| Touring Routes | Central | Hauraki Gulf | Northern Bays | North | West | South | East |
Special Interests
Art
Whether you have an eye for fine art, Pacific artefacts or treasures crafted from natures riches, Auckland's wealth of visual art is sure to please. Auckland City is home to 60 galleries, the largest of which are the Auckland Art Gallery and its modern next-door neighbour, the New Gallery, which show more than 100,000 works - the county's most significant collection of New Zealand and European art.
In Manukau the magnificent 'Pou Kapua' is on display, a significant Maori and Pacific Island arts show-piece and the largest totem of its type in the world. Daily Maori cultural performances take place at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, offering insight into Maori mythology, genealogy (Whakapapa) and spirituality (taha wairua).
Performances of live theatre, comedy, music and drama can be enjoyed year-round at one of Auckland's many theatres and entertainment centres.
Dining and Entertainment
With more than 1,000 restaurants, Auckland dishes up a huge array of dining experiences, from small ethnic eateries to five-star cuisine. The city is most famous for its distinctive Pacific Rim cuisine, blending Pacific and Asian flavors and using fresh home-grown ingredients. Waterfront restaurants at the Viaduct and Princes Wharf add dazzling views to the carte de jour, or you can simply enjoy a parcel of fresh fish and chips beneath a pohutukawa tree on the beach. After dinner, try your luck at the casino, or catch a live show at one of the many theatres around the city. Finish up with a drink in at one of the trendy bars in Ponsonby and a dance at one of the nightclubs along Karangahape Road (K' Road).
Gardens
In a region with balmy temperatures, fertile soils, adequate rainfall and loads of sunshine, Auckland's natural backdrop flourishes. There are 22 regional parks within easy reach of the city - with 38,000 hectares showcasing the diverse landscapes, flora and fauna.
Close to the city's heart are large public parks - the Auckland Domain and Wintergardens, Albert and Cornwall parks and the Parnell Rose Garden. Traditional country gardens can be explored throughout the region and aquatic plants can be found at the water gardens located south of the city.
Stroll through the Auckland Botanical Gardens just off the Southern Motorway at Manurewa, featuring trees that existed on the ancient Gondwana supercontinent. The gardens also host the annual Ellerslie International Flower Show, one of the largest horticultural events in the Southern Hemisphere and an international spectacle with a native flora flavour.
Golf
Fresh air and an easy going climate make Auckland a great spot for a round of golf. Enjoy one of 40 courses across Auckland including the PGA-rated Formosa and Gulf Harbour. As well as being the longest course in New Zealand, Formosa Golf Resort is also one of the most picturesque, capturing views of Rangitoto Island. The course was designed by New Zealand golf legend Bob Charles and is listed in the 'Finest Golf Clubs of the World'.
Gulf Harbour, a clif-top course created by designer Robert Trent Jones ll, a few years ago was home to the country's premier professional golf tournament, the New Zealand Open.
Play a round whilst listening to birdsong at Titirangi in the west, or enjoy a leafy oasis amongst the city suburbs at The Grange. The region also boasts superb public courses at Takapuna and Chamberlain Park.
Heritage
Since Maori made their way to New Zealand more than 1,000 years ago, and European colonists followed, Auckland's natural beauty and stress-free lifestyle has drawn immigrants the world over - Polynesia, Asia, India and the Middle East. Today Auckland is the world's largest Polynesian city, and South Pacific influences are evident in the city's music, art, galleries and local weekend markets.
Maori culture is strong and the history of its people can be seen at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, which holds the world's largest collection of Polynesian artefacts. The most accessible remains of the pre-European Maori occupation are etched into the slopes of Auckland's volcanic cones. Explore Mt Eden on a guided walk which celebrates Auckland's unique cultural heritage.
Discover the city's proud seafaring history at the National Maritime Museum in the heart of Auckland's waterfront. The museum exhibits a diverse range of nautical and historical artefacts that represent New Zealand Maritime history, from the earliest Polynesian arrivals to modern day seafaring.
Shopping and Markets
Auckland has a stylish heart - its centre a haven or some of the fashion world's hottest designers. The heart of the city, High Street and The Chancery, and neighboring districts Ponsonby, Newmarket and Parnell are home to some of the country's best design labels. Once a year, New Zealand Fashion Week showcases this talent in Auckland. You'll find original art and fashion interwoven in the colonial-style Parnell Village; Ponsonby offers an eclectic mix of hip boutiques, cafes, galleries, and designer lifestyle stores and Broadway in Newmarket boasts top international brands in addition to the recently opened Nuffield Street complex. Victoria Park Market, located near the central city, is known for its maze-like collection of stalls, barrows and shops where you can find arts, crafts, ethnic specialties and a range of New Zealand souvenirs.
