Things to See in Auckland, New Zealand

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Activities, Places to See and Things to Do in Auckland, New Zealand

Roughly a third of the population of New Zealand lives in Auckland, the biggest city in the country. A fast growing city of 390 square miles, Auckland has an incredible waterfront area, extinct volcanoes, and world known landmarks like the Sky Tower. The city also has a number of islands in the Hauraki Gulf, like Rangitoto and Waiheke Island.

The Top Things to Do in Auckland 

Find fun activities, sightseeing and other things to do in Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland Cbd, Skytower and Waitemata Harbor, North Island, New Zealand Take a Maori tour. Get a cultural history of the Maori people, by the Maori people on this eco tour which travels to beaches and historic spots. One of the most popular activities rated on Trip Advisor (actually, number one as of writing this), you'll learn the Maori way of life and culture through a variety of tour lengths.

Maori Poi Dancers, Waitangi, North Island, New Zealand

 

Auckland Skyline by jemsweb

A Day at the Park - Auckland Domain by Sandy Austin

Sunset over Auckland from Waiheke 3 by tony_the_bald_eagle

Auckland City 8/08/08 by Lynda W1

Auckland reflected by Robyn Gallagher

Auckland Harbour Bridge and approaching storm. August 2007 by Lynda W1

curated content from Flickr

What's Your Favorite Destination in Auckland? 

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Have a certain favorite spot in Auckland? Here you can tell everyone what you think is a must-see, and what to not see.

What's worth seeing in Auckland?

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Be sure to visit...

Pukeko says:

We love the Maritime Museum. Full of Maori history and more current events like America's cup and Whitbreds

Don't bother visiting...

 

Reflection of Skytower in Office Building, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand

The Auckland Sky Tower 

The world famous part of the Auckland skyline

The Waterfront, Sky City Tower and the City Centre Skyline, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand

Auckland Sky Tower rises1076 feet, about 1/5 of a mile in the air, and is a defining part of Auckland's skyline. From the top, you can see around 50 miles in each direction! The top boasts its own revolving, rotating restaurant, as well as a glass bottom floor to peer down from above. Constructed in 1997, the tower is the highest piece of architecture in New Zealand, with stunning views of the surrounding islands and water.

Auckland Skyline as Seen from Sky Tower

Sailing

is one of the most popular activities in Auckland. The temperate weather is perfect for sailing, and it boasts some of the best (and the most) sailing in the world.

Coromandel Peninsula 

The beautiful New Zealand peninsula near Auckland

Hot Water Beach, Coromandel Peninsula, South Auckland, North Island, New ZealandThe Coromandel Peninsula of New Zealand is found on the North Island, close to Auckland, and forming part of the Bay of Plenty. The peninsula is a hotbed for tourism, being closeby to the city and known for its ecotourism (travel to protected areas). Scuba diving, beaches, yachting and hot springs are some of the featured attractions of this region.

Auckland Zoo 

Live everyday... that's the motto of the Auckland Zoo

Sure, you hear about kiwis all the time, but it might be pretty hard to spot one in the wild. The Auckland Zoo, luckily has kiwis on display, and other endangered creatures like the Ringtail Lemur. What else? The African Lion, the Asian Small Clawed Otter, Asiatic Golden Cat, Asian Elephant.. and that's just for the letter "A." It's also the home of Operation Nest Egg, a project to successfully rear new kiwi chicks.

Rotorua Thermal Area 

The Yellowstone of the southern hemisphere

Pohutu Geyser, Whakarewarewa, Rotorua Thermal Area, South Auckland, North Island, New Zealand
Pohutu Geyser in the Rotorua Thermal Area
The Rotorua Thermal area contains bubbling steampots, craters, geysers, and volcanic activity abound. Much like Yellowstone, the geothermal activity here is constant.

* Whakarewarewa Thermal Village:
A village in the heart of Rotorua's thermal region, a genuine Maori cultural experience.

* Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland
The thermal region south of Rotorua.

 

Massey, Waitakere City, Auckland, New Zealand by Sandy Austin

Auckland War Memorial Museum by brewbooks

Auckland Townhall Clocktower by zayzayem

View on Auckland from Mt Eden by Antoine Hubert

Huia, Waitakere City, Auckland, New Zealand by Sandy Austin

Auckland Sunrise by Kiwi Flickr

curated content from Flickr

Auckland T-Shirts 

Cool New Zealand shirts!

T-shirts featuring Auckland, kiwis and more...

Auckland New Zealand Kiwi Light T-Shirt

A sleek design featuring a kiwi with the New Zealand flag adorned on it.

Price: 22.99 Buy Now

Auckland Skyline Vintage Jr. Jersey T-Shirt

A silhouette of the Auckland skyline on this cool junior jersey t-shirt.

Price: 26.99 Buy Now

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More Things to Do in Auckland 

Activities and recreations on these websites...

Auckland, New Zealand
Activities, attractions and tours in Auckland

Things to do in Auckland.
Auckland Tours and Things to Do
Things to do and day trips in Auckland.
Yahoo's list of user submitted and voted things to do
Voted upon by users, this list of places to visit and things to do.

