I definitely recommend a visit to the botanical gardens, there is something for the entire family. The information centre at the entrance provides you with all the information you need about the gardens and has some interesting exhibits. There are a number of interesting sculptures throughout the year and the gardens host a sculpture event once a year that is always worth a visit. The children's garden is amazing and always well loved by the kids. There is a myriad of paths and trails that allows you to wander around and enjoy the collection of plants, flowers and trees. The forest trail of native bush on the northern side of the gardens gives you a good sense of New Zealand's forest. At the end of your walk around the gardens you can take time out and enjoy a coffee at the cafe overlooking the gardens. During spring the cherry blossoms are amazing and brings out so many visitors. The highlight of the year at the gardens. The gardens are a definitely good way to spend an afternoon.

Many routes to take while enjoying the peaceful serene scenery of nature at it's finest. Real fruit ice cream on tap at the entrance, sweet cafe to buy all your goodies from. Coffee, hot food, snacks available to buy. Love the variety of gardens. Flowers. Plants. Fruits and even vegetable gardens.

So well maintained and the most important is that they open up for everyone, it’s free access! I can’t imagine how much efforts those people put in here. weather not that good during the time I visit, but overall I still happy with the experience. (during winter the roses garden might not be that great, try to spend more time around the camellias and magnolias part)

This is a beautiful place for a family picnic or some peaceful you-time, there is also an off leash area for the dogs, if you have kids, they will love the rock garden and potters garden, also you can hold birthday parties here. You can also buy feeds from the visitor's center and feed the ducks and other birds, I suggest visiting in September to October when the spring flowers are in bloom. Also you have to try the Wiri rambler.

Nice and relaxing. Well spread out in huge area, very well maintained. Clean and tidy. Good for walks and a family day out. Lush green grounds and water reserves make it more beautiful.

What a lovely park and gardens! We walked into the many different areas and small gardens within the park. It's impressive to see all the different plants and varieties of flowers at the moment. We especially loved the rose garden, well worth the walk to the other end of the park. Even when it started to rain we stayed and got to enjoy the park for ourselves as everyone else left. The atmosphere transforms and you get to see it into a totally different way. O would totally recommend to you pay that park a visit while in Auckland.

Excellent experience. Beautiful gardens so much to look at and explore. You can bring a picnic and sit under a tree. You can walk your dog, on lead (and off lead in the marked section of the map). There is a cafe on site, we didnt go the cafe today, but did buy drinks from the food cart on site. I would advise getting there early on a Sunday to buy tickets for the train ride. There is a great commentary all about the gardens. Ride lasts for 20 mins. First train ride was at 11am (only on Sundays).

Beautiful place! Free to visit. So many beautiful plants. Some near sculptures too!

Beautiful space. Great variety of plants. The kids' garden is very interactive. We spent 2 hours to see it all.

Very nice place to visit for relaxing and ti unwind. Free entry for all ages. There's lots of parking inside or outside. You can bring along a mat or tent there and have a picnic with your family. Just be sure to clean after to keep the place nice and clean.

Beautiful place. We went for the cherry blossoms, but the entire garden was beautiful. Be prepared for a long walk. The only issue is with the parking space, especially on weekends.

Really nice gardens. Interesting to have so many different sections. Fantastic free activity on a sunny day

Auckland botanic gardens is fantastic park where you can spend hours. It has many gardens and a kid friendly area. There is also a special place for dogs to be off leash. There is also a nice cafe.

Beautiful location and well maintained, we visit here often to walk the dog. Lots of areas to explore. My toddler loves visiting the edible garden to learn about items and smell the herbs! :)

We stopped by for an afternoon since they had the sculpture in the park going. They are located just off the Hill Rd offramp going on the Southern Motorway. There isn't a big sign for the entrance but it does have a magnificent arch as you enter. The carpark is fairly large and does have quite a bit of parking. There is also a second parking lot further down. The gardens are free to enter. You can head in from the main entrance or just go through the sides. There is a map up front so you can get an idea of what's around. The place is really big and quite beautiful. There are plenty of places to just sit and relax in the grassy areas. There are a few different areas in the gardens and they are all quite different. We walked into a farm area with edible plants, which was an experience. We walked further along the paths and ended up in the palms area which looked like a bushwalk. There were some areas that were still being redone but overall it was really nice. We walked for a bit and only managed to walk around a portion of the gardens. It does look like the gardens connect to Totara Park. There was also a fresh fruit ice cream stall by the entrance which would be good during a hot day.

Auckland Botanic Gardens is always a beautiful spot to walk in any season. There are heaps of parking available but can get really busy on weekends. Now that the border is re-opening the tourist buses could be back which will make it more busier. But overall there are enough space to enjoy nature at the gardens.

Absolutely gorgeous!!! Lots of parking and free to enter. Lots of smaller themed garden areas with lovely and interesting walks throughout. Love that there are seats everywhere which encourage you to stop and enjoy, and the wide meandering paths allow for a relaxed time of enjoyment. Spent a few moments of enjoyment watching both fantails and tui playing. Thoroughly enjoyed our hours spent here!!

Gorgeous! Lovely place for a walk, nice cafe and interesting sculptures. It is just a very large park really with some different trees & plants to see. Would be cool to see more variation / things to see and do as well as some outdoor areas with cover from the sun where you can bbq or get a group together.

