Auckland is an superior metropolis – not solely are you by no means greater than 20mins drive from a seaside, it’s acquired a very distinctive panorama with 50 volcanoes, a gulf peppered with islands, nice eating choices, its personal tradition and a few good brief hikes/day walks.
As a born and bred Aucklander, I get severely offended after I hear travellers say ‘Oh simply skip Auckland, it’s not value hanging round’. It kills me that some travellers solely see downtown Auckland, so I’ve written a weblog submit about what we locals do for enjoyable round right here. Hopefully, it offers you just a few concepts about what to do in Auckland that may make you wish to stick round a bit longer!
Get a 360° view of Auckland – the free means
Certain, going as much as the highest of the SkyTower, skydiving or taking a seaplane flight would possibly offer you a terrific 360 diploma view of Auckland, however in case you’re a neighborhood, you’re extra more likely to head the highest of Mount Eden to take in the cityscape. In my view this is without doubt one of the greatest free issues to do in Auckland. The very best time to go is simply because the solar is setting so you possibly can watch the lights come on across the metropolis.
Mount Eden is definitely a volcano and has a giant, spectacular crater. You’ll be able to stroll across the fringe of the crater and see among the greatest views of town. Afterwards, stroll again all the way down to Mount Eden village for a pint and pot of mussels at De Publish, a scrumptious burger at Nook Burger or a sizzling chocolate and slice of cake at Frasers. You’ve earned it!
Getting there: Catch the bus or the prepare from town.
Go to the historic settlement of Devonport
Take the ferry from the downtown ferry terminal over to Devonport. See New Zealand’s navy base from the water then discover the colonial-style village. In case you’re up for a little bit of an journey, take a stroll up Mount Victoria or North Head (two dormant volcanoes) to discover the outdated tunnels and see the outdated weapons and bomb shelters that had been constructed throughout World Conflict II to guard the Auckland harbour. Based on legend the tunnels at North Head are haunted! (Deliver a torch when you’ve got one.)
Getting there: Take the ferry ticket from Downtown Auckland to Devonport.
Ponsonby – The place to be seen
Ponsonby is a stylish ‘city-fringe’ suburb the place the persons are cool, the homes are mega-expensive, the purchasing ranges from op-shops to designer and the place you’re certain to have a terrific night time out. Ponsonby Highway is lined with upmarket cafes, retailers, eating places and bars.
Splurge for lunch at SPQR and sit out on the sidewalk for some nice individuals watching or head inside Ponsonby Central the place you’ll discover a assortment of various eating places to select from. In case you’re on a backpacker’s price range, head to the Worldwide Meals Courtroom above the pool corridor and take your decide of scrumptious Chinese language, Indian, Balinese, Lao, Malaysian, Japanese or Italian delicacies.
Buy groceries within the boutique shops and see what bargains yow will discover. In case you’re there for the night and wish to have a dance – Lengthy Room, Little Simple and Ponsonby Social Membership are native favourites.
Getting there: You’ll be able to stroll, it’s solely 2.6kms from downtown (though be ready for just a few hills) in any other case you possibly can catch the Hyperlink bus from town.
Hike from Coast to Coast
Auckland is so skinny that you may truly stroll from one facet of New Zealand to the opposite! Begin your stroll from downtown Auckland and comply with the Coast to Coast markers previous key landmarks just like the Auckland Area, Mount Eden and One Tree Hill. It’s 16 kms in whole so that you’ll want the entire day for this one – particularly in case you throw in a museum tour on the Auckland Conflict Memorial museum (which I extremely advocate!). The stroll finishes at Beachcroft Avenue in Onehunga, a newly renovated beachfront space. View the Coast to Coast map
Getting there: Stroll to the beginning, then catch the prepare or bus again into town from Onehunga.
Stroll/bike/skate alongside the pink path
The pink cycleway, constructed in the course of Auckland’s central motorway junction, is a success amongst vacationers and locals alike. It’s the right place to take photographs, go for a motorbike experience or simply admire the cityscape – the trail is lit up at night time too! Be sure to test it out when you’ve got a spare hour or so within the metropolis centre – #doitforthegram
Getting there: Stroll from the CBD to the Nelson Avenue off-ramp (Higher Queen Avenue) or stroll from Ok’Highway to Quay Avenue.
Should-do in Auckland: Go to Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island was named one of many world’s high areas to go to in Lonely Planet’s ‘Finest in Journey’ Information, however we Aucklanders have been large followers of this attractive island since means again when. Waiheke has picturesque seashores, nice vineyards, a cute little village and better of all, it’s solely a 40 min scenic ferry experience from Auckland metropolis. Waiheke is a giant island so in case you’re simply going for the day select to go to both the Onetangi space (for which you’ll have to get a bus go), or the Oneroa space (which you’ll be able to discover on foot).
In Onetangi you’ll discover Wild on Waiheke – they do a wine tasting or craft beer tasting set in addition to archery and clay fowl capturing. Subsequent door, Stonyridge Winery is a superb place to cease for wine tasting, a platter and a photograph alternative by the vines. Wander up the highway about 100m to Dellows Distillery the place they make their very own spirits and liquors. Or for one thing extra adventurous go ziplining with Eco Zip Adventures!
In case you select to discover Waiheke on foot, head up the hill from the ferry terminal and switch left for Oneroa village. There are many locations to eat, some good retailers to peruse and a rare focus of actual property retailers. Head again alongside the highway you got here in on and maintain going straight (previous the hill you walked up) in direction of Cable Bay. Style native wine on the cellar door and take a look at one in all their scrumptious pizzas as you sit on bean baggage on the garden, trying again over Auckland metropolis.
