Auckland/Central

The Auckland isthmus was settled by Māori around 1350. The central business district (CBD) on the shore of the Waitemata Harbour is where the first European settlement of Auckland began in 1840. It was the capital of New Zealand from 1841 to 1865, when Wellington became the capital, and the Old Government House still stands, now part of the University of Auckland. Central Auckland is the part of wider Auckland that was known as "Auckland City" and governed by the Auckland City Council until 2010, when the region-wide Auckland Council replaced it.

The Britomart Transport Centre on the corner of Queen St and Customs St near the waterfront in the CBD is the final arrival/departure point for the Auckland Transport (AT) train network that links Central Auckland with South Auckland and West Auckland. It is the main information centre for public transport, where you will find free bus, train and ferry schedules. Timetables can also be downloaded from the AT website.

The ferry terminal is across Quay St from Britomart. Ferries run to several places on the North Shore, West Auckland (upper Waitematā Harbour) and East Auckland.

From the airport, there are several options. Many taxi companies operate directly from Auckland Airport - which lists available services here. Super Shuttle operates a ride sharing-like service, which can be considerably more cost-effective than a taxi. Trips can take longer if there are other passengers and must be booked in advance but are a very good option for the budget conscious. Ridesharing services such as Uber are also available near the airport, see here. It requires a short walk from the domestic terminal with your luggage to get to the ridesharing zone, but they are generally cheaper than official taxi services and are widely regarded as safe and reliable. However, prices are subject to fluctuation so shopping around is advised.

By car, driving around Auckland is very accessible, with the vast majority of transport in the city being private vehicles. Navigating to the city is relatively straightforward, and in the suburbs parking is usually plentiful and free. In the CBD, parking is often available but can be very expensive. Council operated car parks, and street parking are usually less expensive than privately operated parking buildings and will often be free after 6pm and on weekends. It is, however, worth reading signage carefully no matter where you park. It also pays to be especially mindful of parking spots that become clearways during peak traffic hours, as you will find that if you are even a minute late your car has been whisked away to the nearest lot - where it might get very expensive to have it returned to you.

Uber is available throughout central Auckland and most of the rest of Auckland.

Electric scooters are available from 5AM to 11PM, and can be used with their respective apps: Flamingo, Beam, and Neuron. Neuron scooters are larger, faster (up to 25 km/h) and more stable, and usually have a helmet attached, which the app urges the user to wear. Flamingo has the easiest app onboarding process.

Auckland Transport runs all public transport across the region. The central suburbs are reasonably well serviced and should be navigable easily if somewhat slowly by bus and train. The journey planner provided by AT can assist with transport plans, as well as google maps.

Walking is almost certainly the easiest way to navigate the CBD and as well as further afield for the more adventurous. Footpaths are wide and fairly flat and the city is moving towards favouring pedestrians especially in the inner city - this is a work in progress and you should be mindful of traffic wherever you are. Further out in the central suburbs public transport or taxis/ridesharing may be preferred for time's sake.

