Guidebook for Auckland
Food Scene
Goode Brothers
588 Chapel RdA great café to stop at when you're in Hobsonville Point to check out the markets or walking tracks
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Catalina Cafe
Hastings StreetA great café to stop at when you're in Hobsonville Point to check out the markets or walking tracks
Hallertau Brewery
1171 Coatesville Riverhead HwyGreat craft beer
The Riverhead
33 York TerraceSoljans Estate Winery
366 State Hwy 16Little Sister Café
91 Central Park DrBlossoms Cafe
Cafe Botannix Westgate
Tasty cafe food and reasonable prices
Casablanca
336 Hibiscus Coast HwyFlagship Cafe Restaurant and Bar
15 Clearwater CoveClose to us and has lovely views
Sightseeing
Lofttungutornið
Victoria Street WestMaungaūika / North Head Saga Reserve
18 Takarunga RoadWaiheke Island is a stunning place to visit or stay! There are so many things to do, with beaches and vineyards the main drawcards. There's also some adventure stuff like archery, and a very cute little local museum.
You can drive to Auckland CBD or catch the ferry from West Harbour (a half hour fast-walk from our house, or a 5-10 minute drive), then catch the ferry from Auckland CBD to Waiheke Island. On the Island, you can get a full day bus pass and the buses are regular and easy to use. There are also taxis available.
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Waiheke Island
25 Karaka RdWaiheke Island is a stunning place to visit or stay! There are so many things to do, with beaches and vineyards the main drawcards. There's also some adventure stuff like archery, and a very cute little local museum.
You can drive to Auckland CBD or catch the ferry from West Harbour (a half hour fast-walk from our house, or a 5-10 minute drive), then catch the ferry from Auckland CBD to Waiheke Island. On the Island, you can get a full day bus pass and the buses are regular and easy to use. There are also taxis available.
Entertainment & Activities
There's free parking at the Zoo and there's overflow parking too. I love going to the zoo and would recommend it!
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Áklandssafn
There's free parking at the Zoo and there's overflow parking too. I love going to the zoo and would recommend it!
Event Cinemas Westgate
34 Fernhill Dr$10 movies!
Essentials
Our cheapest grocery store nearby - be sure to bring your own shopping bags or a box!
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PAK'nSAVE
Our cheapest grocery store nearby - be sure to bring your own shopping bags or a box!
Our closest supermarket, walking distance. Be sure to bring yur own shopping bags or a box!
Countdown Massey
Royal RoadOur closest supermarket, walking distance. Be sure to bring yur own shopping bags or a box!
This is our favourite local fruit and vege shop - if you need to buy a lot of fresh produce it's a lot cheaper buying from here rather than the supermarkets
Seasons Market
120 Sunnynook RdThis is our favourite local fruit and vege shop - if you need to buy a lot of fresh produce it's a lot cheaper buying from here rather than the supermarkets
Shopping
NorthWest Shopping Centre
7 Fred Taylor DrNice and close, easy parking, new shopping centre
These are held every Friday from 11am-7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 8:30am to 2pm. It's very food-based, with a lot of food trucks and local produce vendors. There's often some entertainment (live musicians) and after you've checked out the market there are some lovely walking tracks you can also use around Hobsonville Point
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Catalina Bay Farmers Market
Hudson Bay Road ExtensionThese are held every Friday from 11am-7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 8:30am to 2pm. It's very food-based, with a lot of food trucks and local produce vendors. There's often some entertainment (live musicians) and after you've checked out the market there are some lovely walking tracks you can also use around Hobsonville Point
Held on the first Sunday of every month (but there are no markets in January)
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Coatesville Market
Mahoenui Valley RoadHeld on the first Sunday of every month (but there are no markets in January)
The Matakana markets are a great starting point for a day trip north od Auckland. They're held every Saturday from 8am to 1pm. The town itself is very cute and it's close to Omaha Beach - a nice white sand beach that's very easy and safe to swim at.