A Video Tour of Auckland 

Tour the biggest city in New Zealand via video!

Larry the Travel Guy | Auckland, New Zealand

Larry takes you to Auckland, New Zealand to discover some of the off the beaten track places in the diverse city.

Runtime: 600
55465 views
141 Comments:

curated content from YouTube

Auckland, New Zealand in the News Right Now: 

The latest news, updated every 30 minutes

Albert Park and Auckland CBD, New Zealand
NZ fans stung by World Cup prices
By New Zealand correspondent Kerri Ritchie New Zealand rugby fans received a rude shock this morning, with the announcement of ticket prices for the 2011 ...
New Zealand Real Estate Prices Rising At Steady Rate
In Auckland, New Zealand's most populous region, home sales soared 65.3% in September, compared with last year. New Zealand's rapidly rising population, ...
Wollongong Hawks defeat New Zealand Breakers in NBL clash
WOLLONGONG Hawks defeated New Zealand Breakers 93-91, having trailed for most of their NBL game at North Shore Events Centre in Auckland. ...
New Zealand push Pakistan on back foot
WELLINGTON: Pakistan wasted a solid start to be 161 for six at the end of a weather disrupted Day One of the second Test against New Zealand at the Basin ...

 

Waitakere Ranges Regional Park, Waitakere City, Auckland, New Zealand by Sandy Austin

Ferry Building, Auckland by Lynda W1

Auckland by 23am.com

Auckland by 23am.com

Tree Ferns - Auckland by Friar's Balsam

Manukau Heads, Auckland, 13 June 2005 by PhillipC

curated content from Flickr

Coast to Coast Tours 

See as much as you can of the New Zealand coast!

Aerial View of Surf Beach at Pauanui on East Coast, South Auckland, New ZealandCoast to Coast Tours is one of the most popular tourist activities according to Trip Advisor, in all of Auckland. The advantage of going on a guided tour is 1), they know much more about the area than you do, 2), they'll know when to go to certain areas, 3), they live there, and will give you an authentic kiwi experience, and 4), it's a small company, so you'll have a more intimate, memorable experience. Whether you're looking to go on a wine tour, view the rainforests, hit the beaches, or see some authentic New Zealand farms, this is one of the best ways to see the country!

The Best New Zealand Guide for Travellers 

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide

Eyewitness Travel Guides makes some of my favorite travel guides. With large photos, consistent maps, and easy to find information, the guide is great as a pre-trip synopsis and go-to on location reference for your sightseeing in Auckland and throughout the rest of New Zealand.

New Zealand (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

Amazon Price: $16.50 (as of 12/03/2009)Buy Now
Used Price: $13.20

Where should you stay? What places are the best to visit in Auckland, as well as Wellington, and all of the North and South Islands? This guide provides excellent floor cutaways, photographs, illustrations and maps of each region, and scenic routes, theme tours, and beaches. The size of the guide is just right for travel. It's not mini, but it's small enough to take on the go.

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

New Zealand National Maritime Museum 

Experience the rich Maori, naval, and boating history of New Zealand

The New Zealand National Maritime Museum offers up some of the rich naval history that NZ is so well known for. At no point in New Zealand are you more than around 100 miles from the coast. With historical maritime paintings, the shore whaling exhibit, and several rooms set up in the building to resemble boats themselves, this is not just for the boat fanatic, but for anyone with an appreciation for interesting culture and the interesting maritime history of New Zealand. It's also conveniently located in the thick of everything near Princes Wharf.

While you might not find the endangered kiwi in downtown Auckland, you will find them in nearby places like Great Barrier Island.

 

waters around auckland city by louistan

Auckland by misterjingo

Piha, Waitakere City, Auckland, New Zealand by Sandy Austin

Auckland War Memorial Museum by brewbooks

Westhaven, Auckland, New Zealand by Sandy Austin

Auckland War Memorial Museum by brewbooks

curated content from Flickr

Have You Been to Auckland? 

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Maori Carving on Meeting House, Auckland Museum, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand, Pacific

Maori Carving on Meeting House, Auckland Museum, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand, Pacific Photographic Print

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New Zealand Themed T-Shirts 

Featuring the kiwi, New Zealand and more

New Zealand 2009 Wall Calendar

Silver Fern Kiwi Jr. Ringer T-Shirt

The silver fern, a symbol of New Zealand, along with the endangered kiwi, as you may see it on road signs throughout some areas of the country on this green womens ringer t-shirt.

Price: 24.99 Buy Now

Aoraki New Zealand Vintage Ringer T

Aoraki, aka Mount Cook, is one of the most famous destinations of New Zealand. Here, the scene is set on a white mens ringer t-shirt.

Price: 22.99 Buy Now

New Zealand Kiwi Sign Infant/Toddler T-Shirt

A toddler baby t-shirt in yellow featuring a kiwi road sign. Cute, and perfect for any kid that's been to New Zealand, loves kiwis, or is part kiwi!

Price: 16.99 Buy Now

Green New Zealand Kiwi White T-Shirt

A vintage style celtic themed design with the letter "I" being a map of New Zealand.