• 🌍 Auckland Art Gallery, corner Kitchener and Wellesley Sts, ☏ +64 9 307-7700. Daily 10AM-5PM, closed 25 Dec. The largest collection of national and international art in New Zealand, housed in a landmark building on the edge of Albert Park in the heart of Auckland. Regularly hosts touring international exhibitions and offers a calendar of talks, performances, film screenings and children's activities to complement its exhibition programme. Has a shop and café. Free entry for New Zealand residents, for international adults $20; charges for some special exhibitions. (updated Feb 2019)
• 🌍 Auckland Domain, Park Rd, Grafton. A large park (75 ha) on an extinct volcano. It has the War Memorial Museum on its highest point and also the historically important winter gardens with impressive flower bed displays, tropical plants and statues (free). There are scenic views of the Waitemata Harbour and islands of the Hauraki Gulf from in front of the museum. (updated Oct 2017)
• 🌍 Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland Domain, Parnell (bus 781 from Newmarket), ☏ +64 9 309-0443. 10AM-5PM. Despite the name, this is not primarily a war museum – it is a general museum and one of the best in New Zealand. It stands in an imposing position in Auckland Domain. It includes excellent displays of Māori and other Polynesian peoples' arts and crafts, the geography of the Auckland region, and daily Māori cultural performances (ground floor). The top floor records names in stone, sobering tombs and lists of war events and their locations. There's a planetarium and a cafe. The museum was constructed in the 1920s as a memorial to those who fought and died in wars. The cenotaph in the grounds below the museum entrance is the focal point for annual ANZAC Day remembrance services. Overseas adult $25, overseas child 6-14 years $10; NZ residents donation invited; Auckland residents free with MyMuseum card or proof of residency. (updated Feb 2019)
• 🌍 Auckland Zoo, Motions Rd, Western Springs (bus route 18 from Victoria Street), ☏ +64 9 360-3800, aucklandzoo@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. 1 Sep-30 Apr 9:30AM–5:30PM (last admissions at 16:15), but Fridays open until 8PM; 1 May–31 Aug 9:30AM-5PM; closed 25 Dec. The zoo has the largest collection of native and exotic animals in New Zealand, with 120 animal species, over 750 animals and a number of different habitats such as the Rainforest and Pridelands (an African savannah) set in 17 hectares. Adults (15 years+) $28, children 4–14 $12, seniors and students with ID $23, family rates available. 
• 🌍 Holy Trinity Cathedral, 446 Parnell Rd, Parnell. Viewing daily 10AM-3PM, main services Su 10AM, 5PM. Large modern Anglican cathedral that opened in 1965 and can seat 1100 people. Next to it is St Mary's Church, the largest wooden Gothic church in the world, built in 1886 and moved to the present site in 1982. (updated Jan 2019)
• 🌍 Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium, 23 Tamaki Drive, Orakei (TāmakiLink bus from Britomart). It's on the scenic Tamaki Drive and is the home of Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World. It includes a trip through a transparent tunnel while the fish and sharks swim all around you, and tanks of rays with feeding-time talks. 
• 🌍 The Lighthouse / Tū Whenua-a-Kura, Queens Wharf. A sculpture by Michael Parekowhai in the form of a 1950s house, which sits on the end of the wharf. You can't enter the house, but you can look in the windows at the lighting display inspired by the southern skies and a stainless steel sculpture of Captain James Cook. The artwork was installed in 2017. It can be viewed any time, but it may be best to avoid days when cruise ships are alongside. Free. (updated Mar 2020)
• 🌍 MOTAT (Museum of Transport and Technology), Great North Rd, Western Springs (bus route 18 from Victoria Street; 10 minutes walk from the Zoo). Daily 10AM-5PM, closed for one week in March. An interactive technology museum with over 300,000 items, divided among two campuses: one showcasing aviation artifacts, and the other (larger) one on general science and technology, with a focus on communications (history of the telegraph, for example) and transportation. Look out for the WWII Avro Lancaster Bomber and the Solent Flying Boat in the Sir Keith Park Memorial Aviation Collection. Adult $19, child $10, child under 5 free. (updated Jan 2020)
• 🌍 Mount Eden / Maungawhau, 250 Mt Eden Rd (vehicle entrance). The highest natural point in Auckland at 196 m above sea level, this volcanic peak provides 360-degree views from beside the 50-metre deep crater at its summit. There are numerous pedestrian entrances from surrounding streets to the hill's walkways. (updated Jun 2015)
• 🌍 New Zealand Maritime Museum, corner Quay and Hobson Sts, Viaduct Harbour, ☏ +64 9 373-0800. Daily 10AM–5PM. Many interesting exhibits chronicle New Zealand's maritime history, including actual yachts from the America's Cup and interactive displays and machines. There is an Auckland harbour cruise on an old-style cargo scow that takes about 1 hour and costs extra (adult $25). You can also see the "ship in a bottle" exhibit, and meet the volunteers working on the models. Adult $20, Auckland residents free. (updated Jan 2017)
• 🌍 One Tree Hill / Maungakiekie, 670 Manukau Rd (main entrance). The second highest peak in the city at 182 m above sea level, this volcanic cone offers panoramic views of the city. An obelisk on the summit marks the grave of Sir John Logan Campbell, a founding father of Auckland city. The summit has not had a solitary tree, for which it was known, since 2000. Terraces where the structures of a fortified Maori village (pa) once stood are still visible on the slopes. The peak is surrounded by One Tree Hill Domain and Cornwall Park, the largest parkland on the Auckland isthmus, where you can see cattle and sheep grazing within a major city. There is a children's playground near the Stardome (see below). (updated Jun 2015)
• 🌍 Sky Tower, corner Victoria and Federal Sts. Daily 9AM–10PM. At 328 m, this is the tallest free-standing tower in the Southern Hemisphere, offering views of up to 80 km away and fine dining in the Orbit revolving restaurant. $29. (updated Oct 2017)
• 🌍 St Matthew's Church, 132 Hobson St (corner of Wellesley St). Services Su 10AM, sometimes open for viewing on other days. Anglican church. The fine neo-Gothic stone church building opened in 1905. (updated Jan 2020)
• 🌍 Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, 670 Manukau Rd, One Tree Hill Domain. 

