Auckland is a good place to start your holiday in New Zealand. This city is vibrant with plenty to do and see. Down around the harbour are some great restaurants and souvenir shops, along with pubs and bars.

We stayed in the Stamford Plaza, which was well situated in Albert Street, with easy access to both the harbour area and key tourist sites. With only a limited time in Auckland we tried to fit in as much as we could, so would highly recommend the following:

  1. Auckland City Highlights Tour – we booked through Viator, but there are plenty of options available depending on what you want to include in your tour. We chose a 1/2 day tour which included a harbour cruise and entry to the Sky Tower. The harbour gives you a great perspective of Auckland from the water and was an enjoyable trip, albeit somewhat chilly.
  2. Sky Tower – at 328m tall there are some spectacular views from the viewing deck. You can also look through a glass window to the street below. For the more adventurous traveller you can do sky walks and sky jumps! We enjoyed having a cheese platter and glass or two of wine to enjoy the marvellous view across Auckland.
  3. Symonds Street Cemetery – this cemetery is preserved for historical purposes only and was a fascinating tour, with so many interesting stories behind the gravestones. We always enjoy a cemetery tour, not because we are morbid, but because there are so many good historical stories about people, who have had a major impact on the city or town in which they are buried.
  4. The Cloud – located on the Queen’s Wharf this multi purpose event venue can host up to 6000 people. It stands proudly on the wharf and best photos are to be had at night when it is fully lit.
  5. Downtown Pier –
  6. Domain Winter Garden –
  7. Auckland War Memorial Museum –
  8. Waiheke Island –

Travel Tips

  • We travelled at the end of August into early September, and the weather was still very chilly.

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