First day in Auckland

Our Local Expert Says:

Ideal for long-term visitors to Auckland traveling on a budget.

Description:

Located in Auckland's city center, this hotel is one km from Aotea Square and less than two km from Sky City Casino. Guestrooms feature available wireless Internet access, as well as clock radios, coffeemakers, and hair dryers. In addition to a 24-hour front desk, Kiwi International offers complimentary parking, a bar, and a game room.

Our Local Expert Says:

Good spot to start before a night out.

Description:

Rakinos has the best of all worlds - great food, lively atmosphere and handy location.

Our Local Expert Says:

A great pre-ferry option that has excellent food. There are some great specials to be had during the winter so it is worth a stop to check.

Description:

Superbly renovated and refashioned, this is one of the oldest established restaurants in the city, yet still one of the most popular. Set in the historic Ferry Building and overlooking the water, Cin Cin has high ceilings, granite, and luxurious table settings. There is a strong emphasis on the sea, with Italian and Asian flavors through pasta, risotto and noodles. Wood-fired pizzas are thrown in for good measure. The wine list is extensive.

Description:

The gallery is housed in historical buildings on two sides of the road. It contains a sizeable collection of European, New Zealand and Pacific art including a good amount of Maori art and portraiture. The gallery has historical and modern works and always has some sort of special exhibition on details of which can be found on the website. There is also a nice cafe.

Currently only part of the gallery is open as the bigger historical building is undergoing refurbishment. When facing the main building, right behind you you'll see a red building. Head a little to the right of it and you'll see the entrance which look like the above photo.

Description:

The Ferry Building, in Edwardian Baroque style, was first opened in 1912 on land reclaimed from the harbour. Construction is of sandstone and brick with a Coromandel granite base. In recent years it has been elegantly refurbished for retail, restaurant (Harbourside and Cin Cin can be found here) and office use, but still maintains its original function as the terminal for ferries to the North Shore and the Hauraki Gulf islands. Admission is free.

Our Local Expert Says:

Besides the beach, this is a great place for kids to swim with local children in the big fountain.

Description:

Mission Bay is the name of a suburb 7 kilometers to the east of the Auckland CBD. Do yourself a favor and take the drive from the city down Tamaki Drive and watch the water on your left as you wind around. Getting stuck in traffic is not as bad a thing as normal here as you can see the Hauraki Gulf through the Pohutukawa trees that line the road out. The feature of Mission Bay is the public beach. It has recently been re-sanded (a long story) and is back to its old self. A fantastic place to laze away the day. The surf is not the best (head to the west coast for that), but the water is always refreshing and the people watching is superb. If cooling off in the water is not good enough for you, take the 20 meter (approx) walk to the main shops at Mission Bay and have an ice cream or something of the colder variety (I recommend an ice cold Steinlager Pure). The main feature of Mission Bay is the Trevor Moss Davis Memorial Fountain (no this isn't the opening to Married With Children, but it could be…). It is constructed of Sicilian marble and provides a water dance at night with a light show accompaniment. During the day, you are as likely to see kids swimming in the fountain as in the... read more

Description:

Bastion Point and the Savage Memorial gardens are some of the most peaceful surroundings in Auckland. Amazing views over the Waitamata Harbour and the beautiful gardens dedicated to the first Labour Prime Minister are what people see now. It wasn't always this peaceful. The area was originally built by the Crown on confiscated lands for the purpose of a military outpost. This land was used for the military for approximately 50 years, but then was discarded for that purpose post WWII. Instead of returning it to the original owners, the Crown decided to give the land to Auckland City to use as a park much in the manner that you see now on a visit. This was all well and good until the mid-70's when they announced that they would open the area to private development. This led to a 507 day illegal occupation to prevent the confiscation. Upwards of 800 police ended up raiding the occupation and dismissing them, a watershed point in the Maori protest movement. Eventually the land was returned to the original tribe as a part of the Waitangi settlement.

Our Local Expert Says:

A great introduction to Maori culture in Auckland.

Description:

Sitting high atop the Auckland Domain is the Auckland War Memorial Museum originally constructed in 1852 and remodeled several times since then. The link to the war is obvious on approach with the names and scenes from some great battles New Zealanders have participated on the building facade and the "court of honor" in the front. However, the museum is more than that, providing the largest collection of Maori and Pacific Island artefacts in New Zealand. There is an original Maori war canoe (waka) from 1830 (the last one used) proudly displayed and numerous other important works. The museum provides a new lesson in what a "donation" really is as there is a little bit of pressure to pay out. It is all in a good cause, of course as you'll see once you enter. There are always rotating exhibitions and the museum has upped its profile internationally in hopes of attracting more important travelling exhibitions. While you're there, check out the Maori cultural performance. It's an entertaining look at New Zealand's first people and their customs (the Haka is always a crowd pleaser).

Description:

The Link Bus is a cost effective and easy way to get around. It is a regular service used by locals and visitors alike, running in a loop (both directions) around the perimeter of the inner city from mid-Queen Street to Ponsonby, Karangahape Road, Newmarket, Parnell and back to the city centre. You cannot get lost at the end of the line - just get back on a Link Bus and end up back where you started!

Description:

Just a short walk east from the city centre, Auckland Domain is New Zealand's oldest municipal park. Founded in 1840 by Governor Hobson, the Domain features the Auckland War Memorial Museum, an outdoor fernery and botanic Wintergardens, a band rotunda (watch for free concerts on summer weekends), sculptures, lawn bowls, kiosk and more. The Domain is the location of the huge concerts such as Coca Cola Christmas in the Park when 300,000 people jam in for a night of music and fireworks.

Description:

High up green space in the city that is popular with university students, family and businesspeople having lunch in the sun. There are a few war memorials dotted about, a rotunda and a fountain that is the main feature. In the summer there are often events going on the biggest of which is the Lantern Festival.

Description:

From Queen Street walk up Vulcan Lane to enter Auckland's "fashion central". The narrow and sometimes cobbled streets and alleyways are home to some of New Zealand's top designer labels including Kate Sylvester, Karen Walker, Zambesi and World. Bring all of your credit cards and check out top international labels such as Versace, in the new and very chic Chancery pedestrian mall. Chanel-suited women trot alongside grey office workers and designer dressed-down students - there's a bustling sidewalk café or restaurant to match all styles. Cross Victoria Street onto Lorne Street, for a more Bohemian flavour, including cool second-hand book stores and New Zealand-made arts and crafts. Turn left at the end of Lorne Street, past the New Gallery and the Auckland Art Gallery. Head back along Kitchener Street to complete a loop of Auckland's finest exhibiting art galleries. It must be time for that coffee back on High Street!