Mini Guide: Auckland
About Auckland
Auckland may just be where you end up flying in to for your New Zealand vacation, which is what happened to us! As this is a major hub for in/out travel for New Zealand, it's a busy place that many travellers end up spending a few days in. This city has SO much to enjoy, directly downtown or tour option around and outside of the city. Day tours are abundant from Auckland so if you choose to stay in the city for most of your trip, you'll still have TONS to do.
Where To Stay
For us, staying downtown and having the ability to walk to the closest spots was key. We personally have stayed at the Ramada Suites and Imagine Beach Road and they were both extremely walkable and comfortable/clean. We haven't stayed at Hotel Fitzroy, however it's located in Ponsonby which was our personal favourite neighbourhood in Auckland (however, it's a bit of a walk to downtown).
Where To Eat
BREAKFAST
Waiheke Island
LUNCH
Waiheke Island
DINNER
BREWS & SNACKS
What To Do
Theres actually SO much to do in and around Auckland. It's close to many spots to walk/hike, beaches, different neighbourhoods, shopping, restaurants, culture, and SO much more. It just requires some planning. You won't see many beaches here as in our opinion, we found the best beaches on the west / east coast (see below for tour options) outside of Auckland.
DIY
TOURS (IN AUCKLAND)
Auckland has so many beaches and spots pretty close around, that you're able to go from exploring the ocean (think kayaking or surfing), to city food tours within a few hours.
Nature Tours
New Zealand is known for their nature so why not immerse yourself in it - kayak at all times during the day (including at night when the bioluminescence is visible or at sunset to islands near Auckland), cruise at sunset on the ocean (hello romance!), or head to the beach to learn (or just enjoy) how to surf. You may need a car or transportation of your own to get to some of these nature tour spots.
City Tours
If you're a foodie, or looking to hit up the best spots in the city for drinks, sightseeing, or popular spots, these tours are for you.
Cultural Tours
From a cultural performance to visiting and learning about the culture outside of Auckland, these tours are for you if you're visiting Auckland to learn more about the heritage and history of the Islands.
DAY TRIPS
If you're not planning on roadtripping around the North Island but still want to see the sights, here a few must visit spots near Auckland that we think were worth the trip!
Black Sand Beaches & Rainforests
Our favourite part about New Zealand was the diverse scenery - including the stunning black sand beaches! You don't see these every day and the North Island has tons of them, so you definitely should check these out during your visit. So unique!
Waiheke Island
This island should be a must visit for anyone visiting Auckland, as it's SO accessible and has so much to do. They even have a hop on, hop off bus to see hot spot beaches and vineyards! You'll need to take a ferry to get there and back, but it's super easy.
Using the link below you can book the ferry to and from Waiheke Island and the Hop On Hop Off bus. We were travelling on New Years day so this may have affected how many people were out and about, but showing up about 15-45 minutes before the ferry is recommend. We also took the first ferry of the day which usually is the least busy, the later in the morning you go the earlier you will want to be to the ferry pick up (in the Downtown Ferry Terminal) to make sure you get a spot as it's first come first served - in summer they recommend 60 minutes! Check the time table of departures and returns on their website for their timings.
The Hop On Hop Off Bus will give you a map of all their stops when they pick you up - they will be located on the main road right behind the ferry terminal. Its a large red double decker bus that's hard to miss! They will give you insight into their stop timings and information about what's open and even suggestions.
Once you're there, get on the bus & check out as many vineyards + beaches as you can in one day! This island is mesmerizing.
Hobbiton (& Waitomo Caves / Rotorua)
If you're anything like us, the Hobbiton was a must-see non-negotiable spot on your New Zealand itinerary! If you didn't know, this place is the village where they actually filmed the Hobbit and theres so much to learn here. It's a guided experience so whether you rock up on your own or do it as a day trip from Auckland, the experience itself will be walked-through with a guide.
Many of the day trips combine the Hobbiton and the Waitomo Caves which are another super cool experience but for us, wasn't the must hit spot. However, these caves are full of glowworms that are super rare and lights up the entire caves. It is a unique experience forsure. This tour is also a full day one and includes lunch!
The other option is to combine the Hobbiton with Rotorua which is a location known for it's super interesting geothermal activity (including bubbling mud pools and geysers). If all of them sound good to you, you can also do Rotorua as it's own activity (second link below), but we would personally recommend narrowing it down to one tour in this direction as it is quite a bit of driving.
Coromandel Peninsula
The east coast of Auckland is truly so stunning as is known as the Coromandel Peninsula. Here you can expect hiking, beaches, surfing, and cute little seaside coastal towns to explore. If you can head out here for a few days on your trip (during good weather), you will not regret it. This tour below is a day tour that sees hot spots that are super popular for good reason such as cathedral cove (an amazing beach and highly photographed area - chances are you've already seen this place on a screen somewhere!), hot water beach (a beach where you can dig your own sandy hot tub at the right time), and so much more. Coromandel is an area worth a visit in our opinions, especially when the weather is good.
Happy Travelling!
Auckland is just one part of New Zealand and a lot of people choose to stay close to the city - for good reason. There's so much to do, see, and explore right from the hub! However, we really recommend getting out of Auckland and exploring the rest of New Zealand, as thats where you'll see so much more of what New Zealand has to offer.
We spent three weeks exploring the North and South Island of New Zealand, and although that's definitely not enough to see all of New Zealand, we packed quite a bit in our trip! If you want to pack your weeks full of adventure, head to our profile to see more of what we have to offer for New Zealand itineraries.
Otherwise, you can head to our blog, where we detail experiences, hikes, tours, and so much more about the countries we visit (including New Zealand) to highlight our adventures and help others get the most out of their visits.
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