It is the season of fragrant cherry blossoms and frolicking lambs in Tāmaki Makaurau, so we’ve compiled a few of our favourite places for the perfect spring day trip.
Spring Blossom Valley
Number one on our list because this aptly named part of Auckland Botanic Gardens is the perfect place for a hearty dose of spring. Vibrant colour greets you along with the heady scent of daffodils, while native tūī serenade you from the cherry blossoms.
Take a picnic to relax or get inspiration for your own garden. Feel free to ask the friendly gardeners for advice and check the events calendar for workshops, weekly plant sales and the visiting play truck which has free activities for under-fives.
And if you have dogs in tow, they can roam free (under control) within the off-leash area at the northern end of the gardens.
Baaaa-brace for the cute
Yes, spring is the time of baby animals, and there are plenty of places to see them play in the fields.
Taurere/Taylors Hill Reserve in Glendowie is one of Auckland’s volcanic cones that is mainly used for grazing sheep.
The nearby Churchill Park is known as Auckland’s 'countryside in the city' with 40 hectares of open pastures for grazing farm animals, as well as pockets of woodland and bush. Be sure to look for tuna kūwharuwharu (long-finned eel) in the steam at the lower points of the park.
A day on the farm
Ambury Farm is always a great place to take the children animal petting and on October 30 there is an open day with a food and craft market, wood chopping, sheep shearing and farm rides.
Picnic Perfect
Head to Western Springs Lakeside where pūkeko roam the grass and the ponds are teeming with birdlife.
There is an excellent playground for tamariki to burn off their excess energy. For parents, rediscover your zen at the serene and peaceful Japanese-inspired Fukuoka Garden.
On the other side of the city centre, the five thousand rose bushes at Dove-Myer Robinson Park (Parnell Rose Gardens) put on a festival of scent and colour.
Collapse onto a blanket and enjoy the serenity amongst the roses or take a spring stroll along the network of paths down to Judges Bay.
