Auckland
Maungakiekie was the largest and most spiritually significant Māori pā (fortified village) prior to British arrival. At the top of this volcanic cone (at…
Must-see attractions in Auckland Region
Kingsland & Mt Eden
From the top of Auckland’s highest volcanic cone (196m), the entire isthmus and both harbours are laid bare. The symmetrical crater (50m deep) is known as…
Parnell & Newmarket
This imposing neoclassical temple (1929), capped with an impressive copper-and-glass dome (2007), dominates the Auckland Domain and is a prominent part of…
North Auckland
Only 3km from Leigh, this 547-hectare aquatic area was established in 1975 as the country’s first marine reserve. In less than 40 years the sea has…
City Centre & Britomart
Auckland's premier art repository has a striking glass-and-wood atrium grafted onto its 1887 French chateau frame. It showcases the best of NZ art, along…
Auckland
Housed in a gorgeous 1879 mansion with views to One Tree Hill and the Manukau Harbour, this arts centre is endowed with contemporary NZ art from an…
Waiheke Island
Settle in with a tapas platter and a glass of Man O' War's Valhalla chardonnay at Waiheke's only beachfront tasting room. If the weather is good, go for a…
Auckland
At this modern, spacious zoo, the big foreigners tend to steal the attention from the timid natives, but if you can wrestle the kids away from the tigers…
North Auckland
A partly unsealed road leads to this 588-hectare reserve at the end of a peninsula. This special place is an open sanctuary for native birds, protected by…
Auckland
North Head was a Māori pā and is still a fortress of sorts, with the navy maintaining a presence. It's riddled with tunnels, started at the end of the…
City Centre & Britomart
The 'mighty Civic' (1929) is one of only seven ‘atmospheric theatres’ remaining in the world and a fine survivor from cinema’s Golden Age. The auditorium…
North Auckland
Straddling the head of Mahurangi Harbour, Mahurangi Regional Park is a boater's paradise incorporating areas of coastal forest, pā sites and a historic…
City Centre & Britomart
The impossible-to-miss Sky Tower looks like a giant hypodermic giving a fix to the heavens. Spectacular lighting renders it space age at night and the…
City Centre & Britomart
Built in 1856, this stately building was the colony's seat of power until 1865 when Wellington became the capital. The construction is unusual in that it…
Parnell & Newmarket
The Wintergarden, with its fernery, tropical house, cool house, cute cat statue and neighbouring cafe, is in the Auckland Domain.
Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium
Auckland
In this topsy-turvy aquarium sharks and stingrays swim over and around you in transparent tunnels that were once stormwater tanks. You can also enter the…
Auckland
Parents bring their children to this picturesque park for the popular playground. It’s a pleasant picnic spot and a good place to get acquainted with…
Viaduct Harbour & Wynyard Quarter
This museum traces NZ’s seafaring history, from Māori voyaging canoes to the America’s Cup. Recreations include a tilting 19th-century steerage-class…
Parnell & Newmarket
Covering about 80 hectares, this green swath contains the Auckland Museum, sports fields, interesting sculpture, formal gardens, wild corners and the…
North Auckland
Squeezed between the Waiwera and Puhoi Rivers, the exquisite 134-hectare Wenderholm Regional Park has a diverse ecology, abundant bird life, beaches and…
Auckland Region
As well as providing information on the 250km of trails within Waitakere Ranges Regional Park, this impressive centre features Māori carvings and…
City Centre & Britomart
Auckland's most recent installation of public art is this replica 'state house' – a form of public housing popular in NZ in the 1930s and 1940s – erected…
Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery
Auckland Region
This excellent art gallery is housed in a spectacular modern building on the edge of the village beside the heritage splendour of the former Hotel…
City Centre & Britomart
Hugging the hill on the city’s eastern flank, Albert Park is a charming Victorian formal garden overrun by students from the neighbouring University of…
Auckland
Politics, harbour views and lush lawns combine on this pretty headland with a chequered history. An elaborate clifftop garden mausoleum honours Michael…
North Auckland
After taking an hour-long artistic ramble through the beautiful grounds and native bush of Brick Bay Wines, recuperate with a wine tasting at the…
North Auckland
On the ocean side of the Mahurangi Peninsula, Scandrett Regional Park has a sandy beach, walking tracks, patches of regenerating forest, a historic…
Waiheke Island
Showcasing its offerings in a modern bar-and-bistro complex, this winery and microbrewery offers tastings and activities including archery and laser clay…
Goat Island Marine Discovery Centre
North Auckland
Staffed by marine experts and graduate students from the University of Auckland, this centre is packed with interesting exhibitions on the ecosystem of…
Maungawhau Visitor Experience Centre
Kingsland & Mt Eden
Opened in late 2019, this excellent visitor centre showcases the geological and Māori cultural history of Maungawhau/Mt Eden. Highlights include an…
Parnell & Newmarket
These formal gardens are blooming excellent from November to March. A stroll through Dove-Myer Robinson Park leads to peaceful Judges Bay and tiny St…
North Auckland
You'll see the terraces of a lot of historic pā (fortified village) sites etched into hillsides all around NZ, but if you want to get an idea of how these…
City Centre & Britomart
The University Clock Tower is Auckland's architectural triumph. This stately ‘ivory' tower (1926) tips its hat to art nouveau (the incorporation of NZ…
City Centre & Britomart
Auckland’s Catholic cathedral (1907) is one of the city's loveliest buildings. Polished wood and Belgian stained glass lend warmth to the interior of the…
North Auckland
The nearest swimming beach to Matakana, Omaha has a long stretch of white sand, good surf and ritzy holiday homes. It's the kind of place where you might…
Hauraki Gulf Islands
This impressive wooden manor was extended from an 1845 structure by Governor George Grey, who purchased the island in 1862. It houses a fine collection of…
Waiheke Island
A pricey but excellent private sculpture park featuring a stellar roster of NZ artists. Admission is by way of a two-hour guided tour. There are only a…
Waiheke Island
Waiheke's most famous vineyard is home to world-famous reds, an atmospheric cafe and the occasional yoga session on the breezy decks. Order a bottle of…
Waiheke Island
Founded as Goldwater Estate in 1978, this is Waiheke’s pioneering vineyard. The attached delicatessen sells well-stocked baskets and platters for a picnic…
Auckland
The navy has been in Devonport since the earliest days of the colony. Its history is on display at this well-presented and often moving museum, focusing…
