What wud u recommend a tourist should do (or where to go) to enjoy his/her stay in auckland new zealand?

Question

im goin to auckland, new zealand on 24th oct for business trip...but i'll be stayin there for 2 weeks...any ideas on how i can enjoy my stay there when im not workin (say after office hours and during the weekend)??

Answer 1

Go north up to the giant Kauri tree parks.  Go south to Tongariro National Park for a weekend.  Check out Orakei Korako geothermal park.

Answer 2

Well heres some of my favourite (albeit touristy) things to do here...

- Kelly Tarltons, which is an underwater world. It has the usual fishes etc, and then it has a tank that you walk through and the sharks etc swim over you...it also has an Antarctica section.

- The Sky Tower is in the middle of town and you can't really miss it. Its pretty cheap ($15?) to go up, its the highest building in the Southern Hemisphere...it has glass floors you can walk on. You can also have dinner up there as they have a revolving restaurant, or a cafe. Theres an even higher deck you can go up, and it has glass at an angle you can lean against...you can also get harnessed up and jump off it, or climb right to the top.

- The Auckland Harbour Bridge also has a way you can climb to the top of the bridge, or bungee jump off it...

- Theres heaps of cool West Coast beaches (in particular) Muriwai, Piha...they're about an hour or so drive but really really good black sand beaches.

- If you go to One Tree Hill (it used to have one tree and a monument...now I think its just the monument) its really pretty there. Its a big hill you can go up with cool views of Auckland...actually theres a few big hills as Auckland is made of volcanos. Ha. But I love One Tree Hill 'cause when you drive up, its all tree lined and theres sheep everywhere and its really pretty :)

- On the North Shore, theres a couple of cool mountains...Mount Victoria and Northhead. They were used as army bases so all the old tunnels etc are still there, particularly on Northhead. You can climb through the tunnels and passageways and ladders, and it is SO fun but you need a torch for some bits :)

- Mission Bay is a crappy beach, but the atmosphere is always really summery 'cause it is cafe lined...its on the way to Kelly Tarltons

- Rainbows End is our theme park but its pretty average, particularly if you're overseas.

- You can take a day trip over to Waiheke Island or Rangitoto Island (volcano)...its really pretty over there...you take the ferry across

- Auckland Museum is really good, especially for stuff like Maori culture

- For that matter, if you can take a weekend trip down to Rotorua, its SO worth it...they have so many Maori cultural things down there, plus luge/gondolas down the side of a mountain, and the town is filled with geysers so the entire place smells of rotten eggs...hehe...plus they have farm attractions where you can shear a sheep and stuff

- Waiwera Hot Pools are the natural spring pools in Auckland, and they have water slides and HEAPS of naturally heated pools, movie pool, etc

- Auckland Zoo is a REALLY cool zoo...well I think :) theres Kiwis there anyway!

- The Viaduct is the place most people go clubbing, its on the waterfront...theres a bar there called Minus 5 where EVERYTHING is made out of ice

- Most people probably wouldn't recommend MOTAT, but its a Museum of transport and technology...I love going there but it probably wouldn't be first on a tourists list

- Spookers - its a haunted house type attraction and its really fun...again I don't know if its your thing but worth mentioning...its open Fri/Sat nights and you walk around a massive abandoned mental hospital while they have themed rooms

Oh man...thats all I can think of...I'm tired and have to go to bed!

Answer 3

Kelly Tarleton's Underwater World, a trip to the top of the Sky Tower; there's a glass floor you can walk on, and you can bungee jump from it.   Waiwera hot springs, Piha Beach, there's a 10 km. urban walkway from the Manukau harbour on the west coast to the Waitemata Harbour on the east, Waiheke Island.

Answer 4

You have many answers here but I would like to add that you should get out out he water. After all it is the "City of Sails" - There are ferries to everywhere...maybe take the wine and art lovers tour out to Waiheke Island on a Saturday morning. Then you could take a day trip down to see the Waitomo Gloworm caves which are great and you will get to experience the lovely countryside on the trip.

Have a wonderful visit to this spectacularly beautiful and friendly country!

Answer 5

DONT just stick to the city try and go around auckland,

Hibiscus Coast -

Snow Planet - Indoor Ski feilds

Auckland Luge - (you know.. like roturuas) just opend too

Waiwera Hot Pools - Awesome

Also there are heaps of other little towns around Auckland with heaps to do like Matakana is full of vineyards, art gallerys, goat island (snorkelling).

Also there is Spookers in South Auckand that is Awsome you have to go there!! www.spookers.co.nz

i could go on for ever.. but i wont

Answer 6

You will find lots of exciting things to do in Auckland.

Here a few of my favourites:

- A trip up the Sky Tower (have dinner up there too if its in the budget).

- The Auckland Museum - just been renovated so lots to see.

- Kelly Taltons Underwater World.

- A ferry across the harbour to Devonport for the shops, to Rangitoto Island for a great day out in the sun tramping, or to Waiheke Island for Art, Crafts, Wine tasting and quiet beachs relaxing.

- Shopping in Queen Street or New Market.

- The huge weekend flea market in Otara.

- The Auckland Zoo and MOTAT (Museum of Transport & Technology) - there is an old tram which connects the two parks.

- Rainbows End (but don't expect Disneyland - its OK but not amazing).

- Dressmart in Onehunga - lots of Outlet & seconds shops for great bargains.

- A day at a wild west coast beach like Piha or Murawai.

Have a great time here :-)