Rocket Park

Great place for kids and across the road from great food places

This is an awesome playground!
It is on a massive stretch of land so the space for kids to play on is huge.
In the playground there are the usual swings and slides and all that, but there are also some innovative pieces for playing which I like. It makes it different from all the rest of the playgrounds out there. Particularly there is a rocket ship thing that is huge, and situated in the centre of the play space. I’m not sure as to how safe it is though, but I suppose the surrounding grass and rubber makes it okay if the children climb it.
I know the littles ones love to come here and play because it is so big, it is like a little adventure land or them. And I like it as well because it is situated quite far away from the main road, something which always concerns me at playgrounds.

This is such a great playground for kids, I always bring my cousins here when I am looking after them. There is so much for them to do, we can usually kill a good hour of the day. There is also a good sized field beside that I can give the dog a run around in while they play, I love killing two birds with one stone. Parking is easy here, they have lots out the front of the playground as well as lots near the community centre round the back. What gives the park its name is the large blue rocket that has become somewhat of an icon in the area. It really is such a great place to come with kids when you need something to do. Motat is also not far from here so you could even combine the two, clever!

Rocket Park is an icon of Auckland. Though it is just a playground — and not a particularly special playground anymore thanks to health and safety regulations — there is a giant rocket smack bang in the middle of the climbing equipment that is the reason for its name.
As a child I spent countless afternoons climbing on and around this rocket, and even remember the days when you were allowed IN IT. Those were good times. Though this is no longer possible, every afternoon the park is still packed with young families and it’s a really nice place to have a wee picnic and a run around.
Tip: Now there is even some cardio gym equipment permanently set up in the park, like treadmills and cross-​trainers, that available for anyone to use. So parents, you too can get some exercise while your kids tire themselves out on the playground!

Rocket Park is awesome, even if you’re not allowed to climb up the rocket. It has a huge range of play equipment including an expensive Variety Liberty Swing which allows disabled children or those in wheelchairs to enjoy a thrill most kids take for granted. Very cool idea.
I also really like the fairytale castle-​themed play area which gets kids role playing and using their imaginations. I’ve spent countless hours here after pre-​school Gym and Dancing classes at the neighbouring YMCA, and the beautiful setting amongst mature trees makes it a great place for a picnic. Be organised and bring your own or grab something from one of the surrounding cafes or delis (or a kebab!). One of Auckland’s best playgrounds.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t actually know this was called the Mt Albert War Memorial Reserve until I came to write this review. To me (and probably everyone else who has been a kid in Auckland since the mid-​nineties when they put the playground in) this is Rocket Park. Because it has a ROCKET. And when you are a certain age this is the best thing of all things.
Now that I’m not a kid anymore (but yet not enough of a gown-​up to have my own rocket-​loving kids) I don’t frequent the park as much as I used to. But people do — I don’t think I’ve ever seen it empty except for days with crummy weather. Take your kids here, if you have them. Or, if you are a kid, get your parents to take you.
Also: they sometimes have markets here. Or at least they have once. I don’t know if it’s a regular thing.