The 35 best parks and gardens in Dunedin

Big range of variety of gardens and plants. Nice walk to the aviary to see heaps of kākā and parrots. Duck feeding is available near the information center. Lots of other birds to watch around the gardens. Lots of street parking.

Such a wonderful place to visit. So many things to offer for young and old. You have to visit all the areas, the herb circle, playground feeding the ducks was hilarious with our kids. We came back again to explore more and see the aviary which was awesome, the birds are hilarious and beautiful.

Biggest botanic garden I've ever seen! It's quite the climb, but go up to the aviary. They have all sorts of wonderful birds that come close to look at you (especially when you wear a bright coat). They have all sorts of gardens, but the roses are my favourite!! Don't skip this part of Dunedin

Beautiful place to visit. Well thought out and impeccably curated and kept. The upper gardens had a wide array of flowers and plants that were very unique to NZ. Delightful! Unfortunately we only got to view the amazing green house from the outside but it looked full to the brim of beautiful greenery!

A beautiful place, with fabulous walks, glasshouse and aviary. In particular was stoked to find some fascinating plant species on sale in their info centre (from their local plants?), the opportunity to feed ducks with bird food for a donation also has a special charm. The 50yo Kea and other talking parrots were also a delight!

Went on a cold, windy day, but it's still worth it. Was surrounded by ducks very quickly after picking up some free duck food from the information center. It's definitely worth taking the walk up to the aviary to see the parrots and other birds.

Our family loves this place!! Super grateful to those who planted tree long ago for us to enjoy and also to those who maintain the gardens now!! Beautiful place, very well looked after and presented. Kids especially love the ducks!

We had an amazing two-hour tour at Orokonui Ecosanctuary. As a couple, we really appreciated how our guide not only knew so much about the natural history but also shared fascinating insights into the cultural history of the area. Their enthusiasm made the experience engaging from start to finish, and it truly deepened our appreciation of the sanctuary. Highly recommend!

It is an ecological island wildlife reserve developed by the Otago Natural History Trust in the Orokonui Valley - 20km from Dunedin. It covers about 290 ha or 720 acres of regenerating native forest. Lots of wildlife, especially birds can be seen at the feeding stations. There is a visitor and education centre. Entry fees are payable. Popular place, need to go early to avoid the heat too. Fair bit of walking around under tree shade. The terrain is uneven. Toilets available. Restaurant is available at centre. Wear comfy shoes, take water, wear hat, sunscreen. Beautiful place. Lots to see. Parking is easy. Great place for photography.

Wonderful sanctuary for indigenous wildlife. Great to see the Takahe family with their cute fluffy young chick's, plus kakas, tuis, robins and more. Too cold for the tuatara to come out today, it started snowing just before lunchtime!

Such a great place to visit if you love nature and the outdoors. So many native birds, I’ve never seen so many Korimako-Bellbird and Tui!! We saw Takahe, Kaka, Otago skink (Mokomoko) and Jewelled Gecko as well 😃

We didn't get to do all the pathways but what we did do was amazing. Just so beautiful and well worth the visit.

Plenty of parking, even for a few campervans. Allow an hour or 2 for your visit. You'll see lots of bird life, even some reptiles if you're patient. There is toilets and a giftshop and cafe at the visitor centre.

Very nice place. If you're patient enough you can see plenty of birds and other protected wildlife up close

The Ross Creek Reservoir is an artificial lake in Dunedin. One of the oldest artificial lakes in the country, and the oldest water supply reservoir still in active use in the country, it was created in the 1860s to provide water for the city of Dunedin, at that time in the middle of rapid expansion due to the Otago gold rush. The reservoir is surrounded by a public reserve which has been allowed to regenerate with native bush. A loop trail is considered an easy route, it takes an average of 41 min to complete.

Was a great day out exploring ☺️ Ross Creek has a few tracks to choose from. We chose the Craigieburn Track which led us to the reservoir. The track was quick and easy to navigate. The seasonal star markers located opposite the reservoir were incredibly creative - be sure to get a few photos out here 👌🏻 Overall, was a good experience. Ideal for kids and adults, plenty of parking available and easy to tread tracks 👍🏻

Many tracks to choose from. Google map brought me to the start at the housing area entrance. To go to the reservoir from here requires to cross a stream laid with crossing rocks that could be slippery. When returning to the carpark, we went a larger loop down towards the upper Leith entrance, passing by NZMCA , Woodhaugh garden track entrance and climbed back up to walk on the main street in the neighbourhood. There are many choices of tracks depending on your fitness level.

Great place to walk the dog, plenty of tracks to choose from, including a waterfall

A nice walk from town. Mostly easy but very steep going up the reservoir. We always walk through the Woodhaugh Gardens and along the Leith Valley. The main entry is lower down Ross Creek at Glenleith. There are various entry points along Burma and Tanner Roads. There is a drinking station for dogs and some poo bags provided. At the time of this review the area is closed for refurbishments and not open (probably) until February 2018. Look at the photos to see the notice sign.

I walk up there several times a week because it's just so lovely. It's one of those places that should be on a tourist to-do list. You walk through native forests surrounded by native birds, like keruru, and you can just burn hours on the tracks. It's a bit cold in winter but still worth the walk.

Was much more picturesque when I was a kid in the 80's, but is still a nice place to walk around. Glad to see they're going to use it again for water.

