My wife and I were on a week long vacation to Auckland and we saw many good reviews for this tour…read more We boarded and took a 40 minute trip to Waiheke Island for some scientific readings and then it was off to see some dolphins and birds and whales. They told us if you find these cool Gannett birds, it should tell you where the dolphins are. They divebomb the fish as the dolphins rile them up. We saw at least 400 dolphins on this trip and then we saw a whale, and they kept us out for an extra hour to check out a dolphin in the harbor. Great crew, that was very fun and you can order beer on the trip. Plus!

We had the most fabulous time today! We saw manta rays, wholes, dolphins and even a shark! Zara…read moretaught us a few things about phytoplankton, tiny plants living near the surface of the ocean, that are responsible for producing the oxygen we breathe for 3 of 5 breaths ! If we do Ty take care of our oceans, we'll have a hard time breathing! My 5 yo and 8 yo said it was a great day that they will never forget.

Pros: - fun -…read moreinteractive - equipment and nice to have items (like fleece jackets, crocs) are included - knowledgeable guides - beautiful views Cons: - Auckland's downpours. lol. I took their sunset kayak tour to Rangitoto Island and thoroughly enjoyed the experience! There's an option to be picked up in the city (near the Auckland War Memorial Museum) which I did. The kayak guide (Eric) met us on time in front of the museum, ushered us into a mini van with kayaks at the back. On the way to the beach, he gave us an overview of what to expect for the day and got us talking to each other, which makes the experience even better! We were paired in twos, got our kayaks and ourselves ready for the journey. It's awesome that this company is really well-prepared and all-inclusive; it is winter at this time and they have fleece jackets of various sizes, crocs of various sizes, outer rain/waterproof jackets, life jackets and the oars. Impressive. All we had to do was show up in shorts (100% no jeans, they won't be comfortable when you get wet!) and comfortable clothing and you're good to go. When we got to Rangitoto, the guides prepared hot beverages and BBQ dinner for us while we took off our wet gears to dry for a bit. After a quick dinner, we began our hike to catch the sunset. One guide led us up the hike, telling us about the trees, bushes and the history of the island along the way. After about 45 min, we got to the top of trail. It was a foggy/rainy evening but we still caught a little bit of the sunset! Going down, we were each given a hand torch (talk about being all prepared!) and made our way back to the kayaks. It was getting cold and we quickly put on our gears and jumped back into our kayaks and made our way back to the city. We got back there around 8-8:30pm, helped to stow away the kayaks and off we went our separate ways. I couldn't have asked for a more fun, active and beautiful experience! Highly recommend this company and this tour if you want to explore Rangitoto!

Elle was great. Very informative and helpful. Dinner was delicious and brownies on top were…read moregreat. Nice group of paddlers.

The wide sweep of Waitemata Harbour slices Auckland in two and is the city's most prominent natural…read morefeature. It was because of this easily navigable waterway that Auckland became New Zealand's capital in 1840. Wellington is now the capital but Auckland remains New Zealand's economic center. We explored this area almost daily by foot and found lots of shopping, dining, transportation and entertainment venues. There were lots of cruisers in the area with their luggage waiting to get on and off their ship.

For all the land lubbers out there, you're missing out. There are so many cool places to see on…read moreAuckland's doorstep, all you have to do is jump in a boat and explore the Waitemata Harbour from the water. For example, on the way up towards Hobsonville, just past the Chelsea Sugar works, there are a few quite idyllic beaches only accessible from the water. Heading out towards Waiheke you can find Brown's Island, Motuihe (my fave), Rakino, or drop anchor and drink yourself silly in Issy Bay, known to locals as "drunk's bay".

The Westhaven Marina adds a lot of beauty and interest to the Auckland waterfront, and helps us…read moreclaim it as a true "city of sails". The marina has a surprising number of services for yachties as well, even clothes washing machines are hidden in some of the shower/toilet blocks for the full-time residents. For those with smaller boats Pier Z has a launching ramp, as well as a busy café and a whole bunche of charter boats (mainly fishing) that go in and out all day. There is also a spiffing new shower block available for public use. If you're not a boatie, the marina still makes an excellent location for a flat, scenic walk or run close to the CBD.

