This is one of the most beautiful green spaces I've ever seen in my life. I thoroughly enjoyed…read morewandering through the grounds of the domain. Especially the greenhouses. I wanted to stay in those spaces, smell all the flowers, touch all the plants, and pick some of the very ripe fruits and vegetables. I admit to smelling some flowers and touching a few plants, but no fruits or veggies were at risk. Highly recommend the Auckland Domain if you are in Auckland. It's free, beautiful, and walking it is great exercise. It's made of win.

Green lawns, ball fields, gazebos with live music, clean public restrooms, unique trees & shrubs,…read moreendless trails with lots of benches & a very nice day. I loved the trees, I expected to see a Hobbit crawl out. We were walking to the museum & then back to our hotel. We passed pristine rolling hills, a bowling center, tennis center, Olympic aquatic center .... Many were biking, walking, jogging and enjoying the green space. There is a botanic garden near the museum.

I won't say much but second the great reviews. This is a great library and as a backpacker i spent…read moremany days in here using the wifi, getting info, etc. Not many backpackers here, mostly locals. Quiet. clean. very nice :)

Alberton was definitely in the running when I was choosing a wedding venue as it is just so…read morebeautiful. It's one of those places that is constantly used for fashion, film and even music video shoots because its historic character is so well preserved. It is grand, old and beautiful but there are some rules and regulations that apply to keeping it that way so keep that in mind if you are thinking of using it for an event. The great thing is that it's open to the public so all you have to do is wander on in and explore all its nooks and crannies at your leisure. You will have to pay for the pleasure but that's as it should be in order to keep preserve places like this for future generations. The grounds are stunning as well and a visit here can take you back in time for some romantic day-dreaming. Great for kids too - history is so much more interesting when it's tangible.

Auckland's got a bad track record of hanging on to our historic buildings. Noteworthy architecture?…read moreImportant cultural heritage? Nah, let's tear it down and put up a featureless grey box full of leaky apartments. Sigh. At least we've got it right here though. Alberton House is from the mid 1800s, and it's a pretty neat place. It's a good venue for events (I was here for a wedding), but even without that it's cool just to have a wander around looking at the building itself, with its rabbit-warren servants' quarters and wooden everything. Also if you go upstairs (I say stairs, it's more like a ladder built for elves), they've got a few rooms set up with period furniture, and some of the creepiest dolls I've seen in a long time. This place is worth a visit, especially if the weather is good.

Volcano with views of the harbor. A beautiful park up here overlooking the beaches and Auckland…read more Loved watching this hand gliders, There was a lot of seating, clean bathrooms, parking & endless trails. This was the nice stop on a hot afternoon.

This area is beautiful. There is just so much to see. We were lucky to arrive during Cherry…read moreBlossom time. They have a bunch of trees and when it blossoms it's so pretty. They also have a bunch of sheep along the side of the roads. You can stop and take a bunch of pictures. They roam freely so be careful not to hit any.

Just before Anzac Day this year The Ellerslie Community Hall got a Anzac Day memorial plaque . Not…read morea small forget -about -it one ,but a giant glass mural of poppies to commensurate the 100 year anniversary of the Gallipoli landings . It is really pretty and makes the small corner of the hall stand out . In the summer when the water fountain is going a lot of people / kids seek respite from the heat in the large community centre area . I like Ellerslie it has a lot going for it .

If I was just rating this building on looks alone, I would have given it 5 stars. It's a beautiful…read moreold heritage type building that was constructed in 1930 and has been called " one of the most self- consciously monumental public buildings erected in early twentieth century New Zealand". True to its name it was the former main railway station of New Zealand before services were moved to the Britomart station. The inside lower floor is just as visually stunning as the outside, with mural like floors and grand staircases. However all this just belies the sham it houses now. It is now used as housing for Auckland University students and shoddy housing it is too. Tiny kitchenettes that lead off to even tinier bedrooms, the most basic bathrooms ever, and a communal cooking and eating area. It's not even that well priced, it should be at clearance level rent. Honestly I feel sorry for anyone who has to live here voluntarily, but the apartment market in Auckland is so tight at the moment it really is needs must. It's such a shame that such a wonderful, historic building is really going to waste.

