Auckland is the largest city within New Zealand and the business center of the country. Culturally, it feels completely different from the rest of the country because of its internationally metropolitan vibe. It has a large number of Asian immigrants and is a great place to search for and try different Asian cuisine.
Given that you will most likely fly into or out of Auckland when visiting the North Island of New Zealand, consider spending a few days exploring the city to learn more about New Zealand’s history and current culture.
Day 1: Discovering Auckland
Auckland is many people’s first introduction to New Zealand. And much of the rest of the country is focused on the amazing and diverse nature that can be found throughout the main two islands. However, Auckland is a great place to get to know more about the people of New Zealand, from their history to their current culture.
Auckland Walking Tour
Starting off, we recommend doing a free walking tour of the city through I’m Free Walking Tours. Through this tour, you will get an overview of the various areas within Auckland, understand the history of the country with Maori and later European settlement, and visit various parts of the city center of Auckland. After the walking tour, consider visiting the Auckland Art Gallery, a free museum that displays collections of local New Zealand artists from both European and Maori descent. It’s a great way to get the local perspective on culture through the way that they themselves create art and what they depict.
All Blacks Experience
Diving into current culture within New Zealand, we cannot avoid the All Blacks and the Black Ferns, the two national rugby teams that represent New Zealand around the world and at the Olympic games. They are revered in New Zealand and feared by other countries and their record proves it. While you may not be able to line up your visit in New Zealand with a national rugby match, you can always visit the All Blacks Experience, a museum, tour, and interactive experience that goes through the different important aspects of the two rugby teams and explains the important haka (the ceremonial dance and battle cry that they perform prior to every match).
The tour ends with interactive games that put you through training efforts and measurements to see how your athleticism and rugby abilities stack up to the All Blacks and Black Ferns. This is a fun activity for those of any age. You can purchase tickets in advance and will need to select a time to do the experience because it includes a 45 minute guided tour.
Weta Workshop Unleashed
Weta Workshop is the main creative company that was used for the Lord of the Rings movies, developing the prosthetics, costumes, weapons, and creatures for the movies. While the main workshop is located in Wellington, they have developed an interactive experience in Auckland that allows you to learn more about the creative process behind movies and other productions. If you cannot make it to the experience in Wellington, consider this alternative to learn all the behind the scenes regarding design and production within the movie industry of New Zealand.
Sky Tower
Finally, end your day going to the SKy Tower, an iconic landmark in Auckland’s downtown district. At the top of the tower, you will have 360 degree views of the city and the surrounding land and water.
Day 1: Discovering Auckland
Optional: Coast to Coast Walk
Auckland is located at one of the most narrow points of all of New Zealand. In fact, there is a coast to coast walk that goes from one side of the island to the other with a length of 10.3 miles (16.6 kilometers). While it is not necessary to do this walk, it also runs through a few different viewpoints and museums that we believe are important to visit while in Auckland. We have listed them below in the order in which you would encounter them during the coast to coast walk when starting at the Onehunga Reclaimed Beach and ending in the city center. To get to the starting point of the, you can take a bus from the city center or an Uber to start your walk.
Maungakiekie-One Tree Hill
The first stop will be at the One Tree Hill, located within a large park with a view over the city. This is not the best viewpoint on this list so if you are not doing the coast-to-coast walk, this is one that you can skip.
Maungawhau-Mt Eden
The second stop is the best viewpoint in all of Auckland, especially of the downtown skyscrapers and the bay behind. This is actually a cone of the Auckland volcanic field, a dormant volcanic region in the Auckland area and is the highest point in the city. It is also a sacred area for local Maori people who believe that a deity lived in the crater and guarded the secrets in the earth. Today, a boardwalk pathway circles the conic region, giving visitors 360 degree views around the city, including a focused viewpoint of the city buildings below.
Auckland War Memorial Museum
As you make your way across the city, stop by the Auckland War Memorial Museum, one of the most important museums in the country. The museum goes far beyond being a war memorial; it includes exhibits that celebrate the Maori culture of the country, It also has exhibits that explain the important natural history of this country, something that makes New Zealand so unique. Finally, it has exhibits regarding the country’s involvement in different wars around the world. You could spend 2-3 hours within this museum if the main exhibits are open during your visit. The Wintergardens are another beautiful place to explore within the park that the museum is located.
Auckland Marina and Minty’s Steps
As you approach the end of the walk, make your way through the Britomart area of Auckland, the shopping district of the city. This area has been pedestrianized and is a great place to wander and shop. They also have public areas that often have fairs, markets, movies, or other activities. Then, you can make your way to the Viaduct Harbor. If you want to touch the water or take a dip in the water, head to the Karanga Plaza Harbour Pool, a public but protected pool right in the harbor where you will find people swimming, bathing, and jumping.
Day 3: Exploring Waiheke Island Wine Region
While Auckland is not within a wine region, the Waiheke Island located just off the coast of Auckland is a popular wine area and a perfect place to wander for a day trip. The ferries run regularly every day and take 40 minutes to get to the island. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the ticket office near the ferry building.
We recommend spending at least a half-day on the island but you can spend more time on the island and even look into staying at a hotel overnight. If you go to the island in the mid-morning and leave mid-afternoon, you can look into renting a bike or scooter to get around the island. Otherwise, you can get around the island by bus, using the same transportation card as the one used to get around Auckland or a tap-enabled credit card.
The island has beautiful beaches along with a variety of wineries. The first beach to check out is the Oneroa Beach near the ferry terminal. This is also the main town of the island. After taking advantage of the sunshine and beautiful weather, you can make your way to a winery. We recommend the Tantalus Estate which has a beautiful tasting room. This estate is also a brewery and has some food, making it appealing to a wide variety of people. There are many other wineries to visit around the island and you can look into a tour that takes you to a variety of locations. After wine tasting, head to Onetangi Beach. If you are looking for a place to go for lunch or dinner, make a reservation at 372, an award-winning restaurant on the island that has delicious contemporary cuisine. When you are done with your time on the island, take the ferry back to Auckland.
Day 4: Black Sand Beach Region
For your final day in Auckland, you will explore the red sand beaches to the north of the city. To start, head to Ponsonby for breakfast. Ponsonby is a quaint neighborhood within Auckland that is full of boutiques and cafes, especially along Ponsonby Road. It’s worth a stop as you make your way to the other beaches outside of the city. It also has surprising views of the Central Business District of the city.
These two beaches are great places to stop at if you are doing a road trip to the Northland region of New Zealand to see the northernmost area of the country known for a historic Maori site, its long beaches, and its coast line.
