Absolutely a subject so close to many....dog friendly places and beaches!  Don't leave your dog behind on an adventure.  Thankfully there are some great dog friendly beaches and walks in Auckland, so you don't have to leave Buster out of the day's plans.

Most beaches allow "off leash" exercise time before 10am and after 6pm during daylight savings (and it seems no problem outside of daylight savings hours), but check with the information board on the beach front to be certain. 

With this rule applying, most beaches are in fact dog-friendly any day of the week.  There are heaps of options readily available, and a few surprises too.

Auckland Central off the leash:

• Meola Reef in Westmere has a great fenced in dog exercise area
  
  We Reckon | There's a large fenced off area which makes up just part of the Meola Reef reserve.  It was quite muddy when we visited, and while the owners stick to the grassy paths, dogs are racing in all directions.  It's fun, and very chaotic at times!  It's free, open to the public any weather, and a good option we reckon.

• Mt Eden has a fenced zone and certainly worth a look

• Grey Lynn Park
  

• Waiatarua Reserve, Remuera

• Western Park, Ponsonby
  
  You Reckon | "Fantastic off lead area for dogs! Can be accessed from Ponsonby Road or all of the streets running off Hepburn Street. Just keep away from the playground and sports field at the bottom but there's plenty of room to play for 4 legged and 2 legged. Enjoy."  Jude, NZ

• Mt Albert has a newly fenced off dog exercise area too, small but certainly a great local option.

North Shore off the leash:

• Attwood Road (wharf reserve area), Paremoremo

• Rahui Beach, Greenhithe

• Chelsea Bay Beach, Birkenhead

• St Leonards Beach, Takapuna

• Takapuna Beach (before 10am)*

• JF Kennedy Memorial Park Beach, Castor Bay

• Churchill Reserve Beach, Rothesay Bay

West Auckland off the leash:

• Craigavon Park, Blockhouse Bay

South Auckland off the leash:

• Totara Park, Mangere
  
  You Reckon | "While this is a great dog friendly area as far as being off leash is concerned, you should have a warning here regarding the ticks. For safety's sake, only bring your dog here if it has been treated with Frontline." Tania, NZ

• Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa
  
  You Reckon | "All the Gardens are available to dogs apart from the cafe, visitors centre and library and a substantial area is available off lead." Tania, NZ

DOC also allows dogs "on leash" within a couple of local conservation areas.  Both are fantastic walks (so you'll enjoy it as much as your dog):

• North Head, Devonport

• Okura Walkway, Redvale

The local councils have listed some details zones and dog friendly exercise areas:

• South Auckland - Franklin City Council
• North Shore -  North Shore City Council
• West Auckland - Waitakere City Council
• Auckland Central - Auckland City Council

Get off the couch, and get on ya bike - take yourself and your family for a family friendly bike ride.  With plenty of top spots around the Auckland region, there really is no excuse.

For starters, in West Auckland, Woodhill Forest (small admission) takes you to a popular riding spot for mountain biking with paths for all levels of fitness, and riding abilities.  It may seem like rush hour traffic at 8am on a Sunday morning, but that's because it's so good!  Get in amongst it!  Being so close to the West Coast and sand,  it's a great location for biking, regardless of the weather (not so muddy as other tracks can be).

In Central Auckland, there's plenty too - but you can't overlook Tamaki Drive.  There's around 6kms of concreted, marked and safe cycle paths (and lots of cafes, beaches, playgrounds and ice-cream shops along the way)!

There's a great cycle path linking Waterview with Te Atatu over the cause-way.  Access this via a great map from the team at Bikey including a Glen Eden-to-Auckland route and a helpful North-Western map from the Auckland City Council showing bike access from Auckland City itself.

Then there are a numerous reserves and parks with cycle-friendly paths, including Grey Lynn Park.

We've only just begun to list a range of options, so if you know more please email us so we can share it with everyone else too! 

Getting to these Family Friendly Bike Routes | Check for the "green bicycle icons".  See our map for directions, and more FREE things to do in Auckland:

 
View Things to do in Auckland in a larger map


Photo Credit | © Samuel Tyler

Auckland is a pretty big city.  Home to more than 1.3 million, it sprawls over quite some distance. If you planning a road trip to Auckland, you'll need a plan.

The FREE things to do, the special occasion activities, and the brilliant not-to-miss scenery, are all here.  This will help plan your travelling route and your playtime agenda based on budget, interests, and how much time you've allowed to go exploring.

