Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland is a sprawling city on the North Island of New Zealand. It’s a wonderful destination to experience Māori culture, taste local wines at island vineyards and hike an urban volcano. The city’s vibrant neighborhoods and waterfront wharfs provide opportunities for shopping, dining and sightseeing. We spent a weekend exploring Auckland during our adventurous roadtrip of the North Island.

Neighborhoods & Streets

Central Business District (CBD). The downtown neighborhood of Auckland. It’s home to bustling streets, lively waterfront wharfs, historic buildings, multicultural restaurants and shopping arcades.

Queen Street. The central street of the CBD. Its historic architecture, small arcades and modern skyscrapers are home to big name stores, luxury brands and kiwi boutiques. Numerous restaurants, cafes and fast food joints offer places to enjoy a quick meal.

Viaduct Harbour. A bustling neighborhood centered around a boat dotted marina. Stroll the Māori patterned walkways while admiring the docked sailboats and skyline views. Dine at one of the many contemporary restaurants and harbor side bars. Join locals sunbathing on the tidal steps and splashing into the harbour pool.

North Wharf. A lively section of Auckland’s waterfront lined with a mixture of eateries, cafes and bars. Visit Goodluck Coconut, a tiki bar with boozy and flaming cocktails in Polynesian style mugs.

Karangahape Road (K Road). A vibrant street offering a mix of grungy cafes, vegan restaurants, vintage shops, tattoo studios, dive bars and lgbtq+ nightlife. A rainbow painted cross walk welcomes visitors to the diverse area.

St. Kevin’s Arcade. A historic multilevel arcade between K Road and Myers Park. It’s home several cocktail bars, tiny restaurants and vintage shops. Visit Definitely Maybe for late night drinks and inventive cocktails in the candlelit bar.

See the Sights

Maungawhau (Mount Eden). The tallest of many dormant volcanos making up Auckland’s volcanic field. Trails and walkways lead to its summit with panoramic views of the city and stunning views of the sunset. A boardwalk leads around the crater rim with views peering into its conical depressions and the remnants of Māori agricultural terraces. The volcano is sacred to the Māori people. It was once the sight of precolonial Māori village and is believed to be home of Mataaho, the Māori guardian of earth’s secrets.

Auckland Museum. A museum with exhibits dedicated to the volcanic landscape of Auckland, New Zealand’s natural history and the island’s Māori culture. The volcanic exhibit recounts the island’s formation and ongoing volcanism. The natural history exhibit displays fossils and skeletons of dinosaurs, sea creatures and birds now extinct and native to New Zealand. The Māori exhibit recounts the Polynesian migration across the Pacific and displays objects and tools used to cultivate the land, trap fish and prepare food.

Māori Cultural Experience. A powerful cultural performance presented by Māori people. They shared their traditional dances followed by a heartfelt explanation of their meanings. A Māori orator recounts the origins of the Haka and its significance. She explains the movements and body language, the symbolism of their traditional attire and accessories, the meanings behind their tattoos and connection to their ancestry. The performance happens twice daily at the Auckland Museum.

Good to Know. Out of reverence for Māori culture and ancestors, photos and videos are not permitted during the performance.

Auckland Domain. A large park developed on of an extinct volcano in the middle of Auckland. It’s home to green lawns, treelined walkways, cricket fields, the Auckland Museum and Victorian style Wintergardens.

Myers Park. A city park in a valley flanked by skyscrapers. Steep grassy slopes and towering palm trees line a central walkway.

Albert Park. A beautiful park with tree lined walkways and shaded lawns on a hill near the University of Auckland. It’s a popular spot where college students gather for leisure and study.

Grafton Gully. A verdant city park with trails leading through a historic cemetery and beneath an underpass. It’s not the prettiest place but does offer a very unique urban experience.

Places to Eat & Drink

Ahi. An elevated restaurant offering contemporary kiwi cuisine made from seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. We built our own tasting menu from their range of snacks, starters and mains. Try the whitebait, octopus, salmon and fire roasted leeks. Reservations are needed.

Auckland Fish Market. A market with fish mongers and restaurants serving raw and cooked seafood like pāua, mussels, prawns, whole and filleted fish. Try the “Seafood Heaven” at the Market Galley for an assortment of coconut prawns, snapper fish & chips and salt and pepper squid. Sip on local beers and cocktails from The Wreck.

Honey Cafe. A breakfast and brunch spot with an all day menu of sweet and savory dishes like bagels, burgers, toasts, salads and eggs. Try the salmon bagel and pea fritters paired with a long black or flat white.

Daily Bread. A cafe and bakery with a large spread of pastries, sandwiches and breads. Try the cinnamon roll, peach danish and orange loaf.

Giapo. An ice cream shop with exotic flavors and fanciful shaped cones shaped like an octopus, bat or helicopter. Try the Hokey Pokey and Kūmara Orange.

Miann. A sweets shop with creative pastries and cakes. Try the Triple Chocolatemade to look like a cocoa pod and Cactus Plant Pot, layered with a range of floral, nut and spiced flavors.

Waiheke Island

A tranquil island home to verdant vineyards and sandy shores. It’s the perfect destination to combine wine tastings with beach time. The island is easily visited on a day trip from Auckland.

Waiheke Vineyards

Cable Bay Vineyard. A vineyard with a variety of wines made from grapes grown on the island and in New Zealand’s largest wine producing region, Marlborough. They offer a variety of tastings including their rosé, white and red varieties in their cellar tasting room.

Wild Estate Vineyard. A vineyard with an outdoor tasting room next to rows of grape vines. Come here to sip on their full bodied Waiheke Island wines and play lawn games like giant jenga, corn hole and even archery.

Stoney Ridge Vineyard. A winemaker specializing in full bodied and premium red wines with grapes grown on the island. Sip on their premium flight while overlooking the grassy valley. Don’t miss the 2021 Larose, regarded as New Zealand’s best wine.

Batch Winery. The highest elevation vineyard on the island with views of the hills and bay. Come here to sip on their bubbly rosé while overlooking the landscape.

Fullers 360 Ferry. A ferry operator with routes between Auckland and Waiheke Island. Book their Western Explorer pass which includes a hop on hop off bus ticket around the western side of the island. It includes wine tastings at three vineyards.

Beaches & Restaurants

Oneroa Beach. A wide crescent shaped beach covered in sea shells. It’s a relaxing place to listen to the waves and walk along the shore.

Ki Māna. A seaside restaurant overlooking Onetangi Beach. Their menu offers elevated seafood dishes and local wines from near by vineyards. Try the oysters, fried snapper wings and crawfish rolls.

Location Specifics

Language. English is the most commonly spoken language in New Zealand. Māori is frequently written on street and road signs.

Cash vs Card. Credit card is accepted for virtually every payment. We did not need to use cash once.

Carry Your ID. When ordering alcohol, be prepared to show your passport to verify your age.

The Guardian. The former stock exchange building converted into a mixed used residence with apartment rentals. It’s located in the CBD on Queen Street nearby restaurants, cafes and shops. Book on Airbnb.

Elsewhere on the North Island

There is so much to see on New Zealand’s North Island outside of Auckland. We spent several days roadtripping between the lake towns of Rotorua and Taupō. We visited geothermal parks, hiked volcanic landscapes, white water rafted, tubed through glowworm caves, canopied in redwood forests and ate second breakfast at Hobbiton.