National guide
Playgrounds in New Zealand: One Standout Near Each of Our 20 Cities
Every city has a playground that families drive across town for. Here's the standout near each Explore city, picked from each city's own playground guide, with what makes it worth the trip. All 20 are free.
At a glance
| City | Playground | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Whangārei | Pohe Island Destination Playground | All abilities, big kids |
| Auckland | Potters Park | Water play, toddlers |
| Pukekohe | Bledisloe Park | Climbers, skaters |
| Hamilton | Magical Bridge Playground | All abilities, fenced |
| Tauranga | Memorial Park | A full day out |
| Rotorua | Lakefront Playground | All ages, lake views |
| Taupō | Warrior Mountains Playground, Tongariro Domain | Climbers, train fans |
| Gisborne | Adventure Playground | Toddlers to teens |
| Napier | Anderson Park Destination Playground | All abilities |
| Hastings | Windsor Park | Little kids, fenced |
| New Plymouth | Destination Play at Kāwaroa | Bikes, water play |
| Whanganui | Kowhai Park | All ages |
| Palmerston North | Memorial Park | Water play, toddlers |
| Wellington | Te Aro Mahana, Frank Kitts Park | City day out |
| Nelson | Te Pā Harakeke, Tāhunanui | Nature play, beach day |
| Blenheim | Pollard Park Playground | All abilities |
| Christchurch | Margaret Mahy Family Playground | Big kids, all day |
| Timaru | CPlay, Caroline Bay | All abilities, beach |
| Dunedin | Marlow Park (the Dinosaur Park) | Little kids, beach |
| Invercargill | Queens Park Playground | All ages |
North Island
Pohe Island, off Riverside Drive
Pohe Island Destination Playground
- 7 m tower
- Flying fox
- Wheelchair friendly
An award-winning playground built for all ages and abilities, centred on a 7-metre tower with nets, rope bridges and tube slides. Poured rubber surfacing makes most of it easy for wheelchairs and pushchairs, and there's a big car park.
Full guide on Explore WhangāreiMore playgrounds in Whangārei
Mount Eden, corner of Balmoral and Dominion Roads
Potters Park
- Splash pad
- Learn-to-ride track
- Flat paths
Home to Auckland's first dedicated splash pad, opened in 2013, ringed by slides, swings and climbing frames. Flat paths, a basketball court and a learn-to-ride track make it an easy family stop, and buses run past.
Queen Street, just south of the town centre
Bledisloe Park
- Giant swings
- Sand play
- Skate area
Pukekohe's main sports park, with a playground rebuilt in 2016: climbing challenges, giant and small swings and a sand play area. The skate area and netball courts are next door, with accessible toilets nearby.
Claudelands Park
Magical Bridge Playground
- Fully accessible
- Fenced
- Water play
New Zealand's first fully accessible playground, opened in December 2023. Inside an 8,000 m² fence are themed zones for sliding, swinging, spinning, balance and water play, designed so children of every ability can play together.
Harbourside, between 11th and 7th Avenues
Memorial Park
- Two playgrounds
- Miniature railway
- Free barbecues
Tauranga's central harbourside park, with two large playgrounds and a rocket slide, plus a miniature railway, mini golf, a skatepark and Humpty Dumpty. Flat paths, toilets and free barbecues make it an easy half day.
Lakefront Drive, on Lake Rotorua
Lakefront Playground
- Lake edge
- Opened 2021
- Toilets beside
A modern playground right on the edge of Lake Rotorua, opened in December 2021 as part of the lakefront rebuild. The equipment suits small children and older kids, with new paths and terraces along the water.
Town centre, by the Waikato River
Warrior Mountains Playground, Tongariro Domain
- In-ground trampoline
- Slides
- Mini train
Te Papa Tākaro o Ngā Maunga Toa reopened in 2021 with new climbing frames, slides of all sizes, swings and an in-ground trampoline. On school holidays and summer weekends a miniature train runs in the domain ($2 a ride).
Centennial Marine Drive, Awapuni
Adventure Playground
- Eight play areas
- Rocktopus
- Across from the beach
Opened as Adventureland in 1976 and still Gisborne's big family park. Instead of one cluster it has eight separate play areas, from a lakeside playground and toddler zone to nets, spinners and the rocktopus, with the beach across the road.
Greenmeadows and Tamatea
Anderson Park Destination Playground
- All abilities
- Water play
- Flying foxes
Opened in 2018 in Napier's biggest park and given a national award for its inclusive design. It has flying foxes, accessible climbing and slides, water play and musical features, with ponds, paths and a miniature railway around it.
Parkvale, next to Splash Planet
Windsor Park
- Fully fenced
- Pirate ship
- Free barbecues
A big, fully fenced Lions playground covering 6,000 square metres, with a pirate ship, slides and climbing frames. Free barbecues and shady picnic tables make it an easy stop, with the Splash Planet water park right beside it.