Explored Auckland , we walked in Viaduct harbor and marina. Great place to visit . There were…read moremuseum, cafe , shops, souvenir and restaurants to choose. Walking along we found the crossing bridge. Saw boats crossing and kids swimming while watching the city view. Really enjoyed it.

This place was cool and reminded me so much of home! I've lived in a harbor city for the past 14…read moreyears! That said, there are a ton of shops and restaurants consolidated here, plus a brewery. I noticed a lot of people running in this area too, so it seems to check a lot of boxes. Check out Viaduct Harbour if you're in the area. Lots to do and see...and eat.

If you like venturing off the beaten track into the wilderness, Rimmer Road is a great little…read morehideaway spot that is far enough away from the city buzz to be a great experience but close enough to not be that big of a deal. About 20 minutes south of Muriwai main Beach Rimmer Road takes you to a gravel pot-hole ridden winding road that leads through a forest towards an often deserted car park. From there you must unload yourself and your belongings and start your short trek through bushes planted through a sandy base and up over the dunes. Here you will find a huge expanse of nothingness. If you look left you will see winding beach until forever... and if you look right you will see the same thing. Looking straight ahead out into the ocean you can see nothing at all, only in your imagination can you picture Australia thousands of kilometres away! This is an awesome spot to sit up on the dunes with your significant other and enjoy the quiet, only broken as the waves crash onto the shore. There are no lifeguards anywhere around here so unless you are a very confident swimmer, don't venture out into the water. If you're doing a beach trip with the family I'd recommend sticking to a patrolled beach.

This secluded beach has white sand, clear water and is an absolute favourite amongst locals. Walk…read morealong the coast from the larger, more populated Takapuna Beach past historic scoria reefs and petrified log holes and within 15 minutes you will find yourself at this hidden haven. Don't forget to pick up a coffee or an award winning liquorice ice cream from Takapuna Beach Cafe before you start. Fun Fact: If you are walking your dogs during low tide be sure to let them have a dip or drink in the fresh water rock pool towards the Southern end of the beach. The water trickles down from Lake Pupuke and the dogs just love it!

Thorne Bay is simply amazing. Forget the busy main beach at Takapuna, if it is seclusion you are…read moreafter then take the time to find your way to this beautiful bay. You can access Thorne Bay via Minnehaha Avenue, then there is a bit of a walk across some rock pools but the trek is worth it. Thorne Bay has white sand with lots of tiny pretty shells and if possible grab yourself a spot under one of the trees for some shade. When I went I was surprised at how far the tide came up, so if possible pick a time when it is low. The bay is also very rocky and so that combined with the tide means it isn't child friendly, which is nice because there aren't a lot of kids there. I had a beautiful time when I went early this year. Yes the weather was great too but just being in this small paradise you feel like you're not even in Auckland. If you haven't been you must go, you won't want to go to a mainstream beach again.

The park is well maintained, with a safe to swim at beach. Great walks along the cliffsread more

Auckland really is a beautiful city with so many outdoor beauties…read more Long Bay Regional Park is a sure winner, and a superb place to take the little ones on the weekend. On my recent second mother's day, my family and I travelled to Long Bay to take part in the Free Volunteer Tree Planting at Long Bay Regional Park. Parking close to the awesome kid's playground with flying fox, we had a 15 minute uphill walk to the park location that had been chosen for planting. This event had been organised by the wonderful Auckland City Council. The stunning weather really brought out the serenity of mother nature. Aucklander's and foreigners showed up from all around to plant kowhai's, flax, cabbage trees and more. This beautiful park has so much to offer; a slice of paradise where young and old can come, relax and enjoy nature in its purest form. I recommend taking one of the many walks through tracks labelled in the park, or even enjoying leisure time walking or running in your spare time. You have so much on offer, whether you want to do nothing or do lots. The ocean is at the parks edge, so be sure to stroll on the beautiful long beach and take a swim in the glorious ocean too.