Price: 22.99 Buy Now

Retro Vintage Kiwi Jr. Raglan

A family of kiwis passes by on this vintage retro raglan womens t-shirt.

Price: 23.99 Buy Now

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One Tree Hill

It's the name of a song by U2, and the name of a TV show, but foremost, One Tree Hill is a volcanic peak, no longer active, currently with a large obelisk monument on top. It used to have trees, but they were cut down (read more).

Auckland Tourism - A Video of the Sites and Sounds of New Zealand 

A promotional video featuring some of the highlights of New Zealand

This video showcases some of the finer points of New Zealand in a beautiful manner...

Tourism Auckland Promotional Video

Watch the latest Auckland DVD and discover the variety on offer in this beautiful region.

Runtime: 229
33550 views
23 Comments:

curated content from YouTube

Other Lensmasters on Squidoo Writing About New Zealand: 

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The Latest Posts from Blog New Zealand 

Travel updates and news!

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Recommended Travel Guides on Auckland, the North and South Islands 

Some of the best reviewed guides to New Zealand

Here's a selection of some of the best rated hiking, vacation guides, and maps on New Zealand, as well as activities, history, and more things to see.

Tramping in New Zealand (Walking) by Jim DuFresne

Tramping in New Zealand (Walking) by Jim DuFresne

Make tracks across the spectacular range of New Ze more...0 points

Living and Working in New Zealand, 4th Edition: A Survival Handbook (Living & Working in New Zealand) by David Hampshire

Living and Working in New Zealand, 4th Edition: A Survival Handbook (Living & Working in New Zealand) by David Hampshire

Written in an entertaining style with a touch of h more...0 points

New Zealand (Country Guide) by Charles Rawlings-Way et, al.

New Zealand (Country Guide) by Charles Rawlings-Way et, al.

Discover New ZealandGlimpse Mitre Peak through the more...0 points

AA Road Atlas: New Zealand (AA Road Atlases) by AA Publishing

AA Road Atlas: New Zealand (AA Road Atlases) by AA Publishing

Discover New Zealand's clearest mapping with this more...0 points

Straying from the Flock: Travels in New Zealand by Dr. Alexander Elder

Straying from the Flock: Travels in New Zealand by Dr. Alexander Elder

An illuminating road trip through the history, lif more...0 points

New Zealand's South Island (Regional Guide) by Charles Rawlings-Way

New Zealand's South Island (Regional Guide) by Charles Rawlings-Way

Nobody knows New Zealand like Lonely Planet, and o more...0 points

National Geographic Traveler: New Zealand by Peter Turner

National Geographic Traveler: New Zealand by Peter Turner

All the travel experts agree-consumers want more a more...0 points

New Zealand: A Natural History by Tui De Roy, Mark Jones

New Zealand: A Natural History by Tui De Roy, Mark Jones

A loving celebration of an earthly paradise; a cau more...0 points

NZ Frenzy, a Travel Guide to New Zealand (North Island) Featuring Waterfalls, Beaches, Hot Springs, and Trails by Scott Cook

NZ Frenzy, a Travel Guide to New Zealand (North Island) Featuring Waterfalls, Beaches, Hot Springs, and Trails by Scott Cook

OK, here's my deal. I've been a popular guidebook more...0 points

Moon Living Abroad in New Zealand by Michelle Waitzman

Moon Living Abroad in New Zealand by Michelle Waitzman

Michelle Waltzman fell in love with New Zealand's more...0 points

New Zealand Themed Lenses: 

More information on the country, t-shirts and more!

Learn more about this amazing country, or shop for some of the products at Kiwisoutback!

Tell Us About New Zealand! 

Brag about your favorite area, or just stop by and say hello!

National Geographic New Zealand Wall Map


National Geographic New Zealand Wall Map



Intro photo by Tom the Bald Eagle under Creative Commons 2.0.

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A New Zealand Story 

Globe Trekker's guide to NZ

Globe Trekker: New Zealand 2

Amazon Price: $17.99 (as of 12/03/2009)Buy Now
Used Price: $12.33

New Zealand is a land of unspoilt landscapes and immense natural beauty, with amazing extremes of climate and terrain. From rainforest to reef and glacier to volcano, Globe Trekkers Ian Wright and Zay Harding explore the four corners of the country. As they head out on individual expeditions of New Zealand, they take in Maori cultural heritage, empty wilderness, and bustling cities where even the skyscrapers are home to some of the world s most extreme sports. Ian Wright sets off from Auckland to visit the hot springs of Rotorua and then heads north to the Bay of Islands. He travels to genteel Christchurch before heading to New Zealand s extreme sports capital, Queenstown. Ian s journey ends with an overnight stay atop the Fox Glacier while Zay Harding s begins in the capital, Wellington. He travels to the nearby town of Masterton to participate in a sheep shearing competition before taking the Tranzalpine train to Hokitika and the Wild Foods festival. Zay s journey ends with a retreat into the wilderness of Lake Te Anau and a two day trek along the Milford Track. Along the way... Attend a Maori regatta in Ngaruawhaia. Hitch a ride in a 1950s house truck. Enter the mysterious world of The Lord of the Rings. Play a game of rugby with the Black Ferns.

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