• 🌍 Auckland Bridge Climb, 105 Curran St Extension, Westhaven Marina, toll-free: 0800 286-4958. If you have a head for heights, you can walk up the arch of the Harbour Bridge. Bungy jumps from the bridge are also available. Adult $130, child $90, check for promotional discounts. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Auckland Sea Kayaks, St Heliers Central Boat Ramp, 384 Tamaki Dr, ☏ +64 21 192-4939, toll-free: 0800 999-089, info@aucklandseakayaks.co.nz. Sea kayaking tours including to the islands of Rangitoto, Motutapu, Motuihe and Motukorea (Browns Island). Auckland is a unique sea kayaking location. Tours suitable for all experience levels. Tours launch at St Heliers - free pickup from downtown. 
• 🌍 Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari, Viaduct Harbour Basin (at the western end (left as you are looking at the harbour) of downtown Quay St.; on arrival by foot, look for their boat just past the Voyager Maritime Museum on the right immediately after the large KZ1 yacht), toll-free: 0508 365-744, bookings@awads.co.nz. Daily, times vary seasonally. Explore the beautiful Hauraki Gulf Marine Park during a 4.5-hour marine eco-safari on a purpose-built vessel, the Dolphin Explorer. They have years of experience and guarantee that you will see marine mammals – or your next trip is free. Adult $129, child $89. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Eden Park, Kingsland. New Zealand's top sports stadium, hosting cricket in summer and rugby union in winter - the All Blacks national rugby team often play here. In 2023 it staged matches in the Women's World Cup for soccer, co-hosted by NZ and Australia. Event tickets often include free train travel to and from the park – get off the train at Kingsland not Mount Eden Station. (updated Aug 2023)
• Explore NZ, Viaduct Harbour Basin, ☏ +64 9 359-5987, fax: +64 9 358-3137, info@exploregroup.co.nz. Waitemata Harbour sailboat cruises on a boat from the Pride of Auckland fleet. Also offer a 2-hr Sailing Experience on an original America's Cup yacht. Other activities are available. 
• Manukau coastal walks between Onehunga and Blockhouse Bay. The track is 9 km long in total, but meets the roads in many places, so you can easily do just part of it. It includes areas of native forest. 
• Odyssey Sensory Maze, 291-297 Queen St (inside Sky World Entertainment Centre, on the Lower Basement level), ☏ +64 9 365-1145. Su–Th 10AM–9PM, F Sa 10AM–10PM. Indoor maze with several rooms, each with a unique theme, and allowing for a different sensory experience: guess the smell/sound/object (by touch); find your way out of a room full of mirrors; swim through a balloon pit etc. $17–$22. (updated Feb 2020)
• 🌍 Rangitoto Island (take ferry from downtown). A dormant volcano island that stands prominently near the entrance to the Waitemata Harbour. Climb to the summit for fantastic views of the harbour and Auckland city. Take a picnic or have a swim. There is a guided tour that will take you most of the way up the volcano (on a very bumpy road in a tractor trailer) for about $30. There are no shops on the island, so buy any food and drink you need before you go. Toilets are available at the harbour. (updated Apr 2015)
• Rent skates in Okahu Bay and take a scenic skate along Tamaki Drive.
• Sky Jump. A cable-controlled base jump from a height of 192 m on the Sky Tower. Also the Sky Walk, a walk around a 1.2 m walkway with no hand rails. (updated Jan 2018)
• 🌍 Wynyard Loop tram. Sundays and public holidays 10AM-4PM. A short tram loop, run by MOTAT. Operating hours and length of loop in operation depend on the redevelopment in progress in the area. Two vintage trams are used on this route. $2. (updated Dec 2023)

