Recently a friend enquired about doing walks in Auckland with young children who like to ride bikes and scooters.
There are many outdoor activities and things to do in Auckland, and I would like to share with you one thing that won’t cost you too much money and won’t take up too much of your time – and thats by going on one our short walks in Auckland!
If you have been out walking around Auckland with your family as you have been growing up, being set free to go walking on your own will seem natural.
Winter in Auckland can be very wet and sometimes very cold. So to lift your spirits we have listed suggested walks where you can enjoy the signs of spring in Auckland.
December is a beautiful time of year to get out walking when hopefully the weather starts becoming more stable and before it gets too hot.
“Explore the Shore” is a series of three books each containing 10 main walks and compiled by Margaret Scrymgeour. The walks cover a large area of Auckland’s North Shore.
Grab your rain jacket, hat and gloves and head outside to warm up with a winter walk! Even though the weather may not appeal, walking will awaken your senses.
3 km • 45 mins • Easy • Start at Meadowbank Rd/Train station and walk in either direction around Orakei Basin. Lovely wide track with big boardwalks and through a bit of shady bush. Dogs on a lead.
Our self-guides indicate if there are any dog friendly off-leash exercise areas and/or are suitable for dog friendly walks in Auckland.
When children are age 5 or 6, they may be ready to get out walking to discover things to do in Auckland that are low-cost and fun.
Our self-guides indicate if there are any dog friendly off-leash areas and/or are suitable for dog friendly walks in Auckland.
9 km • 1 hour 40 minutes • Very Easy • The Wallis Wharf to Lily Street Loop Walk begins its at the wharf and boat ramp located near The Silos in Raglan.
Auckland’s terrain is mainly hilly so it can be difficult to find flat walks that are buggy and pram friendly. Here is my list of walks in Auckland for prams or buggies.
7.8 km • 1 hour 45 minutes • Very Easy • Walk past luxury boats, then under the Auckland harbour bridge
11.70 kms • 4 Hours • Easy • Rangitoto Island is an amazing day out in Auckland. Arrive by ferry or private boat and explore. The 360-degree views of Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf from the summit are spectacular.
5 km • 1.5 hours • Easy. This walk takes you along the rim of the Tuff Crater, a great short walk in Auckland.
9 kms • 3 Hours • Medium • This combines two Hunua Tracks, the Cossey Gorge Track, and the Massey Track
3.5 km • 1 Hour • Steep start up the hill, easy after that • Great short day walk in Mahurangi West over farmland and beaches with great views along the way
7 km • 1 hour 30 mins • Easy • It was great to see so many people, with their children and their dogs, out enjoying walking today at Western Springs and Meola Reef.
The Auckland CBD discovery walk is free for people who download my FREE report ‘What to do and see in Auckland’.
I have driven past Olympic Park New Lynn many times thinking it was only a children’s playground.
Yesterday we decided to stop and explore.
Stage Three of the University of Auckland short walks project, with five walking circuits starting and ending from the Epsom campus in Epsom Avenue.
Stage Two of the University of Auckland short walks project, with five walking circuits starting and ending from the Grafton campus in Park Road.
Stage Four of the University of Auckland short walks project, with five walking circuits starting and ending from the Tamaki campus in Morrin Road.
Today was my first visit to St Johns Bush. This little gem of a nature walk is in a reserve of beautiful native trees and bush, with a stream and a mighty Kauri tree.
30 Minutes • Very Easy • Kepa Bush is another short walk in Auckland treasure that contains bush trails and native trees, flora and fauna that is easy to get to.
1.1 km • 30 Minutes return • It’s worth the uphill steps to the lookout at Windy Canyon, wow the views and rock formations are big.
3.30 kms • 1 Hour & 20 Minutes • Very Easy • Walk the 1km through the rail tunnel or bike it. Then walk right beside the river in a loop.
5 km • Medium • Today was our first walk around the 3 km perimeter of Omana Regional Park near Maraetai (pronounced my-right-eye).
There is a variety of walks through the mature native bush at Murphys Bush with stands of Kahikatea, Puriri, Totara and Rimu, as well as groves of nikau palms.
Sir Barry Curtis Park in Flatbush was farmland and some of the farm’s old stone walls remain.
2 km • Less than 1 hour • Easy • Seaside Park at Otahuhu is a small and delightful park.
5 km • 1 hours • Easy • These short Auckland walks start from Greenwoods Corner and include One tree hill and Pah Homestead.
8 km • 1.5 hours • Easy • Ōrewa Estuary Path is a great loop walk on an excellent wide concrete track made for walkers and bikers. When the tide is in you’ll enjoy lovely views around the whole track.
3.7 kms • 1 hour 50 mins • Medium • Views, views, and more stunning views everywhere you look when you walk the loop at Whangapoua North Bay at Great Barrier Island.
3.36 km • 1 hour 15 minutes • Steep, but not too bad • Harataonga walk on Great Barrier Island delivers panoramic ocean views, rainforest, and a touch of history.
2.6 km • 1 hour 15 minutes there and back • Steep, straight up • Such a great walk and well worth the uphill workout to the lookout at Kiwiriki Bay on Great Barrier Island.
7 km • 3 hours with one short stop for lunch • Medium walk with steps • Great walk starting from Whakatane town.
5 shorter walks for the University of Auckland Sport and Recreation staff and students, to enable them to enjoy a walk in their day.
5 km • 1 hour • Very Easy • The Mangemangeroa Shelly Park Beach Path walk was a totally new discovery for us today.
7.5 km • 1 hour 30 minutes • Medium with steps • Today was our first walking exploration in the Albany area of Auckland.
3.36 km • 60-70 minutes • Medium with stairs • Wades Walkway at Whitford is a little gem that we hope will be developed further in the future.
It was a big decision today, do we do the Mission Bay walk this morning, this afternoon or tomorrow due to possible rain?
Mangere Bridge Village is a great little spot to start exploring Auckland’s Manukau Harbour area. Here are our 5 loop walks.
Manukau Harbour has many nooks and crannies to explore. Here are 10 places where you can walk beside Auckland’s Manukau Harbour and enjoy the diverse and unique landscapes.
4 km • 2 Hours • Very Easy • It turned out to be a beautiful sunny day in Auckland, time for a relaxing heritage walk in Auckland Domain, home of the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
If you fancy a bush walk without travelling out of Auckland, then Eskdale Reserve and Birkenhead Domain are it.
Wow – Browns Island in Auckland Harbour – what a cool little island to visit for a walk.
15-40 Minutes • Easy • This is one of our smaller Auckland loop walks but a delightful one, boasting native bush and many birds.