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Matakana Village Farmers' Market
2 Matakana Valley RdThe Matakana markets are a great starting point for a day trip north od Auckland. They're held every Saturday from 8am to 1pm. The town itself is very cute and it's close to Omaha Beach - a nice white sand beach that's very easy and safe to swim at.
Arts & Culture
Auckland Listasafn Toi o Tamaki
Wellesley Street EastThere's some free two-hour parking for the museum around Auckland Domain but it;s first-in-first-served. There's also paid parking on the streets nearby. While you're at the Domain for the Museum, make sure you check out the Winter Gardens!
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Auckland Stríðsminningarsafn
There's some free two-hour parking for the museum around Auckland Domain but it;s first-in-first-served. There's also paid parking on the streets nearby. While you're at the Domain for the Museum, make sure you check out the Winter Gardens!
The Museum of Transport and Technology has a great mix of old historical things and fun modern attractions. There's free parking around Western Springs (which is also a nice spot to walk around!)
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Samgöngu- og tæknimúseum
805 Great N RdThe Museum of Transport and Technology has a great mix of old historical things and fun modern attractions. There's free parking around Western Springs (which is also a nice spot to walk around!)
Parks & Nature
The Waitakere Ranges is a beautiful park and there are some amazing tramps through there, but a lot of them are closed currently to stop the spread of Kauri Dieback (a disease that's killing some of the biggest, most important native trees in the forest). Please respect the closures while you're here - we'll have information for you about which tracks are open so you can still experience the beauty of the park!
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Waitākere Ranges Regional Park
The Waitakere Ranges is a beautiful park and there are some amazing tramps through there, but a lot of them are closed currently to stop the spread of Kauri Dieback (a disease that's killing some of the biggest, most important native trees in the forest). Please respect the closures while you're here - we'll have information for you about which tracks are open so you can still experience the beauty of the park!
One of the closest, most accessible black sand beaches on our West Coast. While you're there make sure you take the walk up to see the ganet colony!
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Muriwai
One of the closest, most accessible black sand beaches on our West Coast. While you're there make sure you take the walk up to see the ganet colony!
Bethells Beach is one of our closest west coast beaches. The beaches along this coastline can get very wild (definitely need to swim between the flags!) but Bethells has the added attraction of Lake Wainamu - a fresh water lake. There's a car park for the Lake off the main road to Bethells Beach, and you follow the river for a bit before walking over the sand dunes to the Lake.
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Bethells Beach
Bethells Beach is one of our closest west coast beaches. The beaches along this coastline can get very wild (definitely need to swim between the flags!) but Bethells has the added attraction of Lake Wainamu - a fresh water lake. There's a car park for the Lake off the main road to Bethells Beach, and you follow the river for a bit before walking over the sand dunes to the Lake.
Another one of our West Coast beaches, this is the most difficult one to get to but it is so beautful! It's about 15 minutes by car, with the last stretch on a loose gravel road, so I'd only recommend it if you're confident on roads like that. There's a downhall walk to the beach from the car park, but the scene is just stunning.
Anawhata
Another one of our West Coast beaches, this is the most difficult one to get to but it is so beautful! It's about 15 minutes by car, with the last stretch on a loose gravel road, so I'd only recommend it if you're confident on roads like that. There's a downhall walk to the beach from the car park, but the scene is just stunning.
This is one of our most useable West Coast black sand beaches and it's a great spot for a day trip. The beach itself is very long and you can also walk over the hill on the far end to another beach - White Beach. This beach won't have lifeguards so you need to be extra careful if you're going in the water, but it's beautiful and tends to be quieter than Piha itself.
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Piha
This is one of our most useable West Coast black sand beaches and it's a great spot for a day trip. The beach itself is very long and you can also walk over the hill on the far end to another beach - White Beach. This beach won't have lifeguards so you need to be extra careful if you're going in the water, but it's beautiful and tends to be quieter than Piha itself.