Beautiful beach with the bonus of seeing the sea lions around. It’s a very short walk to the beach from the parking lot. Sunset is gorgeous. Just be careful at the road to there because it narrows at places and drivers may drive carelessly.

Pacific ocean views, seal lions lounging, volcanic rock formations brought to you by Monarch cruises and their knowledgeable staff, especially Will.

We saw about seven seals lying on the beach and some of them are quite huge the most impressive is we saw a mother seal feeding its child Truly a unforgettable experience

The only wild life we saw were birds. So for whoever that thinks this is a nightly event, do consider it before heading there. We made a drive from our accommodation to Allans beach (private property, apparently). Upon getting closer to Allans beach, the roads were not paved. So take care while driving. Allans beach was nice, Unfortunately for us, we did not encounter any seals or penguins whatsoever. Only saw birds, which was fine with me. We just strolled along the beach and made our to dinner in town. Not too sure how often seals are being sighted. Btw it's FREE, just in case you're wondering.

This is the perfect place to come and see sealions frolicking on the beach

This is a very beautiful beach. We weee here to try and see some penguins at dusk. But all we saw was sea lions which was not too bad in itself. The road here is quite small but not too much of a problem. We sat upon the rocks to the left of when you come down the parking and didn’t see any penguins. We left about 21.30 when it was getting really dark

Otago is famous for the wild life. Allan's Beach is no exception. I have seen seals flee panic stricken at the first sight of a primate (human) at other beaches. Here the sea lions own the place. They don't appear bothered at all by humans. They look quite contented. Department of Conservation advised humans to stay 10 metres away, to let the sea lions have some space and peace. It was difficult when you walk on the track to the beach from the car park which is less than 5 minutes walk. The sea lion was sleeping peacefully on the track and I was half a metre from it. He went back to sleep and I silently crept around the sea lion to leave him in peace. I was more shocked and surprised by the encounter than the sea lion! The beach is spectacular and the scenery stunning! I have to give 5 stars because it doesn't get any better than this.

Fantastic playground, very popular. Big enough for lots of families.

I visited this park for the first time since moving cities when I was a toddler and it's just as good as I remember. I remember coming here with my dad on special occasions when we drove out towards the coast. This park has a special place in my heart if I'm honest. Located right next to the beach, it's an awesome spot to come with the whole family on a day out. It's a perfect playground for kids to play and use their imagination, with the iconic dinosaur slide as well as the pretend road setup for biking around on. Overall, an amazing playground!

This playground made my kids so happy. The mini road network was awesome. My 5 yr old was so excited to show my 3 yr old how to wait for the green man at the crossing. Very well thought out and love to see the kids learning about road safety while have so much fun

Good place to take the children to play with a reasonable selection of things for them to do. They also have a very good bike park for children to learn to ride and learn different road rules with the different signs and traffic lights set up. They have toilets available on site and sometimes there is different vendors selling foods and drinks just outside the park.

Very cool park. Unfortunately we struck it on a cold and windy day, but will definitely go back and take the kids bikes with us for the bike tracks made to look like roads - with working traffic lights.

Wonderful park, sadly all too rare in Dunedin. On a summer's day with the churro truck open, there's nowhere I'd rather be. Also a hop skip and a jump from St Kilda, which is too gnarly with rips for a beginner like me to surf, but is still a beautiful beach.

The dinosaur park, as it’s informally called, is Dunedin’s best playground. We’ve been going for years, and it’s our favourite place to bring the kids. It gets its name from the large concrete themed slide and swings dotted around the park. Marlow is a very large park, with multiple playground installations, and swings for infants and kids. It has a large concrete climbing hill and tunnel, perfect for little ones. There are seesaws, and two large playground installations, one for younger kids, and a larger one at the back next to the eponymous dinosaur slide. The concrete installations are quite old, yet are still functional and fun. The recent redevelopment of the paved bicycle area, now with functioning traffic lights, cross walks, tunnel, and signs, is the star attraction. The park has many nearby attractions, including a mini golf, train rides, and the beach. Food trucks are always there on summer weekends. In general, Dunedin’s playground situation is dismal, and is a concern for young families looking to settle. However, the dinosaur playground is the one bright spot in the city.

Pretty nice winding forest walk, steep in some parts. Seemed to be a bit of a wasp problem higher up currently, but there were warning signs up.

Beautiful park. No markers to guide your way around the various tracks but not too hard.

Good to walk your dog. Good to improve your dog do avoidance skills. I was very disappointed as a dog owner to see the state of the park

Secluded and secure. Beautiful walking tracks under the tress.My dog ❤️ it!

Good workout with jungle walk.

Greens, fresh and eyes pleasing views

Beautiful little park.

Always a nice place to park up let the dogs run around for a bit with a BMX track and a mountain bike track

The bmx pump track is excellent and a well maintained facility. We spent most of our time in the aptly named 'spooky forest' riding the kids loop mountainbike trail. Great for junior beginners.

My boys love going crazy in this park area. He's a Huntaway/Collie so needs that daily energy release ❤️

Regular visitor to the Forrester park dog park. Socrates rates it a top barks dog park. Loves his friends there.

Great walks! Wet and muddy dog park but still useable.

My son played football (Soccer) there and I had an amazing time in the clean air and quiet. And wow what an amaizing bike track. The tramps(walks) just further up the road are some of the best I have been on, and lead you up into the mountain Forrest.

