View of Auckland from Mt Eden crater

Travel Tips:

5 Best Things to do in Auckland, New Zealand

Recently I recommended 10 Free Things to do in Auckland. They’re all fantastic activities & places to visit in New Zealand’s most popular city. In fact, several of them are so great that I also include them in this list of best things to do in Auckland.

On the other hand, some of Auckland’s best attractions & activities do cost money. Luckily, they’re actually not so very expensive, which means most travelers should easily be able to afford them. Hopefully most budget travelers can afford them too.

Following are what I consider to be Auckland’s best things to do.

Some readers might notice that I haven’t included a visit to Auckland’s Sky Tower, one of the city’s biggest attractions. The tower’s main draw are its panoramic views over Auckland CBD, Waitemata Harbor and the vast Auckland metropolis.

Personally, I believe that views from One Tree Hill and Mt. Eden are considerably better. They also are outdoors (which I also think is much better) and free. Why spend a chunk of money for views you can get nearby for free?

In any event, here are my votes for Auckland’s best things to do.

Maori statues at Auckland Museum

1. Auckland Museum

Auckland Museum is easily one of the best museums I’ve visited in the world. And that’s saying something because I’ve visited many of the world’ best museums from NYC to Kyoto, Japan to Paris & London to Singapore. Auckland Museum is right up there with the world’s best!

What makes it so special is its astounding collection of Maori and Pacific Islanders’ arts, handicrafts, history and culture. The vast museum’s entire ground floor is devoted to it. The galleries display thousands of pieces of art, handicrafts and daily life objects from those unique cultures.

Maori mask on display at Auckland Museum

The Maori galleries are so extensive that they include an elaborately-carved Maori store house, dozens of massive totem pole type carvings, and a huge walk-in Maori meeting house showcasing elaborate walls and ceiling.

The Pacific Island galleries trace the history, migrations, and cultural developments of various islands. They discuss relations between particular islands and display thousands of objects from more than a dozen Pacific islands.

The museum’s second floor is devoted to New Zealand’s natural world. The most extensive gallery covers volcanoes in great depth. Other galleries focus on land habitats, sea habitats and other aspects of New Zealand’s great natural topograhies.

Finally, a large section is devoted to New Zealand’s participation in various wars over the decades.

Until recently, Auckland Museum entry fee was by donation. That has changed for international visitors, who now are charged $25 NZ. Locals still are offered entry by donation, with a $10 rate suggested.

Find out more about Auckland Museum at their website.

Coast to Coast Walkway – Auckland

2. Coast to Coast Walkway

In my opinion the Coast to Coast Walkway is the absolute best way to experience Auckland’s great outdoors. It passes through most of Auckland’s largest parks, best panoramic viewpoints and several lovely neighborhoods.

If you’re at all into hiking or scenic views, you must do this walk when you visit Auckland. It’s also free!

The 16 km walk runs between Auckland’s 2 harbors: Manukau Harbor in the city’s western suburbs and Waitemata Harbor at Auckland CBD in the east.

I’ve written more extensively about this walk in my 10 Free Auckland post. Read it to check out where the hike starts & ends, suggested walking direction, and sights along the way.

view of Auckland and Mt Victoria from Devonport

3. Trip to Devonport

Devonport is one of Auckland’s most charming neighborhoods, full of gorgeous, quirky Victorian houses. It also boasts great beaches, a few lovely museums and two grassy volcanic peaks with amazing 360 degree views over Waitemata Harbor and Auckland CBD.

Devonport lies directly across the harbor from downtown Auckland, a 12-15 minute scenic ferry ride. The hilly village looks like one of the many islands nestled in the harbor, but it’s actually the tip of a long peninsula jutting down from the north into the harbor.

Visiting Devonport takes ½ to a full day. Enjoy the scenic hike along beaches and up over Victoria Peak and North Head. North Head hill is full of old military tunnels and bunkers. Exploring those can take an hour or more.

Just beyond North Head is gorgeous Cheltenham Beach. You could easily laze away a few sunny hours suntanning, reading under shady trees, swimming and taking in the stunning views. You’ll also surely want to spend some time on top of Victoria Peak admiring the amazing 360 degree views from Devonport’s highest point.

If you’re into history, you’ll find the Royal New Zealand Navy Museum and Devonport Museum quite fascinating. NZ Navy is based at Devonport and you’ll see their steel-gray ships anchored along shore during your ferry trip over from downtown.

Finally, no visit to Devonport is complete without strolling through it’s residential areas to admire the varied & charming house architecture, each one a little piece of artwork.

modern art galleries at Auckland Art Gallery

4. Auckland Art Gallery

Most of Auckland’s Museums have hefty entry fees, however Auckland Art Gallery is free!

This fantastic museum boasts gorgeous, award-winning architecture and a fantastic collection of paintings. Particularly impressive are the modern paintings, historic paintings of New Zealand and Maori portraits.

The Art Gallery is located downtown on the edge of leafy Albert Park.

Find out all the details at their website.

Auckland Fish Market Auction screen print

5. Auckland Fish Market

As Auckland is situated between two vast harbors and completely surrounded by oceans, it’s only fitting that the city has a huge fresh fish market.

Their daily early morning wholesale auction is worth getting up for, if you can manage to get yourself over there at 6 am when chefs and buyers from all over Auckland begin bidding on the day’s best catch. Observing the auction is free.

Whether you make it to the auction or not, be sure to splurge on a fresh seafood lunch or dinner later in the day. Several restaurants within the fish market offer a huge variety of gourmet seafood dishes. Select from sushi, pastas, risottos, steamed shellfishes, grilled fish steaks, seafood chowders, smoked fishes, good ole fish n chips, Asian specialties and many others.

The Fish Market also boasts a school if you’re interested in learning how to cook delectable seafood dishes. Each class focuses on specific types of cooking and last 2 ½ to 4 hours. Learn how to make sushi, Vietnamese or Mediteranean dishes, perfect grilled fish, seafood brunches, pastas or other specialties.

Rates vary from $60-$100 per person per class.

Learn more about the wholesale auction, restaurants and cooking classes at the Fish Market website.

QUESTIONS:

Have you done any of these things in Auckland? If so, which was best?

Do you have any other great activities to add to this list?

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You might also enjoy:

My First Impressions of Auckland

Photo Gallery of Hobbiton

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