Auckland, New Zealand is the country’s largest city, with a population of over 1.5 million people, it accounts for nearly 1/3 the total population of the country. The city is located in the far north of New Zealand’s North Island, and sits at a strategic position with access to the east and west coasts of the country. Given this ideal position, it was one of the first places Maori settled in the 1300s and eventually when the land became a British colony, Auckland was established as the first capital in the 1840s before being relocated to Wellington in 1865. Today Auckland’s central business district is home to the majority of corporations in New Zealand and the city’s population is highly diverse with nearly 40% of the residents born overseas. The city ranks high on numerous lists of most livable cities in the world, and besides being a thriving international city, it is only a short ferry ride away to fabulous New Zealand islands in the Hauraki Gulf. Given the northern position of the city, it has a much milder climate than many other parts of the country, and in the summer months (December to February) its beaches are popular with locals and visitors.
Destination Overview
Auckland and Waiheke Island
Throughout our road trip in New Zealand almost all Kiwis we met were surprised that we intended to spend time in Auckland and highly recommended that we skip the city altogether. They referred to people from Auckland as Jafas, Just Another F***ing Aucklander. After many weeks experiencing the tranquility of the vast natural areas of New Zealand as well as the quaint lifestyles in smaller towns or cities, it was clear that the hustle of Auckland, New Zealand would feel completely foreign to most people from those areas. While we loved our experiences in the rest of New Zealand, we felt that we couldn’t visit the country and not spend a few days getting to experience the big city life for ourselves. After so many weeks on the road, it was also nice to be able to take public transportation and walk around to everywhere we needed to go.
Our drive from Thames on the Coromandel Peninsula to Auckland was supposed to be a little under an hour and a half but we decided to make a few stops on the way. The first was in the town of Paeroa, which is the birthplace of Lemon & Paeroa (L&P), a popular soft drink in New Zealand. I had taken a liking to them during our road trip and it was fun to pose next to a giant bottle of L&P with my own bottle of L&P. Our next stop was at the Karangahake Gorge which had Historic Walking Trails that went through old mining areas that used to be a major economic driver of the region. The final stop of the drive was at Owharoa Falls, which was a scenic waterfall where a few people were swimming in the pool at the base. Since we had already extended the roadtrip substantially with these detours, we didn’t join for a swim but departed for the approximately 2 hour drive to Auckland.
As we approached the city, the highway turned into 3 lanes on each side, which was a big change from the primarily 2-lane road we had become accustomed to throughout the road trip. However, everyone drove politely and as we eventually went into the city center where the beeping and chaos found in most major cities was not present. We decided to visit the iconic Sky Tower to end our day, which was the tallest free standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere until 2022 when it was surpassed by the Autograph Tower in Jakarta. The incredible views of the Auckland city alongside the Hauraki Gulf as the sun started to set made for a great introduction to our time in the city.
Where to Read More
A 4 Day Auckland Itinerary for a Long Weekend
A customizable Auckland itinerary to best explore the city and the surrounding areas. This is great for a long weekend in Auckland to dive into local culture.
An Interesting Fact
Great Beaches Are Located in the Auckland Area
Even though Auckland, New Zealand is a major city, it has adopted the New Zealand mindset to try to care for the land and make nature accessible to people that live there. Given this dedication, the water in the Auckland area is clean enough for people to swim throughout many parts of the city and suburbs. Even the Viaduct Harbour in the Central Business District has a free swimming facility with incredible views of yachts passing by and the skyline behind. Some of the most popular beaches in Auckland are found on the Hauraki Gulf side of the city and include Mission Bay, Devenoport, Cheltenham, or Point Chevalier. While in the city, we ended up prioritizing activities around town such as a cultural walking tour, the Auckland Art Gallery, the All Blacks Experience, and numerous international restaurants so we did not make it to these popular city beaches. However, we were told that a short distance away from the city are even more fantastic beaches to explore, some of which we plan to explore.