Forrester Park is a great dog park for dogs that love to run. Big, wide open space. Does have a few boggy patches, and takes a while for the dew to dry in the morning, so later in the cooler months is better. Generally pleasant space to spend time. And there are toilets available.

A great short hike (walk) to some spectacular views. The beginning of the hike is fairly uphill but it evens out as you go. The pipes are very fun to climb on, but not the most stable as you go up the hill.

We had the best time climbing up the rocks and enjoying the stunning view up the hill. To get up there you have to walk up some stairs and climb the rocks. It was a breathtaking experience!

Nice walk in through the bush, little bit of climb to the top. Choose the right day check the weather forecast when you get there make sure no cloud or the view is not as spectacular.

Fantastic gem of a place. 10-15 minutes drive away from Dunedin central. Superb view and unique hexagonal rock columns and rock pile. Needs to be fit especially to access the best vantage lookout points else these a footpath in the bushes as access.

A very interesting place to hike and admire the town and surroundings. Quite challenging if you don't have a good fitness level and ability to make very big steps up the rocks. The views are stunning though so worth the effort. We've done the Skyline walk and at some point after passing these big rocks the track is lost due to tree fall. We managed to make our way through and get to Mount Cargill though but there were others that stopped and turn around.

Very limited parking available. Maybe enough space for 4 cars. We were lucky enough to grab one. Hike to the organ pipes is very muddy but not too difficult. A decent elevation gain to start then levels out. Not really any views until you get to the rocks due to the canopy. But once there it is fun climbing the rocks and the view is good. Can continue onto Buttars and Mt Cargill if one chooses.

Fun, well groomed trail. The views from here are amazing and it was nice seeing the pipes. This can be a bit of a strenuous hike so be careful who you bring up with you. I continued on got wonderful 360 views at Buttars peak.

Very nice place to go for a day out. I'd say this place would be the best for kids, with the large playground featuring multiple Swings, Slides, Sea saws and a flying fox. I'd Definitely recommend this place for young kids, but overall a nice place to go for anyone :).

Fairly sheltered for a walk on the winter

This is a nice place for a quiet walk has interesting playground. Some of the tracks need a bit of TLC .

Probably the best in class residential park I have been to so far

Such a lovely place to take the dogs for a walk. Lot's of walking tracks.

Nice park with a duck pond, bush walks and BBQ facilities. Was tricky to get parked close when I visited

We took the children to this park they wanted to go on the flying fox when it got to the end it jolted a lot and unfortunately the 6 yr old smacked her for head on the chain that holds it to the top, they loved the paddling pool and slides swings and seesaw plenty of open grassy areas and BBQ areas

Lovely place, good place for the dog to have a good run around! Go there every couple weeks to catch some yabbies (haven't had any luck).

Loved walking around, lots of friendly people walking their dogs and lots of trails throughout the park

Lovely walks and stables lots of different areas play ground and disc golf and an archery range

Confusing layout. Muddy due to poor drainage. Tees don’t line up with UDisc so you have to walk around looking for the tee. Baskets have poor directions on them to the next tee.

Lovely park, people walking there dogs, playing freezebee, or a chill walk along the stream.

Beautiful park, Archery club as looking for a benefactor to help build a new clubhouse.

A nice place for picnic and walk

Went to take my 5 teens skating at three pm during school holidays. On the door was a sign that stated the school holiday hours open until 4:45 pm. I went to go pay and they told me they were closing at 3:15. Wow. Fabulous. Thanks guys. The worst part was two of my teens met me there and were standing in the foyer waiting for nearly 10 minutes and no one could have told them? Unbelievably bad customer service.

I won't be skating here again until the ridiculous helmet nazi rule is overturned. I only skate to support my children, do not skate fast or attempt tricks. The place takes no liability, yet they have decided to dictate that I now have to wear a helmet if I want to actively supervise my kids on the ice.

Good quality rink and equipment for an excellent price. I easily found the hours for the public session on their website and the ticket purchase to my Apple wallet worked very smoothly.

A combination of the updated shoes and equipment, awesome music and rainbow lights creates an awesome experience! Thanks for a great afternoon Dunedin ice stadium!

We were asked to put a helmet on when on the ice but told there were signs telling us that, there were no signs and we were never told before the ice, the lady who told us to wear a helmet was not wearing one. Maybe we should have been told before getting on the ice as we were not the only group for this to happen to.

Great place for skate and bumper car on very reasonable charges

I know nothing about ice hockey but I enjoyed it.

A nice stay here, the cabins are a bit dated and only heated by a small fan heater on the wall. Good friendly service, nice secure facilities with everything you need. Access to the beach via a sports field is a 5-10 min walk. Nice feed of fish n chips from the shop behind reception.

We had a powered site for two nights (early October 2025). The bathrooms are very clean & tidy (plenty of toilets and showers). And there's a large kitchen, with a seated dining area. The hosts are very nice. Oh, the location is just behind the beach. And the caravan park is perfectly located = short 8min drive to the city (easiest parking for motorhomes is directly across the train tracks, from the Dunedin train station). It's a quick walk up over the tracks to access the train station AND the city centre. And 30min north-east of the caravan park is the Albatross Centre (worth going to). There's a "coastal route" and a "plateau route" = both are the MOST scenic drives you shall ever do in your life.