Auckland suburbs such as St Lukes, Takapuna, Henderson and Manukau have large malls with undercover parking, indoor shops, grocery stores and late night shopping on Thursday and Friday. Bargain hunters head to the Dress Smart mall in Onehunga for more than 100 factory outlet stores offering discounts on popular national and international brands, while Botany Town Centre and Sylvia Park in the eastern suburbs are the region's largest shopping malls.
Auckland markets
If you're hankering for fresh fruit and vegetables, looking for unique Pacific or Maori art and crafts, or hand-crafted clothing and jewellery, then wander through the colourful local markets throughout Auckland.
The weekend markets at Otara (every Saturday) offer Asian, Indian, Pacific Island and European fruit and vegetables, alongside fresh seafood, baked goods and ready-made foods. Pacific Island arts and crafts including printed cloths, carvings and jewellery - are available alongside mainstream clothing and other goods.
On Sunday mornings the centre of Takapuna in North Shore City also hosts a bustling market. Expensive antiques are sold alongside cheap bric-a-brac, and the range of goods on sale includes furniture, home-made preserves and plants.
In the heart of the city, the Aotea Square Markets are open on Friday and Saturday, offering a range of organic food, hand-made crafts, traditional art and fashion by up-and-coming designers.
Where to find them:
Aotea Square Market: Aotea Square, Queen Street (Friday and Saturday)
Avondale Market: Ash Street, Avondale (Sunday)
Otara Market: Newbury Lane, Otara (Saturday)
Takapuna Market: Carpark, corner Anzac Street and Lake Road, Takapuna (Sunday)
La Cigale French Market: St Georges Bay Road, Parnell ((Saturday)
Matakana Farmers Market: 2 Matakana Valley Road, Matakana (Saturday)
Matakana Country Market: 1 Omaha Flats Road, Matakana (Saturday)
Clevedon Village Farmers Market: Monument Road, Clevedon (Sunday)
Walks
From iridescent black sand to lush rainforest, from volcanic peaks to azure blue seas, there are thousands of kilometres of walkways on which to breathe in the natural splendour of Auckland.
The Coast to Coast Walkway, located in central Auckland, follows a four hour trail between the Waitemata and Manukau harbours, past historic city landmarks and over the dormant volcanic cones of Mt Eden and One Tree Hill.
The journey from coast to coast is a stroll through history, passing through landscapes shaped by more than 600 years of Maori occupation, colonial architecture and today's modern city.
Mt Eden is the starting point of the Tamaki Hikoi Maori guided walk of Auckland. Culture and landscapes combine as a guide from the local Ngati Whatua Maori tribe re-tells ancient stories of tribal history and traditions on a walk which passes iconic Auckland landmarks and places of historical significance to Ngati Whatua.
A range of heritage walks through the suburbs of Ponsonby and Parnell are available, while guided walking tours of Auckland City focus on unique Auckland heritage stories that helped to shape the city.
The 50 islands of the Hauraki Gulf provide spectacular walks through pristine landscapes. Great Barrier Island's magnificent forests are laced with well formed roads and tracks that lead to natural hot springs and historic kauri dams. A range of guided walks are available on the island.
Stroll down one of Auckland's many stunning beaches - the volcanic black sand and wild surf of the west coast, and sheltered arcs of golden sand along the eastern coastline. North Shore's Long Bay Coastal Walk is a popular walk between Long Bay and Okura that takes in many aspects of Auckland's coastline.
The North Head Historic Reserve, located at the seaside suburb of Devonport, has tunnels and retractable guns to tempt the adventurous, as well as superb views of the harbour and Hauraki Gulf.
To the south, discover the native forest of New Zealand at the Auckland Botanical Gardens, on a well-marked trail through 10 hectares of native flora. Nestled on the shores of the Manukau Harbour, Ambury Regional Park is a working farm, education centre and a birdwatcher's paradise. The countryside and native bush of Clevedon can be explored on the Clevedon Scenic Reserve walk.
Wineries
The Auckland region has produced wine since the mid 1800s and is home to New Zealand's four largest wine makers.
More than 80 stunning vineyards and wineries are scattered across Auckland. To the west of the city, some of the original winemaking families remain, while a renaissance in the past decade has seen new vineyards succeeding in the red-clay soils of Matakana to the north, and the sheltered valleys of Clevedon in the south. Waiheke Island is a perfect destination for wine buffs - a pleasant 30 minute ferry ride takes you to the acclaimed boutique wineries and picturesque vineyards overlooking golden beaches and the Hauraki Gulf.
