Auckland, New Zealand

As one of New Zealand’s largest metropolitan areas, Auckland is a diverse city boasting an excellent range of attractions including museums, galleries, wildlife parks, theme parks and monuments. The city also has a lively nightlife as well as a variety of fun activities for people of all ages to enjoy. Auckland’s bustling urban city centre is surrounded by a spectacular natural landscape and ancient historic ruins and structures. The city is also brimming with activities, excursions and sight-seeing opportunities. The region’s atmosphere and ambience contrasts between busy city life and tranquil national parks and green spaces to create a diverse and exciting cruise destination.

Sightseeing in Auckland

The exceptional range of activities and excursions on offer across Auckland will easily keep visitors occupied and entertained during their stay in the city. Auckland is surrounded by an inspiring natural landscape, so hiking trails and mountain roads are an amazing excursion idea. The city also has a collection of great beaches along the coastline where visitors can spend time relaxing on the sand or swimming in the ocean. The Rainbow’s End Theme Park is a thrilling place to take the whole family for the day and enjoy the rides and shows. Alternatively, Auckland is home to a fascinating variety of museums and art galleries distributed throughout the city.

Auckland War Memorial Museum

The Auckland War Memorial Museum is one of New Zealand’s most significant museums and houses an intriguing range of exhibits including ancient Maori and Pacific artefacts, an extensive collection of historic photographs and millions of specimens from the natural history of New Zealand. The main focus of the museum is the history of warfare and contains an original British Spitfire as well as Mitsubishi Zero aeroplanes.

Sky Tower

The Auckland Sky Tower is the tallest free-standing tower in the southern hemisphere and offers outstanding views from the top. The Orbit revolving restaurant can be found at the top of the Sky Tower and offers visitors delicious cuisine and unbelievable views.

Auckland Zoo

Auckland is home to New Zealand’s largest zoo covering over 17 hectares of land. The zoo is located just outside of the city centre and houses hundreds of different species of animals and plant life. Visitors can spend a whole day at the zoo, viewing exhibits containing animals including lions, tigers, elephants, and alligators amongst many more.

Shopping in Auckland

Auckland boasts an abundance of markets, shops and department stores selling everything from gifts and souvenirs to clothes and electronics. Auckland’s city centre contains many shops containing a range of souvenirs and gifts. Shoppers looking for clothes and fashion should head to High Street and Vulcan Lane where several designer boutiques can be found. Elsewhere, Auckland’s Downtown Mall, also located in the city centre, is an excellent place to shop for general items.

Eating Out in Auckland

The city centre has a variety of cafes, eateries and restaurants serving cuisine from across the world. Also, scattered around town, visitors will find a range of vendors selling Asian snacks and cuisine. People looking for more familiar meals will find them at the many popular fast food outlets located across the city centre and surrounding districts.