On the Manukau Harbour, Ambury Farm Park serves up a hearty helping of rural life for city folk who crave a little horse, pig and chicken time. Pastureland, lava flows, animals and views, they’re all free.
Auckland’s commitment to getting bods on bikes is exuberantly evident on The Pink Path – Te Ara i Whiti. This former motorway off-ramp has been turned over to pedestrians and cyclists and painted a most fetching shade of pink. Offering up some phenomenal views, and beautifully lit at night, this sweeping pink link can take you from Canada St to Nelson St. Or vice versa.
Charming and verdant, the steamy charms of the Wintergardens in Auckland Domain are a sanctuary. Built in 1928, these two large glass houses, one tropical and one temperate, are home to all manner of botanical magic, and between them you’ll find an ornate courtyard with neoclassic statues and a picturesque pond.
Silo Park is one big happening space featuring play areas, public art, basketball and a whole heap of people watching too. The Auckland Fish Market on nearby Jellicoe St is another free eye-opener with all manner of sea creatures to marvel at and eat.
For a charming seaside stroll, head for Mission Bay, popular with walkers, swimmers, runners, skaters and ice cream lickers. The mature pōhutukawa trees and unimpeded views of Rangitoto are also compelling reasons to visit, and if you’re there at night, the Trevor Davis Memorial Fountain will turn on the charm when it lights up to magical effect. Overlooking this area, politically significant Bastion Point is also renowned for magnificent views.
Like a set of lungs in the middle of central Auckland, Cornwall Park is a working farm criss-crossed with walking tracks, the mature trees are nature’s jungle gyms and in springtime the daffodils bloom in a riot of colour while the lambs frolic for photos.
You will need a car for this, but Manukau Heads on the wild Āwhitu Peninsula is ideal for experiencing nature’s exuberance. With a lighthouse that looks as if it came straight out of a child’s picture book, history, walking, rural landscapes and sublime sunsets can all be appreciated here.