1

Where is your hotel? Also, have you asked for an early check in? Some will do this for no extra charge if the room is available.

2

or you could do what we did - book an extra night and have the room ready on your arrival to hop into bed for a few hours sleep. Which is what I would recommend doing especially as you are travelling with children, set the alarm get up around lunch time - out for lunch and a busy day of sightseeing/walking to tire yourselves.

Not a recommendation but a definite avoid - Dennys is not good. The place we stayed at recommended it, may have been close by but not good.

3

Are you arriving on a weekday? And will you have a rental car?

4

If your hotel is in Central Auckland you could drop your luggage at the hotel and then go for a walk along the water front. From the ferry building at the foot of Queens Street turn left (west) and keep walking.

You can go over the footbridge to Wynyard Quarter, where there is an nice cafe and the visit the fish market.

Alternatively you could take the commuter ferry across to Devonport (about 10 minutes) and go for a walk, there are plenty of cafes on the main street. If you are feeling energetic (and the weather is good) then keep walking all the way up the Devonport main street and take the road to the top of Mt Victoria - with stunning views of the gulf and the city.

5

Too much walking with kids (unless they are older) is going to end in tears. Especially after a long overnight flight, time spent getting through Immigration, etc then the trip into the city.