• Franklin Road Christmas Lights, Franklin Road (Start outside the Victoria Park New World and walk up the hill). 1-24 December, dusk - 11PM. Every year the residents of this street put up a stunning display of lights on their houses. The street has many early 20th century houses tightly packed together. The display can be seen by driving along Franklin Road, by this is clogged with traffic on these nights and the display is best seen on foot. On some evening buskers and choirs are outside a few houses. (updated Dec 2023)

• La Cigale French Market, 69 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell. Sa 8AM-1:30PM, Su 9AM-1:30PM. The emphasis is on seasonal fruit and vegetables (organic or spray-free whenever possible), artisan baked bread, cheese, confectioneries, oils, spices and home made preserves and jams. 
• 🌍 Pauanesia, 35 High St. Daily. Collaborates with local designers, artisans, jewellers and ceramic studios to create unique home textiles, accessories, bags, jewellery and stationery that celebrate New Zealand nature and lifestyle. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Victoria Park Market, Victoria St West (walking distance from the CBD). Daily. Cafés from 7AM, shops from 10AM. It used to have lots of craft stalls, then was renovated and reopened in 2013. (updated Jul 2021)
• 🌍 The Warehouse, 21 Elliott Street (inside Atrium on Elliott Shopping Centre). Daily 8AM–8PM. Value chain store for household goods, clothing and a small selection of food. (updated Aug 2015)
• 🌍 Westfield Newmarket, 277 Broadway (Near Newmarket railway station and on green Inner Link bus route). Sa - W 9AM - 7PM, Th F 9AM - 9PM (Countdown daily 7AM - 10PM). Large 3 floor shopping mall, which opened in 2019 with David Jones and Farmers department stores and a Countdown supermarket. (updated Jan 2020)
• 🌍 Smith & Caughey's, 253-261 Queen Street. Traditional department store, mainly selling upmarket clothes, established in 1880. The main store on Queen Street is in a heritage building, completed in 1929, with a smaller second store in Newmarket. In December there is an animated Christmas window display. (updated Jul 2021)
• 🌍 The Women's Bookshop, 105 Ponsonby Rd, ☏ +64 9 376 4399, books@womensbookshop.co.nz. M–F 9AM–6PM, Sa Su 10AM–5PM. Not exclusively books by women writers, but those are clearly the focus, and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. The shop is relatively small but has an interesting selection, including sizeable sections focused on writers from New Zealand and LGBTQI+ books. (updated Nov 2022)

Britomart Precinct on the waterfront in the city centre is home to an array of popular and diverse bars and eateries: Agents + Merchants, Cafe Hanoi, Tyler St Garage, Ebisu, Britomart Country Club, Mexico to name a few. Viaduct Harbour provides upmarket dining, starting at $30 for mains. Some of the establishments there have a reputation for sub-par food and service for the high price. For kosher food, the Auckland Jewish Community Centre, which includes the Auckland Hebrew Congregation, has a kosher shop located on Greys Ave in the CBD (next to the Duxton Hotel) and is open every day except Mondays, Saturdays and Jewish festivals. It stocks a large range of kosher products.

There are some good cheap food courts offering a variety of usually Asian foods. For downtown food halls, try next to the Queens' Arcade at the bottom of Queen St (slightly hidden entrance), or the Metro award-winning one at the bottom of Albert St. The Ponsonby International food court has the cheapest eats in this somewhat pricey neighbourhood with the Mexican stall a standout among the Asian stalls.