Thou art in for a verdant treat shouldst thou choose to wander through the majestic Auckland Botanical Gardens. The flora doth flourish in a choreographed symphony, as if Puck himself hath cast a spell upon the grounds. Amidst the blooms and blossoms, one doth feel transported to a realm of pure serenity. The winding pathways do invite thee to lose thyself in contemplation and marvel at nature's bounty. From the noble oaks to the delicate roses, each specimen doth declare its own poetic tale. Verily, a sojourn to these enchanted grounds is a feast for the senses and a balm for the weary soul.

Very peaceful grounds to walk around, caters to all sorts with accessible paths, educational opportunities, spaces for families of all sizes and types. This is definitely a place that we will be returning to a lot more, so much more to explore and enjoy!

Great place for a walk. Many trails. There is a nice Cafe and a coffee and ice cream shop on wheels near the rose garden. Free entrance

Lovely spot to wander around. Lots of green spaces to relax. There could be more directional signage on the walking trails . Beautiful trees. Lots of people enjoying the open spaces which is good to see.

A calm place with beautiful scenery and a natural environment well maintained. Nice niche gardens, loved the rock garden by the lake. Highly recommended to anyone who visits Auckland and closer.

Saw a tropical paradise inside. Definitely will go back here during spring.

Lovely park to visit with the family. There's so many nooks to discover, and lots of spots to take photos at. It's mobility-assisted friendly, there are wheelchairs you can borrow at the reception. If it's busy season, also try to call it in, to make sure you get to reserve the use of one. The cafe closes at 4pm, but there is also an ice cream truck where you can buy ice cream when the day gets too hot.

What a spectacular day had wondering around these gardens. The various sculptures and areas to explore were awe inspiring. Best Free Activity in Auckland.

An oasis of calm amidst the hustle and bustle of South Auckland. Beautifully kept gardens and a nice cafe in the visitors centre.

I love it here, have been back twice and will be going back lots more :) the edible garden is great so many fuzzy bees ,I love watching them buzz around. I also found an amazing metal art piece😍 and there are many more sculptures and surprises to find .I love walking through the forest area.

Went there two weeks ago for a little stroll, to see something different. Nicely Landscaped Garden with lots of different Plants in different themed Gardens. Enjoyable activity to do if you haven’t seen it it’s well worth it. There is lots of Parking, check Public transport first if you’re planning to come by Bus. There is also a Cafe on site if you’re feeling for a Brunch and a walk afterwards. The facilities are all tidy and looked after.

Great spot for a walk or to just admire the roses. Friendly folks at the visitor center and great garden areas

Great place, lovely atmosphere, we can here while it was cloudy but not raining, and it was the perfect temperature to walk around. We did wish we had come earlier in the year when more of the plants were flowering but there were still lots of lovely things to look at. I highly recommend going to see it. We also went to the cafe, coffee was good, and so were the cakes, everything fresh and the coffee at a perfect temperature.

This charming locale is an ideal spot for a leisurely stroll, boasting an array of captivating sights. The centerpiece of the experience is the exquisite botanical gardens, featuring a stunning variety of meticulously maintained plant species. Don't miss the opportunity to relax at the delightful cafe within the gardens; it comes highly recommended for a well-rounded visit.

Best Botanic Garden in Auckland! Spacious and great green herbs and plants for families! We always enjoy a good picnic here with families or friends. Both elders and kids could enjoy a stroll here with easy flat trails. It got all variety of beauty all seasons! October is Sakura ( Cherry blossom) season and we always get the best shots here!

Love taking a walk at the botanical gardens with my kid. Such a great variety of different plants and flowers to see and learn about. I like the footpaths along the gardens: they have a smooth and straight pavement. It is easy for my toddler to ride on on the mini bike without getting bumpy. Maybe one downside: the Cafe at the site gets very busy with a long queue. Advisable to bring your own drink and snacks if don't have patience for the queues.

Absolutely stunning place! Parks are big enough to take the portable bbq and have a family day out and have your own spot. Cafe is on site and the entire park is wheelchair friendly. Free admission. Though the map and track or not the easiest to follow when you are distracted away by plants of the course.

Really enjoyed the walk, it is reasonably flat and easy going. The sculptures are brilliant and well displayed, particularly poignant is the Vietnam War display for the veterans

Must have visited the gardens 100+ times in my four or so years in Auckland. An absolute gem, and I think as a result of it being a little out south, many in Auckland won’t have discovered it. Nice to have the off leash area for dogs - our dog isn’t the most social but he still has a great time!

We absolutely adore these Gardens. Ducks and ducklings, you can get appropriate duck food at the information desk when you come in, only 20c a bag. Plenty of beautiful grassy areas to picnic and plenty of fountains to drink from (for both dogs and humans) plus seats and other structures to sit in too. Many different themed gardens that my kids love to explore - Rose and Cherry Blossom Valley are our favourites!

You can spend an hour or a full half day walking a diversity of trees, plants and flowers species from NZ and other regions of the world. Well done. Enjoy a coffee or some sweets at the entrance with a view on the lake. There are spaces for kids. You can bring your dog on leash. And I had the unlikely opportunity to meet colleagues there ! Note: Access by walking or soft mobility, eg from the train station, should be improved, to contributing in a city that is greener and works hard to address the challenges of the climatic crisis for the future generation.

The key word here is FREE. How can it be? For such an expansive garden with lots to see and walk through, I think it is mainly there for educational purposes - hence the free part. Walk through different areas and learn about NZ's native plants. This was a great find as we were driving around looking for something to take up 2 hrs before our flight, and what a treat it was.

Great place for a walk, with or without kids. Lots of beautiful plants and flowers, some art works dotted around. A pond or two is also on site including a kids area.