I'm not 100 percent sure that you can just walk on into this place if you don't live here, but I…read moredid anyway because the building is truly amazing. Actually I am pretty sure you can walk into the main entrance part because there are no security doors here, but the next part is where it has been converted into small apartments, so don't go getting yourself into trouble. Anyway this is the old railway building, and I can remember using it when it was still operational many years back. It is architecturally a fantastic place to visit, both outside and inside, and such an iconic building that it should be used as something worthwhile, like a museum. But alas it is being wasted as budget accommodation, and pretty dodgy accommodation at that. It makes me sad. And now I'm confused as to how to distribute my rating stars.

Beautiful views from the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Park at Bastion Point…read more Take the Explorer Bus to stop #8 and enjoy the park. The bus comes about every 30 minutes. The memorial has a sunken reflecting pool, a huge obelisk and the most beautiful surrounding garden. Climb up and down the steps to get a better view. Walk through the park to get a better view overlooking the harbor. What a difference a day makes. Monday was blue skies and so sunny as compared to the intermittent thunderstorms and overcast skies the day before. A nice way to enjoy a beautiful summer afternoon in Auckland.

Michael Savage is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike in central Auckland. From…read morehere you have spectacular views of Auckland city; I've seen several sunsets here and I'm never tired of them. You're also able to visit the memorial of the park's namesake, Michael Joseph Savage, who founded the Welfare State and was the first Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand. The monument is such a great piece of New Zealand history and is surrounded by a pond and beautiful gardens you can walk through. The parking spaces fill up quickly here but there's more than enough room for everyone, whether you're exercising, having a picnic or going for a leisurely stroll. The rolling grass areas are huge and give you a great view no matter where you are. If you aren't travelling by car, there's pedestrian access on the west end of Mission Bay. If you forget to bring dessert with you, there's almost always an ice cream truck there in the afternoon. My partner and I make frequent visits here usually after lunch dates on Tamaki Drive, as its a great place to digest, chill out and appreciate this great piece of our city. Wedding parties are also a common sight and its no surprise considering the beautiful backdrop the memorial offers. You're sure to see tourists by the busload every hour here, viewing the scenery and taking snaps galore. Its nice to know that visitors get to see this place, as it really is an Auckland marvel through and through.

Quiz night on Tuesdays is the perfect excuse to try out the Horse and Trap. Rigsy is a hoot on the…read moremike. And the bar food is well above average. Pizzas, burgers and salads mingle with steaks and pies on the menu and sit even better upon the tongue. Nothing original, but it's all done well. Just what one hopes for at a local. All that's left to achieve is that elusive 1st place...

The Horse & Trap's tagline is that they are a "stable of social relaxing". When we visited on a…read morebusy Friday evening, this was certainly the case. It was pretty packed, with after-work suits, girls pre-loading for town, and an intriguing mix of middle-aged suburbanites. The 100 year old building that the bar is housed in has a lovely feel to it; spread across 3 floors with plenty of private function rooms and outdoor areas, this venue can hold a crowd. As a Monteith's bar, your tap selection also includes their range of ciders which makes for a refreshing summer tipple. We were planning to just grab a drink or two, but looked over the menu & decided to stay. 1 of the 2 man-sized appetites I was dining with had a hankering for a burger, and the Horse & Trap Burger was calling his name. Served with pepper relish, battered onion rings & fries for $20, this was a man-sized burger. It even had the Kiwi touch with large slices of beetroot adorning the filling. The pattie appeared to be homemade, which is a big thumbs up for a busy pub kitchen. The chips were well cooked & seasoned, onion rings crispy & the relish was tasty. The only minor complaint was that the burger had been zealously seasoned - a touch too much cumin & coriander overpowered the other flavours. Otherwise the burger craving was well sated, and the request for extra aioli was happily met. Our other dishes included the Pulled Pork Quesadilla with black beans, cheese, guacamole & salsa ($18). Again this was heartily-sized for a quesadilla. The filling was tasty, but the guacamole was more like pureed avocado as you can see from the photo. It was a little too smooth & runny to qualify as guacamole. The last dish of the 3 was the Open Steak Sandwich with caramelised onion, gravy & fries ($19). Often times you'll get served a rubbery minute steak or flaccid schnitzel in a steak sandwich, so I was pleasantly surprised to have a decent cut of steak, cooked medium-rare. The gravy & onions complemented it very well; all-in-all, pretty damn good pub grub. It's not the cheapest night out at the pub, but the food shouldn't disappoint. Maybe that's why the mostly middle-aged clientele are proud to call this their local.