• To make it easy for you, we've split Auckland into sub-regions: Rodney, Waitakere, North Shore, Auckland Central, Hauraki Gulf, South Auckland.  You will find this helpful when using the filter function on the home page.

• Using our Things to do in Auckland Google Map, you can skip from icon to icon to see at a glance what may be of interest to you, which will of course dictate how much time you'll need to spend.  There are two pages of maps, so be sure to flick between the two (so you don't miss out on any options).


View Things to do in Auckland in a larger map


• We've written up some of our favourite FREE things do to around Auckland to get you started.  Once you've got an idea of what activities you want to do, or places to see - "Save to Favourites" as this function  then becomes your own hot picking list and guide you as to which driving route you'll likely to take.
  
  
• You can create your own Route Planner (created by Driving New Zealand) which will calculate the driving time and even fuel consumption.  You can save your map for reference, or refresh and plan another route.
  
  
• Helpful Hint:  Avoid Auckland's motorways if possilbe during rush-hour (4-6pm).  It is very chaotic and if you not used to assertive driving, best have a coffee and avoid the mayhem.
  
  
• And for serious stuff, facts and figures and details - here's Immigration New Zealand's Auckland snippet of useful trivia.

Photo: Auckland City, from Birkenhead (North Shore)

Many of the articles featured on planmyplay.co.nz are most certainly child friendly, and you can filter Child's Play specifically.  However, to drill down a bit further we're able to summarise a few of the top walks suitable for mountain buggies, prams/push chairs and wheelchairs. 

Here is just the beginning of a list of those you may enjoy, with concrete paths and/or well formed tracks suitable for mountain buggies. 

Mountain Buggy walks will see you going cross-country over farmland and through bush.  Some lovely walks include:

Ambury Park, Mangere
Otuatua Stone Fields, Mangere
Tahuna Torea, Meadowbank
Mangere Lagoon, Mangere
Lloyd Elsmore Park, Pakuranga
Moire Park, Henderson
Oakley Creek, Waterview
Craigavon Reserve, Blockhouse Bay
One Tree Hill, Greenlane
Auckland Domain, Grafton
Centennial Park, Cambells Bay
Smiths Bush, Northcote
Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa
Hobsonville Point (former Hobsonville airfield): the route is around 4km long, with a wonderful new playground nearby

• Also, Harbour Sport had put together a list of short 30-45 minute walks around Auckland suitable for mountain buggies and prams.  This was part of an organised 'pram walk', and although the events have long gone (2007) - the walks still remain, and could be of interest to you.

Wheelchair (or stroller) walks stick mainly to the footpaths and boardwalks around Auckland.  Some great options around Auckland include:

Tamaki Drive, Auckland Central
Western Springs, Western Springs
Riverside, Helensville
Farm Cove, Pakuranga
Panmure Basin, Panmure
Millennium Walkway, Orewa
Waipareira Walkway, West Harbour

Getting to these buggy/wheelchair friendly walks | Click on the embedded links above we've provided, and they'll take you directly to each location on our map:


View Things to do in Auckland in a larger map

Photo Credit | Cornwall Park, Greenlane

When it comes to events, there are heaps of "things to do" every day in cities throughout Auckland. While this website shines a beacon for activities rather than events, we can however, point you in the right direction if it is live entertainment you're after!

There are HEAPS of professional theatre productions, international bands and major events in Auckland Central at any one time - too many to name them all.  We have listed the "big players" when it comes to booking agents and would suggest that you contact them directly:

• The Edge
• Ticketek
• iTicket
• TicketDirect
• Event Finder

They will have the full schedule: dates, locations, times, pricing schedules and what's coming up well in advance.  Ultimately you will make a booking directly with them.

The Bay of Plenty is made up of small but uniquely different townships.  From the bustling port of Tauranga to the sprawling beaches of Mt Maunganui, the timber townships of Kawerau to the bubbling mud of Rotorua, this region is quite diverse.

This is just a "taster" of course.  For a growing collection of more photos, check out our Facebook gallery for Bay of Plenty:


Whakatane Harbour


The Redwoods, Whakarewarewa Forest, Rotorua


Old Government Gardens, Rotorua


Otarawairere Beach, Whakatane


Tarawera Falls, Kawerau

Main photo (top): Whale Island, Whakatane

Stretching inland over high country mountain ranges, Canterbury offers city dwelling in Christchurch, to rambling farmland, picturesque alpine lakes and mountain scenes of the Mackenzie Basin. 

