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AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND | DIY TRAVEL GUIDE

“In a new survey of “liveability” in 140 cities by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Auckland has ranked first, thanks to the city’s early containment of the pandemic.” – June 2021.

Auckland is not just a great city to live in. It is also a city like nowhere else. Set in a sparkling geographical location, it has plenty of interesting landmarks, cultural attributes, wonderful water vistas, and fascinating landscapes and people. Furthermore, it is known as the City of Sails, a magnet for sailing enthusiasts with over 135,000 registered vessels. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Auckland has the world’s highest boat ownership per capita. 

Know before you go
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BEST TIME

February is known the have average daily maximum temperatures of around 23.7 °C (74.7 °F) while July temperatures average at around 14.7 °C (58.5 °F). 

Travel is always a good idea.

HOLIDAY PACKAGES

The best time to go to Auckland is in November when you'll get to enjoy the best of the beaches, harbors, and its rainforest-covered ranges.

GOURMET EXPERIENCES

It’s always a treat to be a part of memorable gourmet experiences

View from Sky Tower

Those looking for a gourmet experience, look no further. The Sky Tower has two sleek restaurants with crystal-clear views of the city for 80 km in every direction. This telecommunications and observation tower is one of the tallest man-made structures in the Southern Hemisphere and the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand at a height of 328 m. The iconic landmark sits on the corner of Victoria and Federal Streets, within the city’s CBD.

TOP ATTRACTIONS

Things to do in Auckland

Explore Auckland with Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tickets, or use your ferry pass. Go whale and dolphin watching or be adventurous with a Segway tour, and many more...

With so many places to go and things to see and do in Auckland, you will never wonder about what you can occupy your time with. To the contrary! You will struggle to fit it all into your holiday. I give you a few “one-liner holiday ideas”, followed by some of my favorite activities and experiences.

 

Cathedral of St Patrick and St Joseph

Auckland New Zealand Cathedral of St Patrick and St Joseph catholic
The Cathedral of St Patrick and St Joseph (renovated between 2003 and 2007) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Auckland and the cathedral of the Bishop of Auckland. Also known as St Patrick’s Cathedral, it was founded in 1841 by New Zealand’s first Catholic bishop, namely Bishop Jean Baptiste Pompallier.

Art Gallery

Auckland Art Gallery

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is home to an extensive collection of national and international art frequently hosts travelling international exhibitions. There is a lot to take in at the Art Gallery and you’ll miss out on plenty of stories and interesting information if you don’t go on a guided tour. The groups are usually up to only 12 people, so no big crowds, and the tour lasts between sixty and ninety minutes.

Auckland Museum

The family-friendly Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira (also known as the Auckland Museum) was constructed in 1929 in the neo-classicist style. The museum is situated in the Auckland Domain Park (a little bit more about the park under “the outdoors”).

Auckland New Zealand Travel and Home Auckland Museum Sightseeing
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

"A visit to the museum is absolutely worth it as this is where you get to discover and experience the Māori culture over about 2 to 3 hours."

New Zealand‘s largest city, Auckland, was settled by Māori c. 1350 and in Māori-language the city is known as Tāmaki Makaurau, meaning “Tāmaki desired by many”. The city’s name was inspired by the desirability of its fertile ground, versatile waterways, and geography.

Odyssey Sensory Maze

A-Maze-Ment!!!

One thing is for sure, Auckland has no shortage of family friendly things to do! Your ticket is valid for one day. Adventurists get to walk through a series of rooms, expertly designed with quirky challenges, illusions, sounds and dark spaces. Test and challenge your senses!

Sea Life Kelly Tarlton Aquarium

Auckland New Zealand Travel and Home Kelly Tarlton Aquarium

Marine archaeologist and diver Kelly Tarlton (1937–1985) was the mastermind behind New Zealand’s premier aquarium attraction, which opened in the same year he passed away.

 📌 Sea Life Kelly Tarlton’s (formerly known as Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World) sits on 23 Tamaki Drive in the eastern suburb of Mission Bay.

Constructed in a set of former sewage storage tanks, the aquarium is a spectacular marine life experience showcasing sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, colorful fish, a large colony of penguins, and many more marine creatures.