What a brilliant place. There are amazing pieces of wall art on most walls which tell of History and place names and pretty much anything you can think of. It was very, very cold, minus 6c one morning but warmed up a bit by lunch time. Thank goodness for good heating in the caravan.

We have used Dunedin Holiday Park many times over the years, it's a good location, buses are handy. The Park is in badly need now of an update, the basic cabin was really basic, drafty windows and door rattled all night, toilets were reasonably clean, kitchen jobs some worked, 4 toasters 2 worked, no tea towels or dish cloths, basic utensils pots and pans, although the day we left t towels and dish cloths had appeared. A bit of money spent on the whole premises and upgrade, would return it to how it was, as it is in a good spot.

Can't use the kitchen after 9. Some people only get to the campsite around 8pm, we didn't get here until 8.45, so what are we paying for? We could have stayed in a free camp. The reason we came was to make tea and have a nice dinner. I can't even make a hot water bottle to keep me warm for the night. Never stayed in a camping where you have nowhere to sit down after 9pm other than your own vehicle.

Location great near to beach but no direct access. Would be helpful if got directi access as there is aurora sightings on our arrival date. Facilities is very dated. Caravan spot is not cemented and due to rain it was muddy. Kitchen and shower not great but functional

We stayed in a powered site for 1 night 9/9/25. We had a friendly greeting when we arrived. The park could do with some money being spent on it. Lawns were longer just not manicured like other parks we have been in. Toilet block tidy but tired. The dark passage way to the toilets need lighting up at night. The camp kitchen was large but had a horrible smell. Great location but in need of a major update

The receptionist in the office is decent, and told us many things to do around Dunedin. The places are clean and well maintained. There was a time I needed to use the toilet when it was been cleaned, and the female cleaner kindly let me use the toilet during cleaning time. All the other travellers I met here are amiable and friendly. We had such a good time here chatting with other people. I would have rated this campsite a five star, but for one interaction with the male worker who is in charge of the public area. The male worker could have been more polite to me when telling me that late laundry would interrupt his resting time upstairs. Instead, he just stood there and watched me collect my clothing. My suggestion is that the campsite should consider make a regulation about the time visitors can use the laundry so that we don't bother the neighbours upstairs. Then, we don't get a pissed off male worker at night often. I just feel bad and kind of unfair because there isn't any regulation about when to use the laundry. Thus, I didn't violate any camping rules here. But why am I the person being rude to? This should be an organisation issue, and not for visitors to undertake the angry male worker. Lastly, the angry male worker told me about not doing laundry in the late night is a "normal sense". I think in a diverse country like NZ. People came from all over the world, especially visitors to this campsite are mostly travellers. We all have different cultures and growing backgrounds. It's surely that no one common sense fits all of the different people!

Thank you for accommodating our family. Due to my husband's mum being transferred to Dunedin Hospital, we were able to book in where all of us could be together on the same site, in short noticed. Our room was clean & warm & had all the facilities needed. Also liked how it had a nice bush walkway at the back of the camping ground & a games room for our children to keep them entertained in between hospital visits.

My family and I recently stayed at the Holiday Inn, and unfortunately, our experience was far from satisfactory. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by a receptionist who was anything but welcoming. Despite explaining our situation with a restless 1-year-old experiencing sleep regression, we were met with abrupt rudeness and a complete lack of empathy. Throughout the night, our attempts to soothe our child were met with complaints from neighboring guests. While we understand the importance of maintaining a peaceful environment, the manner in which the issue was handled by the receptionist was completely unacceptable. Instead of listening to our concerns, we were met with dismissiveness and an unwillingness to address the situation effectively. Adding to our disappointment, the heating in our room was unreliable, often turning off unexpectedly, leaving us uncomfortable in the chilly night air. Furthermore, the bed sheets had an unpleasant odor, detracting from any sense of comfort we had hoped for during our stay. Overall, our experience at the Holiday Inn was marred by poor customer service, inadequate amenities, and a lack of consideration for guests' needs. We had expected a comfortable and welcoming stay, but instead, we left feeling frustrated and disheartened. We will not be returning to this establishment and cannot in good conscience recommend it to others.

The showers are hot and there is hot water on tap which is nice. The lodge and bathrooms are cold however with no heat and the windows and doors left open. The staff are very aggressive and make the vibe feel unwelcoming and uncomfortable. Every time I went to the bathroom I was followed by staff and even though I made my booking online with credit card information, I was accused of skipping out on my bill because I didn’t pay in the office. The man also wanted to charged me in his words a “ bulls*** tax” for inconveniencing him.

Male staff was rude. Didn't know how to handle complaints within costumers. Wanted to shut up a 1 year old child at 10:30pm because other costumers complaint of children being noisy. Like how can you shut up a toddler when he was only being playful and has a sleep regression. Male staff didn't listen to our response regarding the complaint of costumer next to our room. Like how did they build this room where you can hear other room's conversations. There were no parties inside our room. Just children ages 1 year old, and a 3 year old singing happy birthday to his younger sibling.

Stayed in a studio cabin. Good and clean. Good kitchen (no oven though if you needed one of those). Comfortable. Plenty of parking space. Suspect may be cold in winter with only one electric heater. Good walks nearby. Friendly staff.