This is our favourite of the black sand West Coast beaches - you can also easily check it out on the way to Piha or Anawhata (they all divert off the same main road). As well as the awesome beach, there's a cool waterfall a short walk up the road that you can also swim in.
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Karekare Beach
2 Karekare RdThis is our favourite of the black sand West Coast beaches - you can also easily check it out on the way to Piha or Anawhata (they all divert off the same main road). As well as the awesome beach, there's a cool waterfall a short walk up the road that you can also swim in.
If you're jusr wanting a short, local walk for exercise or to kill time, Moire Park is perfect! There's an entrance just down the road and there are some walking tracks through bush as well as sports fields etc
Moire Park
23 Granville DrIf you're jusr wanting a short, local walk for exercise or to kill time, Moire Park is perfect! There's an entrance just down the road and there are some walking tracks through bush as well as sports fields etc
It's a bit of a drive away but if you have the time it is totally worth the trip! Time your visit around high tide, and you can swim at the beach in the park, as well as do the walk over the hills to see incredible views of Auckland
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Shakespeare svæðisbundinn parkur
1501 Whangaparaoa RdIt's a bit of a drive away but if you have the time it is totally worth the trip! Time your visit around high tide, and you can swim at the beach in the park, as well as do the walk over the hills to see incredible views of Auckland
Takapuna is a lovely place to have lunch or do a spot of shopping, and there's a big beach to relax at too. Sometimes it's difficult to find somewhere to park (a lot of it is paid street parking or in carparking buildings) so if you're just going for the beach I'd recommend going to Milford beach instead - just as pretty but parking is a lot easier and it's usually a bit quieter than Takapuna Beach
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Takapuna
Takapuna is a lovely place to have lunch or do a spot of shopping, and there's a big beach to relax at too. Sometimes it's difficult to find somewhere to park (a lot of it is paid street parking or in carparking buildings) so if you're just going for the beach I'd recommend going to Milford beach instead - just as pretty but parking is a lot easier and it's usually a bit quieter than Takapuna Beach
A lovely calm beach, great for swimming, and very accessible. There's also a long walking track you can do along the coastline of the North Shore East Coast beaches when the tide is right
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Milford Road
Milford RoadA lovely calm beach, great for swimming, and very accessible. There's also a long walking track you can do along the coastline of the North Shore East Coast beaches when the tide is right
Red Beach
This is a beautiful long, sandy beach - great for swimming, walking and relaxing!
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Stanmore Bay
This is a beautiful long, sandy beach - great for swimming, walking and relaxing!
This is one of Auckland's 48 volcanoes, and you can take the ferry over to walk to the top and have a panoramic view of Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf. There are some old military guard posts up there and heaps of other cool things to discover! Would highly recommend it, but make sure you bring everything you need as there are no shops, and you take all your rubbish back with you
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Rangitoto Island Scenic Reserve
This is one of Auckland's 48 volcanoes, and you can take the ferry over to walk to the top and have a panoramic view of Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf. There are some old military guard posts up there and heaps of other cool things to discover! Would highly recommend it, but make sure you bring everything you need as there are no shops, and you take all your rubbish back with you
There are a lot of beaches to explore just north of Auckland, as well as cool islands like Goat Island!
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Goat Island
There are a lot of beaches to explore just north of Auckland, as well as cool islands like Goat Island!
There are heaps of adventure activities in Woodhill Forest. It's well known for its bike trails, and if you don't have bikes you can hire them at the park from $35 (price depends on how long you want them and how basic they are). There's also Tree Adventures - a suspended obstacle course, 4WD hire, paint ball and horse riding.
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Woodhill Forest
Restall RoadThere are heaps of adventure activities in Woodhill Forest. It's well known for its bike trails, and if you don't have bikes you can hire them at the park from $35 (price depends on how long you want them and how basic they are). There's also Tree Adventures - a suspended obstacle course, 4WD hire, paint ball and horse riding.