Botanic Garden Playground

Right in the middle of Wellington’s Botanic Garden, this bee-themed playground punches well above its weight for a city park. The flying fox is the obvious crowd-pleaser, but the big slides and climbing structure keep older kids occupied while the fenced toddler section means parents of littlies can actually relax for five minutes. Shade trees and benches are genuinely plentiful — not just a token picnic table in the sun — and the toilets are close by, which matters more than people admit. Walking trails through the gardens are right there if you want to stretch the visit into a proper afternoon out.