25/9/2023 Beds are comfy. We had a good night sleep. The cabin is cozy and warm enough. It nearby bush areas and a streams. Overall are good. Just a bit distance to the center. But it would be not a problem if you have a car.

Great place to visit! You can see wild sea lions with a nice view. Easy to get there, though to come up again.

Beautiful beach with a large sea lion colony there. You can get some really stunning photos of them if you sit back in the dunes respectfully with appropriate distance from them but be aware that if it’s in the morning some sea lions sleep in the dunes so you could find yourself being surprised from behind as they head to the beach. The beach is large and you’ll tend to find sea lions scattered all along with the larger group situated towards the end of the beach. You’ll probably hear and smell the sea lions before you see them.

We went there this afternoon between 3.30-4.30pm and we were able to see two yellow eyed penguins. Make sure you stay out of the prohibited area where the penguins are nesting by following the orange poles going down the dunes. These will lead you straight to the beach while ensuring minimal disturbance to the penguins.

I went there in August, 2025, and the sea lions were there. There are also some sheep farmed close by, very picturesque.

Have come here twice and there are always sea lions, lying around somewhere along the beach. The views are gorgeous and the sunset is incredible. We also spotted penguins the first time we came. The walk down can be a bit steep but it is well worth the experience.

Fantastic short walk down to Sandfly Bay where you can see up close and personal the Sea Lions. When we visited there were many male Sea Lions fighting on the beach with many others sleeping nearby. Highly recommend the drive out. Make sure to take a camera!

Sandfly Beach is a true natural gem. The beach itself is stunning, and the view from the lookout on the way down is equally breathtaking. While the steep walk down may be a challenge, especially with young kids, we made the most of it by enjoying the view from the lookout. It's a place where the beauty of nature takes center stage, making it a memorable visit regardless of how far you venture.

Love this beach. Fully patrolled over the summer season. Great beach for the family to swim at. Has a field not far away to play cricket with the kids. Great Rock pools for the kids to look for crabs 🦀 Fun for all.

Peaceful and great spots for a camper and tent.

Sat and had a delicious ice cream from the local dairy, watched people at the beach

Nice place to walk. At Low tide there are tons of interesting sea creatures and sea weed. If you are lucky, you can see the sea lions and penguins on the rock cliffs.

Brilliant beach with surf quality waves. Fur Seals come onto the beach. Freedom Camping for Self contained vehicles along this stunning coastline.

Lovely beach. Safe wee area and then extends around the rocks, goes on for a very long while.

Nice beach when the sun is shining. Nice white beach sand. A lot of mussels between the rocks when the tide is low.

The only downside was the showers. The water pressure was really weak and the water never got properly warm. The wheelchair-accessible shower was also tricky—the temperature was either way too hot or freezing cold, so it was a real struggle to use. For a paid place to stay, having a decent shower is pretty important. That said, the unlimited Wi-Fi was super handy, and there are some great restaurants nearby too.

The amount of people negatively commenting about the showers obviously didn’t listen to the owners very clear instructions on how to get hot water. You turn the shower on full blast then slowly turn it back down until you get the temperature you want. My partner didn’t do it properly the first night and had a cool shower whilst I had lovely hot showers every night. You need to turn it down slowly and be patient. Great little park with great facilities and the best camp kitchen ever!! Lovely little library too. Fab location central to all good walks. If you get woken up by an air raid alarm like we did one morning its not a tsunami warning like we feared its to call the volunteer fire fighters to the station which is right by the camp ground. 10/10 would recommend!

Great price for a unpowered site and great location, in a quiet street but near the water! Facilities are really good too. I really recommend it as a camping near Dunedin, or as a base to visit the Otago Peninsula. I just spent one night there but I wish I stayed 1 or 2 extra nights, to visit more the Peninsula...

It’s an ok place. The drive down there on the peninsula road is stunning. The site itself is typical older NZ site. Only $24 for a powered site which was good. Bathroom was clean but cold. Maybe I got unlucky as it was wet and rainy but in general there’s not a lot in Portobello, the pub was empty, the cafe closed and 1 general store. Felt a bit bleak.

The location was fine. Quiet, but some distance from anything else. Not much in the way of walks or services nearby. The real downer was the manager / owner. He talked to me like I was ancient and english was my fourth language. I'm 65, and a European kiwi. Even if i was ancient and from overseas, that is no way to talk to a customer. He delivered instructions for staying at the camp in a rapid monotone then said he had to go into town to pick something up and disappeared. This was strange as he didn't actually go anywhere. I think he just wanted rid of us. We won't be going back.

One of the best places. Very convenient location to see the albatross wildlife center and the beaches around Portobello. The owners are amazing and super friendly. Facilities are all well maintained. Cant wait to be back here! :-)

Great campsite has rooms and powered and unpowered sites, I called to see if they had a space gentleman said booking in was from 1 pm. Elliot was friendly on arrival explained everything we needed to know. Each site has a dump station, power and a water tap. This is the first site that has had all the stations close by. Despite other reviews I have read I would recommend this site. Very good price for the night charges per person

Freedom site, next to a stunning white sandy beach by the Pacific ocean

Great place for dog walks on the beach. Plenty of parking. Public toilet available in the freedom camping end of the carpark. Easy, short walk to a beautiful sands beach. Be aware that sea-lions may be about in the season.