Can't include a full montage here, but here's a "snippet". For a growing collection of more photos, check out our Facebook gallery for Canterbury:


Lake Tekapo


Canterbury "Rush Hour"


Caroline Bay, Timaru


Mt Cook Alpine Canals


Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo

Main Photo (top): Lake Pukaki, Mackenzie Country

Pretty as a picture, you will SO want to charge your camera batteries for this little slice of paradise. The Coromandel Peninsula commands a narrow arm of land offering popular and isolated beaches, a water lover's wonderland (surfing, fishing, snorkelling).

For a growing collection of more photos, check out our Facebook gallery for Coromandel Peninsula:


Waihi Beach


Cathedral Cove


Views from Mt Paku


Te Pare, Hahei


Mussell Barge Fishing, Coromandel Town

Main Photo (top): Hot Water Beach

Somewhat isolated in the Far North, Northland has a special feel of its own - from the rugged Cape Reinga coastline, to the quiet marina town of Whangarei.  

For a growing collection of more photos, check out our Facebook gallery for Northland:


Mt Manaia


Waipu Cove


Piroa Falls, Waipu


Pouto Peninsula, Kaipara


Ruakaka Beach

Main photo (top): Baylys Beach

Of course you can explore the region and check out the wildlife on your own for free (mostly), but SOMETIMES a guided tour can take all the hassle out of transport. 

Whether it be by foot, bus, off road, boat or kayak - taking a tour can be a user friendly option, great company if you are travelling by yourself, and you get a running commentary without reading brochures all day long.

If otherwise not listed on this website, here's a list of some Dunedin wildlife tour operators that may be happy to help:

Van | Mini Bus | Bus

• Arthur's Tours
• Awesome Tours
• Bottom Bus
• Otago Explorer

Drive-Walk

• Back to Nature Tours
• Catlins Coaster
• Elm Wildlife Tours

Cycling

• E Tours

Walking

• Marine Studies Centre
• Nature Guides Otago

4WD | Off Road

• D Tours

The Otago region boasts wildlife not seen in other parts of New Zealand, and with expansive coastlines perfect for breeding, fur seals and penguins are common sights. 

Dunedin, with its very gothic architecture, makes for a very old Scottish feel.

For a growing collection of more photos, check out our Facebook gallery for Otago:


Aramoana Spit, Dunedin


Heritage Buildings, Dunedin City


Baldwin Street, Dunedin


Allans Beach, Otago Peninsula


Port Chalmers


Nugget Point, The Catlins

Main Photo (top): Moeraki Boulders, North Otago

Become a wine expert, or sit back and relax in the stunning Central Otago Wineries. Sample a few or settle in for the afternoon. Promoting safe driving of course, take a designated driver, take it easy on the sampling, or take a vineyard tour. In no particular order, here is just a few:

Bannockburn

• Akarua Winery | 210 Cairnmuir Road, Bannockburn
• Bald Hills Vineyard |  46 Cornish Point Road, Bannockburn
• Carrick Winery | Cairnmuir Road, Bannockburn
• Mt Difficulty | Felton Road, Bannockburn
• Olssen's Vineyard | 306 Felton Road, Bannockburn

Kawarau Gorge-Cromwell

• Amisfield Winery | 10 Lake Hayes Road, Queenstown
• Aurum Wines | 140 Kawarau Gorge Road (State Highway 6), Cromwell
• Chard Farm Winery | Chard Farm Road (off State Highway 6), Gibbston
• Gibbston Valley Wines | State Highway 6, Gibbston
• Northburn Station Vineyard | Tarras-Cromwell Rd, State Highway 8
• Packspur Vineyard | Heaney Rd, Lowburn, Cromwell
• Peregine Wines | Kawarau Gorge Road, Gibbston
• Pisa Range Estate | 925 Kawarau Gorge Road, State Highway 6, Cromwell
• Quartz Reef Winery | Hughes Crescent, Lake Dunstan Estate, McNulty Road, Cromwell 
• Rockburn Wines | cnr McNulty Road & Gair Avenue, Cromwell
• Wooing Tree Vineyard | opposite the Big Fruit Sculpture, Shortcut Road, Cromwell

Wanaka

• Rippon Vineyard | 246 Mt Aspiring Road, Wanaka

Contact them via their website links above, as sample hours and prices to vary.  Enjoy the Central Otago hospitality.

