With spring heralding the start of warmer weather and longer days, now is the perfect time to lace up and step out. Here are four great ways you can get active in Tāmaki Makaurau.
1. Head to one of Auckland Council’s pools and leisure centres.
They have modern gym equipment, group fitness classes and social fun to swimming and sports courts, and make getting active easy for the whole family.
With 44 facilities across Auckland (24 operated by Auckland Council), there’s sure to be one nearby.
Find your nearest leisure centre and get moving
2. Walk it out
There are hundreds of walks across Auckland, from short strolls to multi-day tramps. Step into spring today with these gems:
- Go to the Auckland Botanic Gardens to see spring bulbs and colourful flowers in Spring Blossom Valley on your way to the Camellia and Magnolia gardens.
- Visit Cornwall Park and stroll among the cherry blossoms.
- Check out baby farm animals at Ambury Regional Park – the Family Farm Walk (45 minutes return) is great for the whole whānau and takes you through grassy lanes and animal enclosures.
3. Put the pedal to the metal
Cycling is a great way to get from A to B while adding activity to your day. There are heaps of great cycleways to help you get around Auckland on two wheels.
Here are a few to get you started:
- Te Ara Tahuna Pathway in Ōrewa offers a flat circuit for cycling, riding with children on scooters or pushing prams.
- Grafton Gully to Beach Road cycleway provides easy access to the city centre, waterfront and universities.
- Waikaraka Cycleway, which runs from Onehunga to Māngere Bridge and Ambury Farm Park, is a great weekend outing offering stunning harbour views.
Find out more about cycling in Auckland
4. Go on a play-date
Kids can let their imaginations run wild at Auckland’s 940 playgrounds. Check out our playground reviews and top picks.
And playgrounds are not just for children! More than 50 of Auckland’s parks have permanent exercise equipment, providing opportunities to get healthy and active for free.
Exercise equipment might include balance beams, pull-up bars, sit-up benches and more.
Here are a few locations to tick off:
- Bill Moir Reserve, Whenuapai
- Blockhouse Bay Recreation Reserve
- Grey Lynn Park
- David Lange Park, Māngere
- Rook Reserve, Unsworth Heights.
