A few days ago, Lonely Planet named Tamaki Makaurau Auckland the best place in the world to visit in 2022. Hopefully, it will actually be feasible to visit us in 2022! In any event, Lonely Planet are only acknowledging what a third of New Zealanders already know – Auckland is a fantastic place to explore.
Downtown Auckland continues to improve with new development projects, but just like the rest of New Zealand, it’s really about the outdoor experiences.
So as a break in our more detailed weekly trip ideas, this blog is our view of Auckland’s (roughly) top 100 free things to do. We could easily double, or even triple, this list – but we’re trying to keep things under control. Some of these trips require a car, boat, or in the case of Great Barrier Island, even a plane to access.
Auckland City skyline
Not so long ago, the Auckland City skyline was little more than the Sky Tower. But it has gradually filled out, and now Auckland looks more like a modern high rise city from a distance. Consequently, it’s more interesting to keep an eye out for viewpoints which give you a new angle on the city.
The best view is from Maungawhau Mt Eden, and we advise visitors that a walk up the mountain is the first thing they should do in Auckland. Other great options include the views from around Devonport and the Waitemata Harbour, from Tamaki Drive, and from some of the other maunga (volcanic peaks) such as Owairaka Mt Albert.
Even if you have walked up Maungawhau a few times, try it during a storm or at sunrise and sunset. The view rarely disappoints.
Downtown Auckland
There has been significant new building development around Auckland central over the past few years. While the ‘during’ part of development is a challenge, with each completed project the city becomes more appealing.
This is especially true for the area running from Albert Park and the Auckland Art Gallery to the waterfront between Britomart and Wynyard Quarter. Even if you’re not in Auckland for a city experience, you should at least spend a couple of hours wandering around this area.
Auckland City parks
Auckland is best known as the City of Sails, but it could equally be the City of Parks. These photos are from ten of over 4,000 parks in the city. Some of these parks are situated on maunga, one is the Botanical Gardens in South Auckland, and two are from small natural lakes within the city, Western Springs and Orakei.
The curious eel heads can be found at Tui Glen Reserve in West Auckland, and the tree photograph is the centre of an extraordinary, sprawling pohutukawa tree near the Parnell Rose Gardens.
In addition to the many city parks, there are over 30 much larger regional parks. These are typically located around the edge of the city, either on the coast or the remaining forested areas in the Waitakere Range and Hunua Range.
Coastal walks
If we had to choose the very best place to explore in Auckland, it would have to be the Waitakere west coast walks. These include the Ōmanawanui Track along the north side of the Manukau Heads, Comans Track and the Mercer Bay Loop between Karekare and Piha, and Te Henga Track at Bethells Beach. Other options are the tracks to Whites Beach and Anawhata from Piha.
There are also plenty of coastal tracks in other parts of the Auckland region. You can walk along the city’s northeastern coast, all the way from Devonport to Long Bay, which is 22 kms of beaches, rocky shoreline, and cliffs. It lacks the spectacle of the west coast, but is right next to the city and easy to access with public transport. Even easier is the walk or bike ride starting downtown and venturing around the southeast coast, along Tamaki Drive to Achilles Point and Ladies Bay. You can also walk or ride around the northwestern coast of Mangere, along the Manukau Harbour.
Auckland beaches
Auckland has dozens of beaches; we once tried to count them all, but gave up after 70 – and that only included the beaches with official names.
As well as the sheer number of beaches, it’s the quality and variation that makes Auckland’s coastline so extraordinary. The west coast has wild surf beaches, where you should only swim in patrolled areas, while the inner harbour and Hauraki Gulf beaches are protected by Great Barrier and other islands, so are generally safe for swimming. Surf does make an appearance on the east coast once you get to Tawharanui and Omaha at the northeast end of the region.
Coastal caves and arches
When you explore the beaches of Waitakere’s west coast, some of the most interesting features are the caves and arches. Some are obvious and well known, such as Whatipu Cave, which was once used as a venue for formal dances, and the sea caves at Piha, Te Henga Bethells Beach, and Muriwai. Others are less obvious or difficult to get to, such as Mercer Bay and those around O’Neills Bay.
These photos provide some examples, but are by no means a complete record of Auckland’s caves and arches. With some exceptions, low tide is the best time to explore these places.
Forests
With the European settlement of Auckland, the ancient kauri forests which dominated the Waitakere Range and Hunua Range were decimated to build houses and ships. But once Europeans realised there were better ways of making money than cutting down ancient giants, the two ranges were largely converted to parks, and the forests left to regenerate. In some regions, regeneration has been taking place for well over a hundred years.
Although kauri dieback disease has sadly limited access to many areas, a number of upgraded tracks have been reopened while more intensive predator trapping is improving native bird life. Several tracks also provide close up access to big mature kauris of at least several hundred years old. On other tracks, you can see the extent of kauri rebirth with multitudes of kauri rickers (baby trees) pushing towards the light.
You should make sure you do at least one of the kauri forest tracks while you are in Auckland. We particularly recommend the Karamatura Loop and connected Karamatura Track near Huia, Kitekite Falls from Piha, and Massey Cossey Track Loop in the Hunua Range. If you are tight for time, take the nature walk at Arataki or Spraggs Track, both accessible on the Scenic Drive in the Waitakere Range.
Waterfalls
There are a number of waterfalls around Auckland. This includes 20 metre Oakley Falls near Western Springs, which can be accessed on the Oakley Creek Te Auaunga Walkway in Waterview.
There are also several accessible waterfalls in the Waitakere Range, including Karekare Falls, which is just 5 minutes’ walk from Karekare, and our favourite, the 80 metre high Kitekite Falls, accessible from Piha. There are also a series of unnamed waterfalls on the Upper Nihotupu Reservoir Walk, the Karamatura Falls on the Karamatura Loop, and the Waitakere Falls below the Waitakere Reservoir.
Islands
There are a number of islands you can visit around the Waitemata Harbour and Hauraki Gulf. These include the fabulous Tiritiri Matangi bird sanctuary, which is an hour away by ferry from downtown Auckland, and Rangitoto, our youngest volcanic cone at about 600 years old and a significant feature separating the Waitemata Harbour from the Hauraki Gulf.
The two largest islands in Auckland, however, are Waiheke (which is 40 minutes away by ferry from downtown) and Great Barrier Island (which is 30 minutes by plane or 4 hours on a boat). These two islands are very different. Waiheke is effectively a beach suburb of Auckland, with great food and wineries. There is a wonderful coast walk – Te Ara Hura – with legs on the north and south side of the ferry terminal in Matiatia Bay. Allow a couple of hours on either leg to walk around the coastal cliffs then into Oneroa, or to one of the wineries on the south side. It is easy to explore wider with the local bus service, or you can rent a car, scooter, or electric bike.
Great Barrier Island is much more of a step back in time. This is of course its charm, with beautiful remote beaches, regenerating native forest, and the fabulous multi-day Aotea Track around the centre of the island. It’s best to rent a car for a multi-day stay.
Auckland City at night
Over the years, Auckland has gradually become more interesting and colourful by night. The Skytower is often lit up in different colours, and the gradually rising skyline also certainly helps.
Sunrise and sunset
Auckland is quite reliable for colourful sunrises and sunsets. The best place for catching a great view is probably the summit of Maungawhau Mt Eden, but there are many other options, including the sunset anywhere on the west coast – we recommend looking over the gannet colony at Muriwai. Sunrise on the east coast is also often spectacular; one of the best spots we have found is from the high point on the North Shore Coastal Walk at the north end of Long Bay.
Want more Auckland trip ideas?
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