While New Plymouth is the coastal city of note within the region, the Taranaki scenery quickly morphs from city into a wonderful alpine vista as you travel inland towards Stratford.

For a growing collection of more photos, check out our Facebook gallery for Taranaki:


Pukerangiora, Waitara


Dawson Falls, Stratford


Lake Mangamahoe, New Plymouth


Stratford Milking


Paritutu Rock, New Plymouth


New Plymouth Coastal Walkway

Main photo (top): Stratford Countryside

Become a volunteer.  Go on and get your hands dirty!  Help run plant nurseries, assist in ranger tasks and plant a few trees, clean up our beaches.. Volunteering in your local community can be well organised, fun and a great family activity for all ages. 

Get the little ones involved and learn a thing or two about eco-responsibility and the environment. It's a feel-good activity that may see you coming back for more!

• Auckland Council needs your help.  Whether it is a 'one off' event or if you plan to make it a habit, contact them.

• DOC can always do with a helping hand and has many restoration projects on the go.

• Forest and Bird Society also has regular plantings too.
  
  
• EcoEvents (co-ordinated by Auckland Regional Council) seem to have heaps of projects up their sleeve to keep you busy and involved!
  
  
• and if you haven't yet discovered Volunteering Auckland, here's the introduction!

You never know what you may learn and it will get you out-and-about, and have fun in the process.  Check the links above for a volunteer project near you.

We Reckon | If you want to help but don't want to join an organised group, adopt a beach and make an effort once a month to collect rubbish as you stroll - leaving it a better place.  You will be surprised the junk you collect and quietly it's a rewarding exercise.  This is our experience: Giving a Toss!

What stands out about the Waikato Region, is the predominance of rolling green hills, and constant impressive cloud formations that look like they've fallen out of a movie set.

Made up of smaller country townships, Waikato is very much a rural region.

For a growing collection of more photos, check out our Facebook photographs for Waikato:


Ocean Beach, Kawhia


Lake Ngaroto,  Te Awamutu


Mangapohue Natural Bridge, Waitomo


Marokopa Falls, Waitomo

Main Photo (top): Whangamarino Wetlands, Meremere

Ok, so you've taken advantage of some ridiculously low airfares you picked up off the net, and found yourself in Wellington? 

We think you've made a great choice.  Whether you fly there for the day or a weekend, there's plenty of exploring to be had without having to hire a rental car.

Well, that's what we discovered.  In fact, once you've made your way to the central city (around $20 taxi from the airport) exploring the city centre is FREE and there's plenty of walking, or public transport options.

Our picks for 1-2 hours of walking your way around Wellington include:

Oriental Parade | Starting from Te Papa as a base, head around the bays, past the boatsheds, Freyberg Pools and water fountain, and keep going!  It's a beautiful walk on a stunning morning, with a couple of cafes at the start of the walk to provide some caffine top-up.

You can access the Mt Victoria lookout from Oriental Parade for an extension to your walking route, or for a great photo opportunity.  You may get carried away with the joggers and keep walking, but don't worry, you'll end up on Evans Bay Parade and you'll find yourself in Kilbirnie. 

Wellington Waterfront |  There's plenty of bars and restaurants, interesting walkways, waterfeatures and statues to keep you entertained.  Just beyond the Wellington Railway Station you'll find the Westpac Stadium (aka The Cake Tin) which is often heaving with sporting activity. The waterfront itself can be very exposed to Wellington's infamous wind, so make sure you pack a jacket in the winter months.

Botanic Gardens | This inner city walks comes highly recommended.  We took the Cable Car up the hillside to begin our easy descent through the gardens.  There's the Cable Car Museum and Carter Observatory within minutes of the last stop, then an easy walk down to a children's playground, toilets dotted along the way to end on the flat of the Rose Gardens at Tinakori Road, complete with cafe!

All you do is follow the "pink hibiscus flower" painted on the pathway, as it guides you the whole way down.  To finish off this circuit, take a trail through the Bolton Street cemetery, exiting very close to the Parliament Buildings.

Top Photo: courtesy © Phillip Capper

The West Coast in the South Island is isolated, rugged, and naturally brilliant.  The sheer forces of wind, ocean make for great photography.

For a growing collection of more photos, check out our Facebook photo gallery for the West Coast:


Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki


Tauranga Bay Seal Colony, Cape Foulwind


Westport



Fox Glacier


Punakaiki Cliff views


Hokitika Beach

Main Photo (top): Lake Matheson, Fox Glacier