Potters Park is beautiful and historic with gorgeous tall Norfolk Pines and a darn good playground…read more(and, randomly, an award-winning toilet block). The park's amenities also include basketball courts which always seem to be in use and one of the most excellent things about the playground here is that it's fully fenced. I've spent a lot of time in this park and can recommend it for kids of all ages. I would say though to go hard on the sunblock and make sure the kids are wearing hats, because the Westerley sun in the afternoons is haaaaarsh bro. I know that's probably a bonus to a lot of people but I'm part vampire and just melt. Despite the traffic at the busy intersection, this is another of Auckland's really great green spaces and the "pigeon lady" who feeds the birds here is one of the local Balmoral personalities that make it such a cool neighbourhood.

I know Potter's Park only because it hosts the terrific annual Auckland International Cultural…read moreFestival, and it make the perfect location. The park is big enough so that there's plenty of room for a good-sized stage as well as heaps of stalls, but small enough so that it still feels like a community event, and you're pretty much guaranteed a good view even if you're not right at the front. There's also all the usual parky stuff - a playground, toilets, and lots of big old trees, so I'd say it'd be a good spot for any of the other events it regularly hosts - including Family Fun Days, Carols by Candlelight, and the Community Spirit Family Carnival - as well for a family day out.

Located in on the corner of Mt Eden Road and Mt Albert Road, Three Kings Park is situated next to…read morethe Three Kings Shopping Plaza. It is a venue for sports such as cricket, soccer (football) and athletics. There is a basketball hoop in the park, toilets and even tennis courts. The tennis courts are available for public use free of charge - except on certain mornings when the courts are reserved (see photo). Three ashphalt courts are available. If you're wanting a hit, make sure you bring your own tennis balls as there doesn't seem to be a sports shop nearby. While the few cheap stores in the plaza sell what look like tennis balls, one worker thankfully told me "don't use them to play tennis, they won't bounce." The park is used for community events also such as 'Music In Parks' - I saw some of Tim Finn's set there there last year (on the way home from doing my grocery shopping)!

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.

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).

I have driven past this park so many times in the past couple of years and never ever ventured in,…read morefor the reason that it's not in my hood. So I was really happy to have the opportunity to attend a Free Music in Parks concert sponsored by Auckland City Council. Nixon Park may be more famously known for its Skate park or the two half courts to shoot some baskets. My experience of the park was when it transformed into a community of music and a sea of people, young and old, to enjoy free music and a free space to relax upon. Fantastic trees on the west side of the park, which provide shelter from the sun when it is at its most powerful comes in handy when you don't have sunscreen, are with little kiddies, or just need some time out from the rays. In this little oasis of trees you will also find a really cool tree swing that glides out for some free play time. The kids playground is small, but really good for the fifteen month to six year old, they have a few slides, see saws, and swings, not as modernized as of yet, but I'm sure it won't be long till they revamp this kids play area. Always enjoy a good Auckland park, and this was a great find.

Most kids rate Nixon Park for its skate area or the little playground. Mine rate it because of a…read moredodgy old rope swing up the hill at the back, hidden in the trees. Injuries have been sustained and I doubt it is remotely OSH approved but, just like back in the day, the home-made rope swing kicks the arse of those PC playgrounds. I don't know who put it there but I am glad that no one has (yet) had it pulled down due to misplaced (and misappropriated - if you don't like it don't let your kids play on it) safety concerns. True they have to be a bit careful about hitting the ground when they swing back but that's all part of the fun. And yes, that loop could be dangerous and yes, my son has got his leg caught in it and scraped the bejesus out of his torso (if a mishap is at all remotely possible, it will happen to him). But they LOVE it and I can totally see why. Just keep an eye on them - I'm constantly surprised at how many parents feel supervision is unnecessary (in all kinds of situations!). Nixon Park is also pretty cool for family and music events with its big flat field and the Kingsland Karnivale that took place last weekend was a lot of fun for everyone - with some particularly good shopping. And I do always love to see the carefree Titirangi dancing come and visit the central suburbs.

Arch Hill Scenic Reserve is possibly the only place in Central Auckland where you can mountain…read morebike. Went here last weekend, because my sister is a keen mountain biker, plus they have walking tracks too! The reserve also has a playground, swings, a climbing dome, a basketball hoop and a huge field, which would be great for soccer, cricket or just running around. Perfect for kids, but also for adults (like my sister and I) that still enjoy a good playground! There are two tracks for mountain bikers, short ones, but still pretty fun. They also have two walking tracks, one that follows the mountain bike track and the other is a short steep walk (but good for those thighs!) up to the Grey Lynn Community Library. It is definitely a great short-cut if you live in the area! Only negative would be that the park backs onto the motorway, so quite noisy, but once you block out that noise, it is bliss.

Having grown up just off Sandringham Road, I spent many hours as a child playing in Gribblehurst…read morePark. There are two playgrounds - one is more for the littlies, and the other (which is up some stairs so is obviously cooler) is a little more adventurous and appeals to slightly older kids. Gribblehurst Park also offers a flying fox, a BBQ, plenty of room for picnics, a rugby field complete with clubroom, a bowls club situated in the far corner and a wee rose garden up the hill. This variety means it is a park that caters to virtually every age group, and I admit as I have gotten older I still frequent Gribblehurst often. As a teenager my friends and I would grab hot chips and milkshakes from the local fish and chip shop and set up camp in the park for a few hours on summer afternoons. Then as a young adult I began attending 21st parties, and many of them were held in the clubroom. It's a pretty decent venue for parties and private functions - there's room for a dance floor, there's lots of seating, a full bar, projectors and TVs and it's not too far to taxi in to town afterwards. Tip: During rugby season try to avoid driving through Gribblehurst Park on Saturdays - it gets really parked up and there are kids and dogs running around everywhere. It's a driver's worst nightmare.

Pros: It's a park, so all the standard park pros. Grass,…read moretrees, fresh air. Additionally this park has sports fields, and bleachers for that authentic Friday Night Lights feel. Best of all this park has a sweet playground with a flying fox. This is awesome if you're a kid, but also awesome if you're a slightly drunk teenager because there is nothing more fun than crashing into someone in the dark on a flying fox. Cons: One time we went here to set off fireworks and a crazy lady yelled at us. Not because we were setting off fireworks, which you could argue would have been justified, but because she thought we were her old neighbours who had taken her things when they moved. Or something about her dog? I don't know, but she was unpleasant. Also, I don't know how keen I'd be to wander round here by myself after dark - remember those slightly drunk teenagers I mentioned earlier?

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.

Pretty good off lead dog park. Could benefit with some more fencing and definitely needs some…read moredrainage sorting out, it's a bit muddy in places in winter but great in summer. Even has an agility area constructed where your dog can go through tunnels, through hoops etc. The park itself also has areas for humans to train, do chin ups etc off a well formed track around the reserve, with dense native bush in between. Fenced children's playground area.