Many beaches can also be found on the islands in the Hauraki Gulf which are a short ferry ride away from the Auckland Ferry Terminal. Waiheke Island is the most popular of these islands, and, besides being home to amazing beaches, it also has numerous wineries. The ferry takes approximately 40 minutes from Auckland to reach Waiheke’s Matiatia Ferry Terminal where you can take a bus to reach your destination on the island. We decided to walk into the nearby town of Oneroa instead so that we could relax on its beautiful Oneroa Beach. While we had the beach nearly to ourselves, it was fun watching all of the boats floating offshore and the Kiwis taking in a gorgeous day on the water. After exploring Oneroa we took the bus towards our stop, the Tantalus Estate, for a wine tasting. It was set in a fun tasting room that was also a microbrewery called Alibi Brewing Company. While the wine wasn’t as high quality as other regions we stopped in, it was still delicious and the microbrewery made for a fun experience. After a nice break we continued on the bus to Onetangi Beach which was an absolutely stunning long sandy beach. We walked along it for a while and then went to 372 for dinner on their patio facing the beach. As the sun set over Onetangi we admired the different perspectives in various lighting and even saw some people riding their horses on the beach. The food was delicious, and a great way to cap off a great day at the beaches on Waiheke Island.
Other famous beaches outside of Auckland can be found on its rugged west coast and offer a much different experience than the tranquility of the Hauraki Gulf. We decided to stop at a few of them on our way out of Auckland to Northland, our final destination of New Zealand. The first beach we visited was Piha Beach and the overcast misty day made this black sand beach even more impressive. While not ideal weather for swimming, this beach attracts surfers and in the water we could see a large group taking advantage of the strong waves. The rugged nature of this area was a stark contrast to those in Auckland, but it was only located less than an hour drive away from the city. Our next stop on the west coast was at Muriwai Beach which also has signature black sand beaches and popular waves for surfers. Here we had the long stretching beach to ourselves, with the exception of a man fishing and 2 friends heading out to surf. Nearby the beach there were also stunning cliffs which we realized could be accessed by a small walk from the Muriwai Scenic Lookout carpark. Along the walk we marveled at the Muriwai Gannet Colony at the end and took in nice views looking out at the strong waves from above the Muriwai Beach we had just walked along.
Travel Tip of the Week
The Coast to Coast Walk has Many of Auckland’s Top Attractions
When planning our itinerary in Auckland, New Zealand we learned that there was an over 10 mile (16 km) walk that goes from the Manukau Harbour on the west coast to the Viaduct Harbour on the east coast of the city, which technically counts as walking across the entire country of New Zealand in one day. Upon looking at the route, we noticed that it passed by many of the attractions that we wanted to visit during our time in Auckland, New Zealand. While we thought the Pinnacles Hike would be our last of the trip, it was only fitting that we would do one more hike in Auckland, but this time with an urban twist to it. We decided to take a morning bus from the central business district to the suburb of Onehunga, so that we could end the walk at the Viaduct Harbour and go out in the city afterwards. The walk itself ended up surpassing our expectations, and was a fun way to see different neighborhoods of Auckland, New Zealand. Along the way many of the small parks were a nice bonus, but there were a few areas that stood out and would be worth a visit even if you aren’t planning to do the full coast to coast walk.
- Cornwall Park: an expansive park filled with lots of green spaces and bordering Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill, an important cultural volcanic peak with panoramic views of Auckland
- Maungawhau / Mount Eden: a dormant volcano and the highest natural point in Auckland that is also important culturally and has amazing views of Auckland
- Auckland War Memorial Museum: an important museum telling the story of New Zealand, its place in the Pacific, and its people
- Britomart: a vibrant and bustling neighborhood featuring some of the best shopping in all of New Zealand as well as fun events
- Viaduct Harbour: a thriving restaurant precinct and world class marina that also has the newly opened Karanga Plaza Pool for swimming
After a long day of walking we were excited to have a delicious meal to conclude a great day in Auckland. We received a recommendation to go to K Road (Karangahape Road) since it was a vibrant dining and night life area in the city. The entire area was filled with people enjoying the restaurants and bars, with a youthful crowd given its proximity to the University of Auckland. The restaurant Gemmayze Street caught our eye in the lively St. Kevin’s Arcade but all of the tables were filled. One couple had just left, and we were offered their table. It was the first time we had Middle Eastern food in a while, and we were excited to have favorite dishes like falafel and hummus. However, we also tried their shish barak (goat cheese dumplings) and Ghanam (braised lamb shoulder) which were stand out dishes and a wonderful way to celebrate a walk across New Zealand.