Tisch Avenue, above the sea
Destination Play at Kāwaroa
- Water play
- Pump track
- On the Coastal Walkway
One of the biggest play spaces in the country, about 22,000 square metres above the coast. Water play, climbing and a pump track sit right on the 13 km Coastal Walkway, so the bikes can come too.
Full guide on Explore New PlymouthMore playgrounds in New Plymouth
Free, with accessible parking near the play area
Kowhai Park
- Water play
- Flying fox
- Accessible swing
Whanganui's favourite family park, with large playgrounds, water features, a flying fox and a swing for people with limited movement. Lawns, gardens and picnic tables round it out.
Full guide on Explore WhanganuiMore playgrounds in Whanganui
Main Street, Terrace End
Memorial Park
- Splash pad
- Poppy playgrounds
- Paddling pool
Poppy-themed playgrounds, a paddling pool and the region's only free outdoor splash pad, all in a 4.9-hectare park that is also the city's war memorial. Free and open every day in daylight.
Full guide on Explore Palmerston NorthMore playgrounds in Palmerston North
Waterfront, between Civic Square and Te Papa
Te Aro Mahana, Frank Kitts Park
- Reopened 2024
- Lighthouse
- Waterfront
The waterfront playspace reopened in February 2024 after a long rebuild. It has a maritime theme, with a lighthouse that keeps the old playground's cupola, climbing nets, swings and shaded seats.
Full guide on Explore WellingtonMore playgrounds in Wellington
South Island
Tāhunanui Reserve, off Rocks Road
Te Pā Harakeke, Tāhunanui
- Nature play
- No dogs
- Beside the beach
A natural play space inside Tāhunanui Reserve, built where the old Modellers' Pond used to be. It's free, with a large car park, and Tāhunanui Beach is right there for afterwards.
Parker Street, Mayfield
Pollard Park Playground
- Liberty swing
- Carousel
- Open 24/7
Rebuilt in 2019 with inclusive equipment mixed in among the rest: a liberty swing, carousel and musical instruments next to a big slide, spider net and monkey bars. The park around it has a stream, rose gardens and a 9-hole golf course.
Central city, by the Ōtākaro Avon River
Margaret Mahy Family Playground
- 10 m tower
- Double flying foxes
- Water play
Opened in 2015 as part of the city's rebuild after the earthquakes, and named after the children's author. The 2.5-hectare site has a 10-metre tower, wide slides, double flying foxes, in-ground trampolines and water play, along a path of Mahy's stories.
Full guide on Explore ChristchurchMore playgrounds in Christchurch
Caroline Bay, beside the town centre
CPlay, Caroline Bay
- Opened 2023
- Lighthouse slide
- All abilities
Opened in December 2023 after volunteers raised about $3 million. The award-winning playground has a lighthouse slide tower, trampolines, swings and accessible equipment, plus bike skills features, with the beach a few steps away.
St Kilda, by the beach
Marlow Park (the Dinosaur Park)
- Dinosaur slide
- Beach next door
- Toilets
Known around Dunedin as the Dinosaur Park, for its big concrete dinosaur slide and a concrete whale. St Kilda Beach is next door, so it's easy to make a day of it.
Queens Park, just north of the city centre
Queens Park Playground
- Water play
- Nature play
- Accessible
One of Invercargill's top family spots, with water play, nature play and accessible equipment inside the 81-hectare Queens Park. The gardens and sports grounds around it fill out the rest of the day.
Full guide on Explore InvercargillMore playgrounds in Invercargill
Before you go
- Water play is seasonal. Splash pads and water features usually run in the warmer months and can be off for maintenance, so check the city guide before promising a splash.
- Bring a towel and a change of clothes for the water-play parks: Potters Park, Magical Bridge, Anderson Park, Kāwaroa, Kowhai Park, Memorial Park in Palmerston North, Margaret Mahy and Queens Park.
- Sun and surfaces. Slides and rubber surfaces get hot on summer afternoons. Mornings and late afternoons are cooler and quieter.
- Dogs. Check the dog rules before you go. Te Pā Harakeke in Nelson, for one, doesn’t allow dogs in the play area.
Questions people ask
Which playgrounds are built for all abilities?
Magical Bridge in Hamilton was designed to be fully accessible from the start. Pohe Island, Anderson Park, Pollard Park (with a liberty swing), Margaret Mahy and CPlay at Caroline Bay all have accessible equipment, and most have smooth surfaces for wheelchairs.
Which have a splash pad or water play?
Potters Park in Auckland and Memorial Park in Palmerston North have splash pads. Magical Bridge, Anderson Park, Kāwaroa, Kowhai Park, Margaret Mahy and Queens Park all have water play areas.
Which are fenced?
Magical Bridge in Hamilton and the Windsor Park playground in Hastings are fully fenced, which helps with toddlers and runners.
Do they cost anything?
No, all 20 are free. The only extra is the miniature train in Taupō’s Tongariro Domain, at $2 a ride.
Looking for more in one city? See all 20 Explore city guides. Also see Beaches in New Zealand and Waterfalls in New Zealand.