I can not believe I had not been to the leisure centre sooner. Honestly its got alot going on in…read morethere. There is a Les Mills Gym, a large swimming pool, a spa pool, some saunas, and even a dive pool with diving boards. I had a visit during the week, before lunch time, so the toddlers pool was booked out with a swim group, so we were offered the fun section of the big pool we just had to share it with some swimmers, which was not a problem at all. The water was a lot cooler than the toddlers pool would have been but my little guy is obsessed with water so that was not a problem. There were a few lifeguards on duty, who were looking after us all, and although a large amount of little seven year old's did show up for weekly sports class, we seemed to all just co exist in the space happily. I am yet to enquire about the gym on site which I think would be so convenient for mums with little children as they have a creche that is connected to the whole complex, talk about convenience. Car park space outside is close to the leisure centre and is also all free to park in if you are using the facilities. The changing rooms, are big enough to have a quick change and the showers were clean, although I think jandals should always be essential in public showers, just a tip. I will be back for sure, as I love the fact that I get to relax and enjoy a swim with my child and we both benefit from it.

Went to use the pools today...Haven't been to this place for about 10 years. I guess that's why its…read more$6.70 for a swim and no longer $2.50. Anyway, its exactly how I remember it. Nothing has changed much. There are slides, diving boards, steam rooms, saunas, pools with lanes and a kiddie pool. I love how you no longer have to pay to use the lockers.... You just need to bring your own lock and key. They probably change this because things use to get stolen all the times. So make sure you bring a lock! Another thing that has changed is that It seems like this place has become the ultimate hang out for old asian people during the working week. I am quite shy with walking around naked in the change rooms, but the old asian ladies are not, just a warning!

This pool is amazing!! Really!!! I certainly took the pool for granted when I lived in Auckland!…read more I am from New York, but lived in Auckland for two years while getting my Masters degree. In those two years I adopted swimming as my preferred fitness activity. I went to the pool whenever I was stressed or sad or bored, and within minutes of entering the pool, I was as happy as I could ever be. This pool has soooo many things you can't find in New York: - As a student, it only cost me $5 or so to pop by for a swim. Almost every pool (aside from the dingy pools) in New York require membership just to be able to walk into the facility. And even the dingy pools require membership outside of Summer. - It's a 50 meter pool. You would be surprised how rare that is. - It has a kiddie pool, hot tub, jacuzzi, steam room, TWO saunas, a cafe, a gym, fitness classes, SCUBA CLASSES (!!!) an incredible locker room with curtains AND hot water.... really just incredible facilities. Nothing in New York comes close to that. Not even remotely. - The price is absolutely insane. Again, I only paid $5 to swim, and they don't force you to get a membership or anything. The only establishment that I've been to that comes close to this pool is Chelsea Piers in Manhattan. But a day pass is $50 USD (So maybe $60 NZD.... just for the day). Yearly membership for the pool alone is over $600. I would do anything to be able to go back to this pool. Count your lucky stars, Aucklanders!!!! ;)

Sometimes if we have kid-free time at the weekend and are feeling righteous we use the gym here…read morebefore having a swim. I like it when gyms aren't painful about casual visitors and the ones run by Auckland City Council are really a bargain. We had a good time here as we usually work out without machines so each time we're in a new gym it's all new and exciting. Which is a really helpful feeling to have about exercise. Don't come here though if you're a complete novice; the staff are more interested in posing than assisting the clients. Which is fine with us. There's probably more cardio machines here than I've seen anywhere else along with everything else you might need; weights, kettle bells, Swiss balls, stretching mats... This place is the ideal set-up because it really has everything; there's a cafe, creche, sauna, group fitness and personal trainers, nutritionist and physio all on site. And what's left of the original building's character is beautiful. Aucklanders of my vintage will remember when the Newmarket Pool was the place to go in summer and hang out on the concrete terraces in the sunshine. It's now of course covered in but they did the best job they could retaining the building's Deco character. It's a pretty busy pool and there's no dedicated "frolicking" area so you need to avoid the serious swimmers if you're just in for a dip. The curved spa at the end gets crazy crowded which is less than relaxing but that's what you get in the populated areas. The changing rooms here have some interesting features, particularly the strips of clear glass at strategic height in the showers. So you can have a moderate level of privacy but not for the body parts where you really it. My husband has a hilarious story about one of our visits involving a clearly very body-confident man hoisting his leg up on a bench to blowdry his nether regions - yes with the hairdryer. Personal space being at a premium when it's busy it was apparently quite an eyeful. Not sure this is a selling point but it's certainly bloody funny.

This YHA is just off Queen St, providing easy walking access to the core of Auckland. There are a…read morefew YHA-operated paid parking spots available but they have to be booked in advance. The double private ensuite room I stayed in was quite clean, and interestingly, during my stay some of the furniture was actually replaced with new ones as part of a hostel-wide makeover. Note that the room didn't have its own hair dryer, the nearest was in a shared bathroom. This differs from YHA Lake Tekapo which has a hair dryer in the ensuite rooms.

