Family Day Out in Blockhouse Bay & New Lynn
- By: Auckland for Kids
- Published:
10 of the best places for kids to play, explore, visit and of course have fun on a family day out in Blockhouse Bay and New Lynn neighbourhoods in Waitekere West Auckland, New Zealand.
Neighbourhood Parks and Playgrounds
1. Blockhouse Bay Beach Reserve Playground and Beach
Annison Avenue, Block House Bay, Auckland
Fun playground and park on the edge of the beach at Blockhouse Bay. The beach is fun for exploring and rock hopping when the tide is out. There is a BBQ and a picnic table to enjoy a meal at the beach. Whilst you can swim at Blockhouse Bay beach we prefer some of Auckland’s other beaches for swimming.
2. Craigavon Park Playground
82-86 Kinross Street, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland
Craigavon Park playground is a fun fully fenced playground for kids of all ages. There are slides, swings, basket swings, climbing towers, merry go round, balancing ropes and water play features at the park. There are seats inside the fenced area and nearby there are BBQ facilities and a toilet.
3. Olympic Park Playground
36 Portage Road, New Lynn, Auckland
Fun and colourful playground for the kids in Auckland in Olympic Park in New Lynn. Our kids like the grain climbing rope net towers the most. There is a basketball half court, swings and a sandpit for the little kids. Bring your balls too as the sports fields are right next to the park.
Places to visit
4. West Lynn Garden and Butterfly House
3058 Great North Road, New Lynn, Waitakere, Auckland
www.westlynngarden.org.nz
West Lynn Garden – Te Mara Kahuku is a much loved public garden covering 2.5 hectares with a butterfly house in New Lynn that is run by a volunteer-run Society.
There is a Monarch Butterfly breeding programme . From December through to April hundreds of Monarch buterflies can be seen, with lots of eggs, chrysalis and caterpillars – the full life cycle of the Monarch – a unique experience.
The Garden is guardian of a collection of 50 Heritage Listed trees, including Rewarewa, Golden Totara, NZ and Australian Kauri, Kahikatea, Tanekaha and Kawaka. A number of these trees are also on the Endangered List so it is a rare opportunity for Auckland’s city-dwelling children to see them.
The $3 visitor entry fee is used to maintain the plants, trees, butterfly house and the many features which are unique to West Lynn Garden.
5. Dragon Quest Mini Golf
3058 Great North Road, New Lynn, Auckland
www.lilliputt.co.nz/dragon-quest/
Fun dragon themed mini golf in New Lynn. Kids will enjoy going on the quest to return the dragon’s stolen eggs before the dragon destroys the realm of Golftania. You will putt your way through the mystical lands of Lore the talking tree, the Troll crossing and the village of the white rabbit.
6. New Lynn War Memorial Library
3 Memorial Drive, New Lynn, Auckland
www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz
Visit the library for Storytime, Wriggle and Rhyme, Rhytime and school holiday activities. Try the Whau Makerspace to make robots, apps, digital music and 3D printing.
7. Blockhouse Bay Library
578 Blockhouse Bay Road, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland
www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz
Visit the library for computer classes, wriggle and rhyme, storytime and school holiday activities. Try the Whau Makerspace to make robots, apps, digital music and 3D printing too.
Cafe, restaurants & ice cream shops
8. The Tannery
44B Portage Road, New Lynn
mtatkinson.co.nz/#tannery
The Tannery is a cafe and Kohu Road ice cream shop situated in a large warehouse style space which used to be an actual tannery. The large cafe also has an old retro caravan called “Little Westie” that has been converted into a fun children’s play area with toys and books to keep your little kids entertained.
9. The Old Woodshop & Corner Cafe
2 Hutchinson Avenue, New Lynn, Auckland
Facebook: TheOldWoodshop
Cute cafe set in the corner of the wood furniture store with delicious cabinet and food cooked from the menu. There is a covered outdoor courtyard.
10. Lick Ice Cream and Sweetshop
509 Blockhouse Bay Road, Auckland
Facebook: Lick Ice Cream and Sweetshop
Enjoy ice creams, desserts, sundaes and shakes at this neighbourhood ice cream and sweet in Blockhouse Bay. With an ever changing menu of 20 flabvours and dairy free and gluten free options there is bound to be something to keep the whole family happy.
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