My wife our daughter and her family have stayed in a holiday home there for the past two years and plan to do so next year. We love the beach. Lovely sand, great for children and dogs to play. We saw many dogs and horses up and down the beach. There are cliffs at the southern end where houses have a wonderful sea view. As we walked down that way we saw that there were " islands" there. Soft smooth sand and fantastic rocks to explore. The rock formations are splended, well worth the visit. The chilren and pet dog loved climbing over the rocks and cliffs.

2 public toilets and a drinking water tap behind the toilet. With a great view and a plenty of parking, what more do you need? Located on the opposite side of the residential area. Probably not a good idea to have a drinking party till the wee hours of the morning

There’s an outdoor (cold) shower and a sink to do your dishes, as well as drinking water, with amazing beach views. Definitely recommend!!! Come before 5pm as it got busy quickly.

Lovely spot, sandy beach.. sea lions on walkway.. freedom camping, toilets and outdoor shower.

Small Freedom camping site with dump station, toilet and drink water. Mixed self contained and non self contained, about 8 spaces each. No ocean view, you have to walk down to see the ocean.

Good walking track. Return walk almost for 4 hours.

This place is an amazing track to get up to Mount Cargill. I would like the pictures to do the talking instead of me describing this whole place. The walk up is amazing - you'll truly enjoy every moment (especially on a very very good day) There is a park , a place to do for your BBQ (during summer).

Nice park at the start of the Mt Cargill walking track (that goes up to Mt Cargill lookout and the transmission tower). BBQs, flush toilets, picnic area right by Lindsay Creek - with old forest and Douglas fir trees. It's usually not too busy and especially good for kids. Also good for dogs and has nearby mountain bike tracks - which are mostly separate from the walking track. Plenty of parking.

🏏🚵Great Wee Spot... For the Whanau Picnic's! Has Free Barbecue's, Swings, Slide, Also a wee Stream, (That the Kids all Seem to love playing in Safely!) Dog's allowed,🐩 A Walking Track,🚶🏃 That is Kindly shared With...(enthusiastic)😁🙏😄 Mountain bike's.🚴 PEACE n LOVE

Fabulous bushwalk up to Mt Cargill, nice to hear the birdsong in the bush. Needs some seating in the open glades so people can picnic and enjoy the sun and nature before/after a bushwalk

Good walk. Tough at times. Freezing, misty & windy at the top so unfortunately there was no view

Track was beautiful. Stunning scenery though.

On arrival we were greeted with the strong smell of urine. On both visit’s previous visitors / owners didn’t pick up after themselves. There was A LOT of dog poo everywhere. I won’t be visiting this park again because of that. A fairly small area compared to other dog parks in Dunedin. We had an encounter with an irresponsible owner who didn’t do anything to recall his dog who was aggressive.

Park is not suitable for small dogs and children. our small breed dog named gorge was attacked by pitbull breed and died, until the council separate or put up better signage i cannot support it, go to green island dog park if you want to keep your loved one safe

Kids playground around the corner. A bit muddy when it rains

Nice space, but smells like wees. A park this size would be best suited to smaller breeds and puppies only as it isn't large enough to hold a lot of urine.

Its usually a nice place to bring my dog to meet up with other regular users. There is a problem with the water fountain jamming and flooding the lower entrance gate sometimes. And there are a couple of corgi cross dogs with terribly antisocial owners, a man and woman, who are dangerous, (both the man and the dogs) who sometimes frequent the park. Be aware the dogs are dangerous and have attacked and bitten dogs. I have been verbally attacked by the male owner and had my little dog charged by the uncontrolled corgis. Suggest you report any meeting with this lot to the DCC. Otherwise enjoy your visit with the friendly locals and their well behaved dogs.

Good playground. Well maintained.

It's okay, difficult parking options,

Beautiful spot! We were there in June and were the only people on the beach. Easy walk from the carpark. Access road is dirt/gravel and at some places not fully two lanes. Be careful. We didn't see any wildlife on the beach but saw some paua shells, really colorful. Plan for a half day because the journey there is just as spectacular. The Otago peninsula is really a neat place to drive and explore, particularly the dirt roads.

Beautiful spot. Especially on a cold and calm morning. Lots of wildlife and history. View from the top of the pyramid is a must. Takes ten plus minutes to walk from the car park to the base of the pyramids. Takes another 10 to 15 to get to the beach which you can walk along for miles. Some fantastic preservation work has gone into restoring the fauna. Highly recommend.

I walk there in November, the smell of the sea mixed with the blooming flowers was amazing. Simple wild beach, loved it .

Arrive there was me and a surfer. What a spot beautiful endless beach or feels like it!

Beautiful white sandy beach. Walked it with my 3yr old and husband carried our 1yr old. Saw a mother sea lion and her baby.

Beautiful beach after 1.5 hours walking!!

Beautiful beach and surroundings awesome shipwreck

Nice moderate but short hike through rain forest. Not many people if at all around as it is a very hidden track. The waterfall is more beautiful and bigger than a thought. The water is falling through many different ways/streets between and over the moss.

Approximately 20 minutes walk each way. It's quite a steep path, but it's worth it overall. You can park next to the street (maybe 5 cars), and then you just have to follow the signs.

A very nice spot pretty close to Dunedin. It seems to get very few visitors, except for the cycling tracks which are separate from the walking one. A nice 20-minute walk from the road, with a small detour early on for the glow worms. The path is steep at points and also slippery at some. Especially after rains. The round- trip including a 30-minute stay at the falls was about 1hr15min. A cute fantail joined us on the way back.