I believe this Hostel was recently renovated. We checked in after a very long fight with two small…read morechildren from Hawaii. Front staff was friendly and accommodating to a family with two small boys, let's just say they don't get too many boys under 18. They Quickly helped us find a parking spot in their small lot out front for $15 New Zealand. ($30 deposit) They even searched high and low and called other hostels to find us the one crib for our two year old they had. She brought it up that night and helped my husband set it up. The crowd is a typical hostel crowd with lots of 18 to 26-year-olds from all over the world. Also, a couple what seem like retirees from Spain and Britain. The crowd is quieter & more well behaved than what I'm used to in hostels. Of course the last time I stayed in a hostel it was probably 1998 in Amsterdam. They have a beautiful commercial type kitchen. There is laundry on site & a game room in the basement. The room is very small, basically our bed, but it was perfect for our family for one night after a long fight. The price was right! (~$50 US) The bathrooms and showers are actually private. I loved the stainless steel shower stall, HOT water & Strong pressure. The breakfast situation wasn't great as nothing is open till late 9ish on Sundays & my kids were starving & up at 0600. We loved dinner in the Stables. We would stay again.

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.

I've spent way too much time here over the years; it can't be helped if you have kids. The little…read moreones LOVE it and by little I mean, preschoolers and up to about age 10. There's a nice warm baby pool and the shallows of the main pool are full of interactive water thingies, and of course a slide. There's "the lazy river" which is kind of an alternative to a whirlpool but what's most special about here is the waves, dude. They don't turn the waves on all the time mainly I think because they're bloody dangerous. Hold on tight to your toddler because the floor is really slippery and the force is enough to knock adults over easily, let alone adults holding another small body. Seriously, be careful. The hydroslide is pretty cool as far as these things go but the up the stairs and the shivering is not for me. Which I'm sure is fine with the kids. My reckoning is that this is Auckland's busiest pool so if you do have a little one in the big pool it's incredibly stressful trying to keep track of them. Go when your kids can swim on their own.

Why are wave pools so fun? These sorts of waves out at the beach are at best a non-event, at worst…read morea nuisance. But put me in a much smaller body of water with a concrete bottom, turn on the swooshing, and somehow that's a grand old time. I don't get it. The thing is it really is a grand old time. Wave pools are fun, and it doesn't matter how old you are or if you've ever seen what a real wave looks like. There's a shallow end for the little kids, and a deeper end for everyone else, and this is where the waves are at their best. There's also a grown-up pool in the next room (you know, with lanes and a flat surface) that you can swim laps in but to be honest I've never felt the need. I'm sure it's fine though.

I probably like Milford park more than the average punter because I grew up down the road…read more Throughout my childhood, I spent many a day at Milford Park climbing the trees, playing BYC and go home stay home. Trip down memory lane aside, Milford Park is still a great spot to bring the kiddies. There is a freshly painted, bright blue playground, toilets, BBQ pits AND the Beach is right next door. Not to mention in Summer there is frequently concerts or outdoor movie screenings. Oh, and for all those runners out there every Wednesday night there is a fun run that leaves from the Milford Cruising Club in the park and goes to Takapuna and back for only $7 ($3 for kids), free drink included!

I shouldn't review the park as high as I would prefer to keep this to myself - but better to be…read morehonest. A good little suburban park - good parking, safe kids playground, beach volleyball courts and the beach a hop and a skip away. The Creek provides a bit of action if the tide is in as the yachts and fisher boats trailing and out over the 4 hours of tide. Good takeouts and coffee close by in Milford and it is not surprising the number of people who get fish and chips from PJs (another secret) and eat them on the picnic tables worth a visit

Very clean and professional gym. Really appreciate that the locker rooms have shampoo and soap…read moreprovided in the showers as well as hair dryers and electronic lockers. Really nice to not have to deal with providing your own lock. The real unique point of Bodytech is the well-staffed floor and the supervised circuit workout. This is part of membership and is like getting free mini-personal training sessions. When you factor in those features it is reasonably priced and good value for money. I have been a member for 6 years, I think that says it all, right?

I can't say I have experience in gyms seeing this is my first, but I'm definitely glad I picked…read morethis one after a recommendation from a friend. Firstly, the thing that sold me was they have a 2 lane private pool, and surprisingly it's hardly ever busy, usually I'm the only one in there, because I can't stand sharing a lane with 5 other people at a public pool. The gym also has a spa pool, steam room, sauna, and showers with shampoo and shower gel provided. The main feature of the gym is the supervised circuit, a set of 8 different weight machines to work out your whole body. It isn't full blown personal training but the trainers are there every step of the way to setup the next machine and push you till failure to get the most out of your workout. I've definitely seen a good improvement in strength and muscle gain from this. The trainers are also super friendly, and always offer advice and help with learning to use other machines in the gym. The only downfall is obviously all this comes at a price, which is a fair bit higher than a gym like Jett's, it's around 90-150 per month, depending on the term you select. But in my opinion, well worth it, especially for new gym-goers like myself, for the supervised circuit and the amenities. Only other thing is being a highly staffed gym, it's not open 24/7. I think currently it's about 5:30am to 9pm during the week. PS, keep an eye on their website if you're looking at joining, they usually have a decent joining offer.

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.