Castlecliff Reserve

Right on the edge of the Castlecliff beach, this reserve is one of those spots where you can genuinely kill a full afternoon without running out of things to do. Kids have slides, swings, and a zipline to keep them busy, while the basketball court and open grass field give older ones room to spread out. The BBQ areas are a solid setup for a proper family lunch with the sea breeze doing its thing in the background. Toilets and parking are right there too, which makes a big difference when you’ve got little ones in tow. Locals know this place well — and on a decent Whanganui summer day, you’ll see why.