Really beautiful waterfall! You can walk right up to it without getting your feet wet. Plenty of history too, with it having been a tourist attraction and Thomas Jenkins having fell climbing next to the waterfall in 1895.

Space for 4 or 5 cars to pull in opposite the start of the trail. Follow for 5 minutes, then turn off left to the waterfall at the small sign. Steep uphill in places and narrow. Waterfall is at the end of the trail, 15 more mins and you can climb down to get a great view. If you love discovering hidden waterfalls, you might like our YouTube channel - Pack Lunch and Travel where we search for waterfalls round the world.

Nice walk up the hill to the waterfall.

Got lost, almost died (a few times), encountered ghosts, all just to find a very very secluded waterfall in the middle of nowhere. Worth it!!!

On top of the World!!

Fantastic

You can visit the world's only mainland colony of Royal Albatross at the tip of the Otago Peninsula in Dunedin, New Zealand. Small guided tours to a glassed hide allows viewing of some of the nesting albatross. To protect the albatross from human disturbance, the headland is not publicly accessible. You can see adults in flight with their three metre wingspans as they glide around the headland. The centre is free to enter but tours are charged. Uneven terrain, lot of walking. Toilets available. Cafes available on site. Before the walkabout tour, you are given a demonstration/lecture about the birds and the work of the centre. Popular with tourists. Wear comfy shoes, take water, wear hat, sunscreen. Parking is easy. Amazing place to visit. Great place for photography.

We had a lovely afternoon today visiting the Royal Albatross Centre and doing the Classic Albatross Tour. Libby our guide was amazing - so passionate and informative. We learnt so much about these amazing birds and even better got to see the adults in flight and albatross fledglings nearly old enough and ready to take flight to South America. The red billed gulls also made themselves known - extremely comical and loud. A great visit.

Seeing Royal Albatross fledglings and parents, including feeding, was a very, very special experience. A well thought out visitor centre, and our viewing experience was enhanced by our very knowledgeable guide. The cafe is also worth a stop - the carrot cake is superb!

Awesome place to visit, didn't go on the tour, so missed seeing the Albatross - it was quite a blustery day. There are hundreds of Seagulls nesting here - that was a site to see. We had some lunch in the cafe - would recommend.

Amazing experience. We got to watch adults bringing food back to their chicks, and the viewing deck gave us such a good look. The guide was excellent and explained everything really well. Knowing it’s the only mainland breeding colony in the world makes it even more unique. Definitely well-worth a visit.

Had a really wonderful visit on World Albatross Day. Saw the birds right from the carpark gliding around and the chicks nesting were really special to see. In particular, I was impressed by the tiaki- the respect, passion, and conservation efforts in place to care for these beautiful creatures. I would certain recommend a visit to view and support conservation efforts for these birds and this place.

This was on my bucket list : It did not disappoint, absolutely amazing, went when the chick's were hanging out waiting for their parents to come back.. saw so many pass overs from the parents. LIBBY, our guide was the most fantastic guide and knew at the answers to my millions of questions.. BEST DAY EVER.. my 8 year old son loved it so much. We have been watching the live feed camera since going there. Everyone should have this to their bucket list

Very beautiful and calm place to spend some time relaxing surrounded by plants. It's not very big but it's a nice way to spend marine 40 minutes to an hour. There are plants native to China, a waterfall and a big pond with ducks and water lillys. There's a restroom and a gift shop too. There are some sitting areas as well.

Lovely morning spent at the gardens, such a beautiful place, tranquil and oh so pretty. We had tea at the end and played checkers nice start to a big day in Dunedin. Recommended.

Serene, relaxing, great place to not feel that you're in downtown Dunedin. Beautiful gardens, paths and quiet places to sit.

Absolutely beautiful gardens!! They are maintained very well, have a great selection of sceneries, and have plaques spread across the site to learn more about the garden. I really loved the blend of using rocks and water along with greenery for the garden, it created a really tranquil atmosphere despite being so close to the city centre. Parking is nearby and a good almost-central location. Admission fee was reasonable, staff were super lovely and answered all my questions, and the gift shop was quaint but cute. I will definitely come back in the future, thank you again!!

A peaceful and beautifully designed spot right in the heart of Dunedin. Lan Yuan offers an authentic glimpse into classical Chinese architecture and culture, with its tranquil ponds, intricate stonework, and lush gardens. You can easily spend an hour or two here just soaking in the calm atmosphere. It’s clear a lot of thought and care went into its creation – a great place for photos, quiet reflection, or learning a bit about Chinese heritage in New Zealand. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the city!

A peaceful and beautiful garden in Dunedin. Feels like a little piece of China — perfect for a quiet walk and lovely photos.

A stunning traditional Chinese garden and it every turn a perfect photo opportunity. I ended up taking hundreds of photos of this beautiful garden and it was well worth the small entry fee. It is amazing how quiet and peaceful it is within the garden even though you ride in the city next to the train station. We felt transported to a different world and really enjoyed learning about the Chinese heritage of Otago. The most fascinating fact we learned was of the custom-designed roof tiles I think they were about 38,000 of them that were made in China with a unique pattern to these gardens and if each individual tile was laid side-by-side they would stretch from Dunedin to Christchurch. Worth noting that dogs are not allowed, we couldn’t find this information anywhere online before going so thought best to add into our review here as it may help someone else.

