Mission Bay is a great little seaside village that always seems to have a buzz with its cafes, restaurants, harbour promenade, famous fountain and sandy beach.
Okahu Bay has a sandy beach and on the other side of Tamaki Drive is the Orakei Domain. The Domain has an extensive children’s playground that includes a flying fox.
You may wish to linger at the Michael Joseph Savage (first Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand and the founder of the welfare state) Memorial Park which overlooks Auckland Harbour. I did the walk in MJ Savage Memorial Park also.