In recent weeks, I've had more than one person ask me for advice when planning an Auckland vacation. With the caveat that I've only been here 7 months, and we've definitely not seen everything Auckland has to offer, I want to share my top attractions within an hour drive of the Sky Tower.
This is my No. 1 pick for anyone coming to Auckland. Mount Eden -- one of our many volcanic cones -- is the highest natural point in the city (the Sky Tower, of course, being the highest of them all). The summit offers incredible and incredibly photogenic views of the Auckland region and an awesome perspective of the crater. It's a relatively short but steep hike to the top (no cars allowed past a certain point), but well worth the effort. Go for the sunset and you won't be disappointed.
2 Takapuna
I have a lot of favorite beach towns, but this one may take the prize. Takapuna on the North Shore has a really cool boho vibe with tons of shopping and restaurants. The beach itself is beautiful white sand with fairly calm waves, and there's a MASSIVE (and massively cool) playground right along the water. Other spots worth a stop include a handmade lolly shop, a frozen yogurt store (one of the few in the city) and the Hospice Op-Shop, one of my faves for deals on good junk. Do walk north on the main beach, past the boat ramp parking lot, to explore the lava rocks. They're like a natural playground.
Another can't-miss volcano is the famous One Tree Hill. This one's driveable, all the way to the summit. The views are great, but what's more interesting here is the historical significance. The area was the largest and most important Maori village in pre-European times. It's also covered in livestock. This is a working farm, with sheep and cows wandering all over the volcanic cone. The animals have a lot of personality, and they're super fun to watch, especially in spring when the baby lambs are on the run. It's worth driving the short distance from the summit to Cornwall Park, a huge parkland with a cafe, beautiful gardens, unique tree groves, cows, sheep and all kinds of good stuff to explore. We love it there!
4 Viaduct Harbour/Silo Park
The harbour is really the heart of Auckland city, and it's a beautiful place to walk and grab lunch or dinner. You can watch ferries departing and arriving, see huge cruise ships at port and drool over the incredible super yachts of the richie rich. For us plebes, there's some creative public areas -- family-sized lounge chairs, a mini library in a shipping container, a wading pool and playground -- to explore. Do take a walk across the pedestrian drawbridge. If you're lucky, you'll get stuck on one side and see a sailboat or two coming in to dock.
If you come to Auckland, you have to go to Piha Beach. It's a West Coast, black-sand beach -- arguably New Zealand's most famous for surfing -- about 45 minutes from the city center. It's incredibly scenic. You'll definitely want to stop at the overlook along the roadway (just don't get too close to the concrete barrier; I may have scratched up our car in quest of a perfect photo one day :). And you'll definitely want to walk the beach and see some of the wildest waves in the country. The surf can be a bit crazy here, so swim with caution. If you're feeling really adventurous, take the short but steep hike up Lion Rock for a panoramic view of this truly unforgettable beach.
Karekare is another West Coast beach and one of our favorite destinations. We love it because it captures a bit of everything the Waitakere Ranges are known for. There's an incredible black-sand beach that's perfect for swimming and sunning. There's a number of hiking trails through wild, green bush. There's unique mountains and rock formations that scream "Gandalf was here!" And there's a waterfall - an amazing 100-foot waterfall -- with a deep, refreshing pool at the bottom. This waterfall is one of the easiest to get to in Auckland, thus perfect for families and those of us not up for long, strenuous hikes. I love it.
I think any visit to Auckland should include a day in the Waitakere Ranges, the mountain range that runs to the west of the city. It's a really special place, and this visitor center gives a nice overview of what the mountains are all about and what treasures lie within. The center offers a number of educational exhibits, a great kids area and a well done 8-minute informational video on repeat. Plus, the views are spectacular. Do take the short hike to the lookout for an even better view of the mountains and, off in the distance, the Sky Tower.
8 Auckland War Memorial Museum
(I've apparently never taken pictures of the museum. So here's one of my kids "working it," ha.)
You're bound to have a rainy day -- or two, or three -- when visiting Auckland. You can still explore outdoors here when it's wet and rainy -- we do it all the time -- but if you want to stay dry, plan to spend the day at this museum. The building itself is impressive, sitting at the top of a hill in Auckland Domain. The exhibits are really well done and there's a number of kid-friendly areas to explore. My favorite galleries -- and the ones I recommend all visitors check out -- are those dedicated to Pacific Peoples and Maori, the first settlers of New Zealand. The Pacific people were amazing explorers and navigators, settling huge areas of the ancient world. And the Maori have a really interesting past and present in New Zealand. Through displays of everyday objects, sculptures, canoes, even a full-size Maori meeting house with intricate woodwork, the museum celebrates and explains this culture.
Okay, that's my top 8 picks for an Auckland vacation. You'll notice, nearly all of them are outdoors and all but one (the museum) are totally free. So feel free to send a donation to your travel agent/trainer via PayPal ;)