Attended my son's wedding here recently, cannot fault anything about this wonderful place. Fantastic owner, fantastic staff, beautiful surroundings and absolutely amazing food. Would highly recommend a visit.

absolutely fabulous venue. lovely atmosphere , great service with very attentive staff. Food was superb. Big bonus was the accessibility , you can drive right round the back to drop off someone who has limited mobility so she only had to walk about 10 metres from the car to her seat. We were a group of 30 and we didn't feel rushed, they were quite happy for us to sit and chat over a coffee.

We tried this place for the first time and overall we’re really happy — we’ll definitely be back! The food wasn’t perfect, but it was very good, with just a few elements that could be improved. The pricing is very reasonable. The service was excellent and the staff were helpful in guiding us with our order. The live music added a lovely touch, and the musician had a beautiful, friendly smile. The atmosphere was pleasant, and I appreciated the simplicity of the interior décor. Our child loved her platter and has already asked us to go back soon!

Visited Glenfalloch Gardens for coffee and loved it. The café staff were attentive, friendly, and made me feel really looked after. The gardens are absolutely stunning, lush winding paths, vibrant blooms, and gorgeous harbour views. A perfect spot for a relaxing visit or even an event. Highly recommended!

Loved how the fantails would follow you around. I ran out of time to walk around all the gardens. What I did see was pretty. It was a sweet interruption to our cycle around the harbor. Great coffee and cake from the cafe there. Was quite busy, so it may be worthwhile to book ahead if you went for lunch.

What an absolute vibe! Dined in for a date night with my husband. The atmosphere was incredible with live music throughout 👌🏻 Food was great (I chose the vegetarian options - pumpkin soup with bread for starters, and the Portobello Mushroom with roasted potatoes for mains). Both dishes were delicious and were really big portions! Vegetarian / vegan friendly menus are available separately and can be obtained by asking your waiter for one 😊 Hubby choose the pumpkin soup for starters and the Fish of the Day for mains which he confirmed to be very enjoyable 👌🏻 The live music and ambience of the restaurant definitely sets the tone for a romantic dinner date 🥹 We'll definitely be back! 💃

A stunning spot tucked away on the Otago Peninsula, Glenfalloch offers delicious food, good drinks menu and beautiful gardens to explore

Lovely place for a day mission, lovely tracks and a good beach as well, if you go at low tide , you can see a sunken ship, there's a loop walk with signs telling you about history of the wildlife and area, lovely place to visit with the pyramids as well. Highly recommend!! Sealions are on the beach so plenty of nature to look at.

Two things to share: It’s a good walk from the car park to the reserve’s entrance. This can be challenging for children but the views are absolutely extraordinary. The loop walk leads to beach at two places, but it’s quite difficult to access because of sudden drop. Take care.

(Translated by Google) You can learn how to preserve nature as it is (Original) 자연 그대로 보존하는 법을 배울 수 있습니다

(Translated by Google) Nature is very therapeutic. The air is good, the trees are beautiful, the air is cool, and there is a constant breeze. Come take a walk and enjoy the natural atmosphere. You can breathe easily. There are few people and many sheep. (Original) ธรรมชาติบำบัดมาก อากาศดี ต้นไม้สวยอากาศเย็น มีลมพัดผ่านตลอด มาเดินเล่นชมบรรยากาศธรรมชาติ หายใจได้อย่างสบายปอด คนน้อย แกะเยอะ

The view is amazing to the mornington,its a peaceful place with a scenic view.

annoying monument to some American navy admiral gets in the way and spoils the view but otherwise its a nice spot.

Nice lookout over the city, quite close to town. You do get a better view from Signal Hill, but this one is much easier to get to

The view from this spot of Dunedin was really amazing.

Popped up here to watch the sunrise on my way to the farmers market. Stunning, and a nice place to drink your coffee in peace.

Very nice and beautiful lookout in the middle of the city. The road to the lookout is very steep and high, if Maitland street route is taken. The views are nice and expansive. The harbour looks very beautiful from here and exceptionally nice on a sunny day. A few car parks are there to accommodate visitors. A large green area is also there to spend an idyllic day on the lookout. The spot is very nicely maintained and clean. Well recommended for a quick lunch break during the trip to the city.

A lovely view of the harbour.

Please ignore the review, video and photo's from pounsfos, they are of the playground and hall not the domain. The Domain on the corner of Mole Road and Moana Street, near the memorial carpark. Camping is permitted but it's a rough paddock, not entirely flat, but sheltered. In summer, portable toilets as usually supplied at the roadside. Please watch your dogs - seals and penguins live on these beaches and dunes.

Nice spot in aramoana, lots of fan tails and other birds, has a lot of walkways connected to it. Public toilets are to the side of the hall. Fantastic spot for picnics.

Nice place but a bit of a length to drive to.

I have with pleasure, looped the Harbour cycle trail several times now. The ferry across is a nature lovers dream. Rachel is super friendly and has an abundance of knowledge second to none of the wildlife and history all around. Must do attraction!

Brilliant 👏🏾 👏🏾

Great service. Been over twice with the bikes. No need to lift bikes on or off - that's all part of the service!

Loved this experience! I am not a cyclist so took my time and really enjoyed this active day for our family