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Kia ora! I'll be visiting your fair city in November for 2 weeks of doing pretty much nothing, other than hanging out with my best friend and her family, taking the occasional sightseeing and/or shopping trip somewhere in town and possibly jumping on the ferry to Coromandel or driving up to Kerikeri to see another friend. So what I need from you is a list of Must-See & Must-Do items in Auckland that will keep me occupied for about 10 days. I don't care if they're kitschy touristy things or stuff only locals know about, just bring 'em on!
So far on my list I have:
Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World
Spending a day at Waiheke Island
Auckland War Memorial Museum
Oh and if you can recommend some cool places to wine and dine, that'd be much appreciated too .
I don't know if it's on that list, but there is a new uber-cool cafe on Takapuna beachfront (the only cafe on the beachfront - in front of the boat ramp) which has the best view of any cafe in Auckland. The food and coffee is fab too. Get your friend to take you there. It's a must do.
Go up the sky tower for a great view of the city. Other places for fantastic views are on any of the old volcano cones scattered around the city like Mt Eden or One Tree Hill (sans tree now).
Go out to the black sand West Coast beaches (you have to drive) either Piha, Muriwai or Bethells. Your friend will know about them. They are incredibly beautiful, but in a wild rugged way. Muriwai is my personal fave. Doesn't matter if it's cold and blustery (it always is) because the west coast beaches are too cold and rough to swim at anyway.
Catch the ferry from the city to Devonport. Devonport is a great village with nice little unique NZ shops and great cafes. Try Manuka Cafe on the main road - the coffee can't be beat.
Check out Ponsonby Rd...it's the trendy inner city suburb with groovy shops and cafes. Decent nightlife too.
Walk along Tamaki drive from Kelly Tarlton's to Mission Bay. If you go to Tarltons then take the walk while you are there.
10 days in Auckland??? Spending 2 days there is a challenge. There is really nothing much to do unless you have someone there to visit.
The Auckland War Memorial is a nice museum.
Before anyone accepts your dismissal of Auckland (and I'm no great fan of the place), I suggest they read your political comments elsewhere and draw some conclusions.
Thank you HKGal! I will add all of those to my list. I expect my friends have some ideas of their own too so we should have a very good time together . Oh and my friends live in Takapuna so I'll ask them about that cafe you mentioned.
Wanneroo, I LIKE Auckland (what little I've seen of it) and that's where my friends live so why would I travel 9000 miles to stay somewhere where I don't know anyone?! If you don't have anything positive and helpful to offer, then please don't respond to my requests.
You'd do well not to bother following Wanneroo's advice, he's well known for being quite anti - Kiwi in his views, never has anything good to say about NZ anyway. I've been to Auckland many times and there's far more things to do in more than just 2 days.
You'd do well not to bother following Wanneroo's advice, he's well known for being quite anti - Kiwi in his views, never has anything good to say about NZ anyway. I've been to Auckland many times and there's far more things to do in more than just 2 days.
Pole Vaulting over Mouseturds. Who cares what my politics are? Has nothing to do with the thread.
Actually I love NZ and spend a lot of time there. I just call it like I see it. In Auckland there is really not that much to do. My opinion. And the opinion of many other Kiwis I know.
As I said the Auckland War Memorial is nice, but I can't think of much else of huge interest unless you have people to visit.
Pole Vaulting over Mouseturds. Who cares what my politics are? Has nothing to do with the thread.
Actually I love NZ and spend a lot of time there. I just call it like I see it. In Auckland there is really not that much to do. My opinion. And the opinion of many other Kiwis I know.
As I said the Auckland War Memorial is nice, but I can't think of much else of huge interest unless you have people to visit.
Then why bother making negative and off-topic comments when this thread was set up specifically asking for advice on what to do?
The poster who started this thread, as I have just read above, has asked that you not make any more negative comments so I'll leave it at that.
Thank you HKGal! I will add all of those to my list. I expect my friends have some ideas of their own too so we should have a very good time together . Oh and my friends live in Takapuna so I'll ask them about that cafe you mentioned.
Wanneroo, I LIKE Auckland (what little I've seen of it) and that's where my friends live so why would I travel 9000 miles to stay somewhere where I don't know anyone?! If you don't have anything positive and helpful to offer, then please don't respond to my requests.
Takapuna is a nice little suburb. I just spent two weeks in an apartment on the beachfront there and really enjoyed it. We enjoyed just walking along the beach and we ended up just stopping and talking to lots of people. I'd been away so long I'd forgotten how friendly and relaxed kiwis are! You can walk at the north end of Takapuna beach (where the boat ramp and the cafe are) you can follow the coast around to Milford Beach. That's a nice little walk.
Two good restaurants in Takapuna worth trying are Onion Johnny's (below the movie theatre on Anzac St) which is IMO the funkiest place in Taka. Also Wine & Roses on Hurstmere Rd is well regarded.
On Sunday mornings there is a good market in the movie theatre carpark opp. the mall which I also recommend. The mall itself is blah.
If you're a really keen walker then you can catch the ferry from Devonport to Rangitoto Island (extinct volcano) and walk to the top. I don't believe it's too difficult a walk although I haven't done it myself.
Enjoy!
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