It will likely be tempting to remain right here all day, however maintain strolling up the highway and also you’ll discover Mudbrick, a Mediterranean-style winery and one in all New Zealand’s most wanted marriage ceremony venues. You’ll be able to style check their wines, and it’s additionally the most effective place on Waiheke to look at the sundown.
Getting there: Catch the ferry from Downtown Auckland to Waiheke.
Immerse your self in nature on Tiritiri Matangi Island
Tiritiri Matangi Island is one other brief ferry experience away from downtown Auckland. The island boasts some nice strolling tracks and also you’ll see plenty of uncommon native birds. Within the weekend, workers from the Division of Conservation host guided hikes so you possibly can study extra concerning the wildlife.
It’s an effective way to flee the hustle and bustle of town. The value of the ferry could also be somewhat off-putting however, consider us, it’s value it! It’s a full day exercise and also you gained’t have to spend any extra cash on the island (simply take a packed lunch in your bag). I’d advocate taking the guided nature stroll across the island, consuming your lunch on the high of the island by the lighthouse after which spending the remainder of the afternoon swimming or sunbathing on the seaside earlier than hopping again on the ferry to town.
Getting there: Catch the ferry from Downtown Auckland
Discover Western Springs & Kingsland
This occurs to be my native space, so I could be a bit biased after I say you possibly can’t miss it! Catch the bus to Western Springs, a pleasant park with a lake in the course of it for a morning stroll. Subsequent door you’ll discover the Auckland Zoo and MOTAT (The Museum of Transport and Know-how) if both of these choices floats your boat.
If not, stroll up Western Springs Highway and also you’ll discover Urbanaut Brewery the place you possibly can attempt the native craft beer or do a brewery tour. Throughout the primary highway, you can see the Beer Spot, an informal bar with a great deal of totally different New Zealand craft beers on faucet. I like to recommend stopping in at Crave for lunch. Crave Cafe is a neighbourhood initiative the place all of the revenue will get put again into the group, so it’s a terrific trigger with scrumptious meals as well!
After you’ve stuffed your stomach, head as much as Kingsland, a cool precinct that’s additionally house to our most iconic sports activities venue: Eden Park, house of the mighty All Blacks. Within the evenings the bars supply reside music, comedy nights, reside sports activities video games and even salsa courses.
Getting there: Catch the 020 Bus to Western Springs, or if you wish to skip straight to Crave & Urbanaut – take the prepare from Britomart to Morningside. Return to town on the prepare from Kingsland prepare station.
Climb Auckland’s youngest volcano
Catch the morning ferry to Rangitoto, one of many metropolis’s most iconic volcanoes, rising up out of the Auckland harbour. Don’t comply with the vacationers up the common monitor to the summit although – take the monitor to the left and go across the outdoors of the island, trying out the historic baches (little vacation homes), disused quarry web site, a great deal of volcanic rock and a stunning little sandy seaside earlier than heading up the again of the volcano to the summit.
Take a picnic lunch with you to have on the summit when you soak within the sense of accomplishment and the views. Head again down the common monitor to the wharf, however don’t miss the detour to the lava caves! If you get to the lava caves you’ll see three collectively. Squeeze your self by means of the doorway to the center cave, which is definitely fairly large inside and you may journey by means of it to come back again out the monitor on the opposite facet.
Getting there: Catch the ferry from Downtown Auckland
Stroll the coastal monitor between Takapuna and Milford
Catch the bus over the Harbour Bridge to Takapuna, the unofficial capital of Auckland’s North Shore. The retailers and eating places are clustered near a protracted, white sand seaside. Begin your stroll by heading left alongside the seaside. The coastal monitor is about 3kms lengthy with a terrific little bay within the center the place you possibly can cease for a swim if you want to cool off. Return the identical means you got here and deal with your self to an ice cream on the Takapuna Seashore Cafe.
Getting there: Catch a bus from Downtown Auckland or from Devonport
Discover downtown Auckland
Head all the way down to the Auckland Viaduct and stroll round Wynyard Quarter, North Wharf and Silo Park. You’ll usually stumble throughout occasions happening, significantly on the weekends. On Friday nights in the summertime Silo Park hosts a free out of doors cinema, with an evening market and meals vans.
Getting there: Only a brief stroll away from Britomart.
Wander across the central metropolis
Exploring on foot within the central metropolis you’ll discover the Auckland Artwork Gallery, some fancy retailers round Excessive Avenue, the Chancery and Vulcan Lane, an leisure hub at SkyCity and nice eating places and bars round Federal Avenue and Metropolis Works Depot. Additional up Queen Avenue, you’ll discover the IMAX Cinemas, Metro Lanes bowling alley and Aotea Sq., which frequently hosts free occasions.
Lengthy story brief, don’t skip Auckland! Keep right here and check out a few of my strategies above and I promise you that if you depart you’ll love this New Zealand metropolis nearly as a lot as I do.
Getting round Auckland
You could find ferry, prepare and bus timetables for Auckland on the Auckland Transport web site. If you arrive, decide up an Auckland Transport HOP card. That is your ticket to getting round on public transport. It prices $10 to purchase one (that is non-refundable), which sounds costly, but it surely quickly pays off as a result of a money fare one-way on the bus is round $7 and the identical journey with a HOP card will price you round $2.
Getting round New Zealand
As soon as you might be prepared to start out trying out the remainder of the nation, e book your self a Stray Tour. Stray is New Zealand’s hop-on hop-off bus tour firm for adventurous travellers. Take your time exploring Aotearoa New Zealand, get additional off the crushed monitor, and meet some nice individuals alongside the best way!