying fox, volleyball "court" and a rugby field. There's a lot of stuff to do here as long as you don't need lush nature, serenity or relaxation with your park visit.

One of the best benefits of having kids is getting to be a kid yourself and Megazone is a great…read moreplace to do just that. I never understand when parents don't partake in childish activities - we even had a boys' birthday party here where a dad went INSIDE the warzone to just stand and watch. If you have no idea what all this is about, laserstrike is the preferred birthday party choice of boys (and some girls) aged 7 to 12 and probably older - we're not there yet. You rally your troops, divide them into two teams, tool up and go to war. There's an instruction video and staff on hand to help you get into your harness-thing. The harness-thing has light targets for your enemy to see and of course your laser gun. You then go run around in the dark shooting each other and the team with the most points wins. Most excellent entertainment - especially getting those kids that are, let's say, not your favourites. So ring up, book your group and they'll give you a room where you can do the food and cake thing along with two 20 minute game sessions. Get pizzas delivered and it's simple and fairly affordable as far as these things go. Just make sure you join in - it's bloody good exercise and wicked fun.

Peaceful spot to relax. Love going down here when it's raining. Good playground for the kids and…read morehas public restrooms that are clean.

What I love about Island Bay Road Wharf and playground is how calm and peaceful it is, and I would…read morerather not too many people know about it. You can bring your kids here to the playground and on a nice day its just gorgeous as the playground is right next to the water and you can watch the yachts sailing by and just relax a bit either during the day, after work or in the weekend while your kids are having a good play. At full tide you can swim here and at low tide you can actually have a BBQ down at the beach if you have a portable BBQ and its just nice to run around and play in the sand and water.