Nothing beats seeing your four-legged friends hurtle around a dog park with sheer joy. Make their day and let your dog off the leash in these four dog-friendly hotspots.
Macleans Park
Macleans Park is a spacious and scenic green space in Eastern Auckland, with a combination of grassy open spaces and wooded gullies. Dogs are free to roam off-leash throughout the park.
A two-kilometre loop track runs around the park, through regenerating bush and wetlands and offering coastal views. It takes about 40 minutes at a leisurely pace and you can keep your dog off the lead the whole way.
Meola Reef Dog Park (vehicle access closed till February 2024 for maintenance)
Meola Reef Dog Park is the only fully fenced off-leash dog park in central Auckland. This dedicated canine exercise area is part of the wider Meola Beach Reserve.
The popular park is a dog’s daydream, with a muddy estuary to splash around in, bushes and trees to explore, and plenty of open space to play with other dogs. Humans can enjoy views of the water - it’s particularly spectacular later in the afternoon.
Auckland Botanic Gardens
Covering 64 hectares, Auckland’s Botanic Gardens offers a sweet escape from the city. The stunning gardens are also surprisingly dog-friendly. There is a large off-leash exercise area at the northern end of the gardens where you can set your dog off for a good romp.
Once they’ve tired themselves out running in circles, you can carry on strolling along the many scenic paths through the gardens, as long as you keep your pup on a lead outside of the off-leash area.
Waiatarua Reserve
Waiatarua Reserve, off Abbotts Way in Remuera, is well known and loved for its path around the wetlands where you and your canine companions can enjoy an off-leash walk (put the leash back on in the main central wetland area and on viewing platforms) and dog swimming hole. Northern Remuera is also home to Waiata Reserve, between Victoria Avenue and Orakei Road, where there’s off-leash access at all times.
Check out Akl Paths for more off-leash parks and paths.