There's a concentration of bars in the Viaduct area near the waterfront.

• The Occidental, 6 Vulcan Lane, CBD (just off Queen St). A popular place with the after-work crowd. Serves traditional Belgian beers alongside Belgian cuisine, including mussels and frites. 
• Shadows Bar, 8 Alfred St (University of Auckland campus). Student bar with decent prices. 
• Cassette Number 9, Vulcan Ln. A bar and club featuring different music nights. 
• SkyCity, corner of Federal & Victoria Sts. Entertainment complex with a dozen bars & cafes including Bellota, a Spanish tapas bar. 
• 🌍 The Brit (formerly Northern Steamship), 122 Quay St. Gastropub. Mains $17-30, beer starts at $5 for a can of Lion Brown. (updated Jun 2020)
• Bar Tabac, 6 Mills Ln. In a rustic heritage building in the back streets of downtown Auckland. Co-owned by musician Neil Finn of Crowded House. 

For craft beer enthusiasts there are several breweries in the Kingsland/Morningside area, often referred to as the Beer Mile, not far from the city.

• Galbraiths Alehouse, 2 Mt Eden Rd, Eden Terrace. A brewery and pub with a great selection of traditional beer and wine. 
• Fridge and Flagon, 2 Shaddock St. A small on-licence and off-license selling craft beer. A food truck is often open there. Closes for winter (July and August). (updated Jul 2022)
• Churly's, 1a Charles St, Mount Eden (across the street from Galbraith's Alehouse). A brewery serving beer from Behemoth Brewing Co. Small plates of food available but can be fairly expensive. (updated Jul 2022)
• Garage Project Cellar Door, 357 New North Rd, Kingsland. Smallish "cellar door" style, serving tasting flights of 6 or so beers. You can select your beers or let the staff choose for you. (updated Jul 2022)
• Urbanaut, 597 New North Rd, Kingsland, ☏ +64 9 215 9074. A brewery and bar serving craft beer and cider. Food is available. (updated Jul 2022)
• The Beer Spot Morningside, 596 New North Rd, Kingsland, ☏ +64 9 9742985, morningside@thebeerspot.co.nz. A bar with a large rotating selection of craft beers. There is a food truck which changes weekly. (updated Jul 2022)
• Brothers Brewing, 5 Akiraho St, Mount Eden, ☏ +64 9 638 7592. Serving beer from Brothers brewery and food to share. (updated Jul 2022)

Auckland is generally a fairly safe place. Be careful in these areas:

Karangahape Road (K Rd): There are a lot of pubs and clubs here, and care should be taken late at night.

Queen Street: During the day, this is a respectable shopping area, and after dark, there are usually still a large number of pedestrians and traffic until the early hours of the morning so the area it is relatively safe. On Friday and Saturday nights, there are typically many heavily intoxicated people wandering up and down the street. Some may seem intimidating, but they are usually more interested in getting to their next drinking destination than anything else. An increasing number of homeless people sleep around this area, but they are unlikely to bother you except a plea for loose change.

Fort Street: Once the centre of Auckland's red light district. Fort Street is now considered backpackers street with 3 major backpackers' hostels calling it home. During the day you can drink at one of Fort Streets many cafes and dance the night away in one of Fort Streets many bars.

High Street/Vulcan Lane: During the day, this is an elegant and upmarket shopping area. At night, it gets quieter, but on weekends, there will be a large young crowd at the various bars and clubs along the street, and is usually quite safe. Police regularly patrol this street on weekends for disorderly drunk youths.

Viaduct Harbour: Many bars are located here, and care should be taken late at night as intoxication levels rise.

Free internet is available from the public library (limited 100MB per IP address per day). There is also free Wi-Fi in the Skycity food courts. There are 40 HotSpots that offer Wi-Fi connectivity, most notably Esquires cafe (inside Skycity Queen St, Middle Queen St, Lower Queen St, Nelson St), Starbucks (Victoria St, K' Rd, Lower Queen St) and other cafes around Auckland.