Muriwai Gannet Colony

Muriwai Gannet Colony

Only 60 minutes from Auckland by car, takes you to the Muriwai Gannet Colony.  From the parking area, take a short walk to various viewing platforms looking out on the Gannet Colony’s natural habitat on the nearby cliffs. It’s a rare opportunity to see the nesting birds up close.

 📌 428 Motutara Road, Waitākere, Muriwai 0881

Muriwai Gannet Colony

THE OUTDOORS

Catch a ferry

Auckland New Zealand Waiheke Island Seaside Cafe Restaurant Sea Beach
Waiheke Island, seaside restaurant.

Ferries provide transport to parks and nature reserves at Devonport, Waiheke Island (the second largest island in the Hauraki Gulf and known for its beaches, forests, vineyards, and olive groves), Rangitoto Island, and Tiritiri Matangi.

Direct Ferries

Auckland Domain 

Auckland New Zealand Travel and Home Things to do in Auckland Auckland War Memorial Museum

Auckland Domain is Auckland’s oldest park spread over 75 hectares in the central suburb of Grafton. The park contains all of the explosion craters and most of the surrounding tuff ring of the Pukekawa volcano.

Waitematā Harbor

Auckland New Zealand Auckland Harbor Bridge

The beautiful Waitematā Harbour, guarded by Rangitoto Island, is the main access by sea to Auckland and is crossed by the eight-lane motorway Harbor Bridge that has a moveable central barrier. Depending on the traffic volume, the lanes’ layout can be re-arranged as 3/5, 5/3, or 4/4. The outer lanes are referred to as “nippon clip ons” because they were clipped on to widen the bridge – some genius engineering by Japanese engineers!

Auckland Zoo

Auckland Zoo has more than 135 species and 1,400 animals, covering 17 hectares in Western Springs a mere 5 minutes from the city’s CBD (central business district). The zoo is home to plenty of exotic mammals, native birds, and has fascinating interactive keeper talks.

Also, discover Aotearoa’s natural treasures all in one place – in the Te Wao Nui precinct.

Waitakere Ranges

Waitakere Ranges Guided Walk from Auckland

The Waitakere Ranges Regional Park to the west of Auckland offers beautiful and relatively unspoiled bush territory, as do the Hunua Ranges to the south.

St Marys

New Zealand Travel and Home St Marys Bay
Bishop Jean-Baptiste François Pompallier also founded St Marys Bay in 1936. It was only fitting that New Zealand's first Marist Catholic bishop should name the area Mount St Mary.

TRAVEL BUDGET

FLIGHTS TO AUCKLAND

THINGS TO DO

BEST HOTELS IN AUCKLAND

Auckland is not only a popular holiday destination but also a major corporate destination. Now therein lies a benefit for travelers. Prices during the week may be higher, but you can pick up superb weekend specials.

Our team handpicked the top five hotels, in no specific order. Have a look…

Travel and Home choice hotel stay in Auckland

Book Cordis Hotel Queen Street Auckland Best Hotel in Auckland Luxury Modern
Cordis Hotel
5/5

Set foot where Diana, the late Princess of Wales, enjoyed the final public reception of the 1983 Royal Tour with her husband Prince Charles.

Formerly known as The Langham, the hotel is set on a previously historic site, namely Partington’s Windmill (constructed in 1850). The windmill was demolished in 1950.  Today the hotel’s award-winning (Restaurant of the Year 2006) restaurant, Partington’s,  is named after the windmill.

Location: This contemporary hotel, by the Langham Hospitality Group, is a mere kilometer from the city center in a lively area. What I loved about Corbis Hotel’s location is that it is within walking distance of the Auckland Domain and other sightseeing attractions such as museums and galleries.

Experiences: One of the joys of staying at Cordis is their High Tea in the Chandelier Lounge. But then again, every bite of anything you may order is as they advertise, namely sheer “nourishment for body and soul”. It’s not only a culinary experience of note, but the presentation of their meals is fabulous.

Amenities: The hotel is styled with modern amenities. Come summer or winter, it is a pleasant stay. A hotel with a fireplace just does it for me in wintertime, and here that need is perfectly satisfied in a relaxing and youthful setting.