Pools, Parks & Playgrounds
Pack a picnic and your togs and let the kids run wild at one of our many parks, playgrounds and pools. Here are some of our top picks.
Queen Elizabeth Park
Queen Elizabeth Park is the perfect spot for a day out. From swimming and fishing, to walking, cycling or horse riding the multiple tracks on offer, there’s plenty to do and explore.
Visit the Wellington Tramway Museum at MacKays Crossing and jump on the tram for a ride to Whareroa beach.
Steeped in history, the park also includes pa sites at Whareroa and Wainui beaches and evidence of the 20,000 strong US marine camps from World War II.
Better yet why not make a weekend of it and go camping at Paekākāriki Holiday Park.
Read all about the park here: www.gw.govt.nz/parks/queen-elizabeth-park
Marine Gardens
Garden Rd, Raumati Beach
This beachfront playground in Raumati Beach is home to a fabulous splash pad, plenty of play equipment, a flying fox and a miniature railway.
Set amidst beautiful trees and flower beds, there are picnic tables and grassy areas in both the sunshine and the shade. There are swings for all ages, a sandpit with a digger, a tunnel slide down a hill and a natural amphitheatre that occasionally hosts events.
The miniature train on the bank above the playground features two tunnels and is a double loop track just under 1km long. The train runs most weekends in Spring and Summer and is well worth the ride!
Coastlands Aquatic Centre
10 Brett Ambler Way, Paraparaumu
Coastlands Aquatic Centre is a stunning state-of-the-art facility, offering year-round entertainment for the whole family. Whether you’re looking for exercise, rehabilitation, swimming lessons or just having a splash, they have something for you.
Perfect for school holiday entertainment, there’s a toddlers’ pool with water features for the smaller kids, hydroslide and inflatables for the older ones, and spa, sauna and on-site café for the adults.
Maclean Park
Maclean Park, Paraparaumu Beach
Right on the beach and across the road from the shops, Kāpiti Coast favourite, Maclean Park has something for all ages from the marine-themed playground with mouse wheel and climbing frame to large skate park and basketball hoop.
Pack a picnic, grab some fish and chips or food from the many eateries nearby or take advantage of the BBQ facilities on offer.
Waikanae Outdoor Pool
52 Ngarara Road, Waikanae
Synonymous with summer in Kāpiti, Waikanae Pool is always a popular choice for locals and visitors over the summer season.
Whether you are young or young-at-heart there is something there for water babies of all ages including lane swimming, hydro-slide, inflatables or toddler pools.
Set amongst a beautiful park-like setting, pack a picnic, or hire one of their bbq’s and make the day of it.
Haruātai Park Ōtaki
Haruātai Park, Mill Road, Ōtaki
Spread across nearly nine hectares of land, there’s something for everyone at Haruātai Park. With lots of off-street parking, picnic tables and shade sails, keyhole basketball court and Kāpiti’s tallest swing, it’s a great place to settle in for the day.
Make sure to pack your togs as the Ōtaki pool and splash pad are located just up the hill along with sports fields, outdoor fitness circuit and tennis courts. And if that’s not enough, there’s also a pump track!
Ōtaki Pools
Haruātai Park, 200 Mill Road, Ōtaki, Kāpiti Coast
Located in the grounds of Haruātai Park, Ōtaki Pool has a great community feel and is ideal from fun family occasions.
Perfect for school holiday entertainment, there’s a gently sloping toddlers’ pool and outdoor splash pad for the younger ones and a larger main pool for the older kids as well as spa and sauna for adults.
In the summer months, it’s also home to the fantastic Te Mania Auheke | The Slippery Slope - a 28meter outdoor water slide!
Which park to visit next?
With more than 50 parks, available across the district there are so many options for which of them you'll visit next!
If you are looking for basketball half courts, flying foxes, skate parks, tennis courts or splashpads you need to find out where to stay and play in Kāpiti.
If you are looking for local walks and trails head to Find Your Wild
