We spent a day on Waiheke Island, one of the highlights of our trip. The island has over 9,400…read moreresidents and is a popular tourist destination. Just 40 minutes by ferry from downtown Auckland, it made for an easy day trip. Our plan was to visit various wineries and have a nice dinner in the evening. We did wine tastings at Wild Estate, Stonyridge Vineyard, and Cable Bay Vineyard; lunch at Heke Kitchen, Brewery & Distillery; and dinner at Mudbrick. Unfortunately we missed the bus we needed to take us form the ferry terminal to the first winery, and the next one wasn't departing for another half an hour or so. However, the bus driver of another bus route suggested we hop on his bus, which, while it would not take us to our destination, he could drop us off in an area with some shops where we could look around while we wait for our bus. It was a good suggestion, because waiting half an hour in a cute village is much more enjoyable than waiting half an hour at a ferry terminal with nothing to do. Also, while in the village, we had just enough time to stop into a store where my husband found a great rain jacket. So perhaps it was a good thing that we missed the bus! The first winery we went to was Wild On Waiheke, and we walked between Wild, Heke Kitchen, and Stonyridge Vineyard. We took a cab from Stonyridge to Cable Bay, which was in another area of the island, and from Mudbrick back to the ferry. Despite all the rain we experienced on our trip, we got pretty lucky with the weather while we were on Waiheke Island. If you go to Auckland, I highly recommend a day trip to Waiheke Island, especially if you like wine! [Yelp collections: NZ/Fiji 2023; New Zealand 2023; Wine Time!]

Waiheke Island is a stunning and short ferry ride from Auckland, New Zealand. This serene oasis of…read morethe bluest water has beautiful, world-class wineries, and unique activities, making for a perfect day trip with friends. Once you land on Waiheke, look behind you for wonderful views of the skyline of Auckland. Ready, set, sip wine!

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.

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.

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 :)

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.

Our hotel was a walking distance from the ferry terminal. Really nice to stroll around. We boarded…read morethe Fullers 360 to Waiheke Island. The information and ticket offices was just in front of the terminal. Very easy to find.

Nice and easy. Tap on/off (remember the off part...that wasn't explained to me) and quick ride to…read moreDavenport. Also did the Waiheke ferry which was a bit chaotic on Thursday midday. The line for the 11 am was sooo long, I missed that ferry and had to wait another hour. Thankfully the peeps I was around engaged in conversation which made the time fly by.

I have been to Nathan Homestead for a few events, my friends wedding, a graduation party, the…read moreMalawian independence day celebrations and a 21st. It is one of those places that can be set up for your venue. The graduation party was in the small room, that had a kitchen. We were able to serve food plus have a great time. The 21st was in the grand hall and my friend made her grand entrance down the stairs in the venue. For the wedding it was outside in the beautiful garden. I have always enjoyed myself at the events at Nathan Homestead and I recommend it to people who are looking for a place to host their next event.

Highwic is the Gothic colonial villa of a prominent colonial stock trader. The home was occupied by…read morethe family until the 1970s and the bought by Auckland city council and renovated as a museum. The rooms are decorated in a period style with some family belongings original to the house. When I arrived it was a quiet summer afternoon so the docent had the time to explain all about the family and life of the house. You could really imagine living here with the bustle of children (21 in total), balls in the living room and tennis on the lawn. That being said, knowing that a wealthy family in Auckland only had this kind of a home reminds you of how precious everything was in New Zealand at the time, so far from Britain. I toured the home and then strolled the gardens. I'd recommend a picnic lunch and a visit if historical houses are your thing. If in doubt come, it's a beautiful piece of history.

Highwic House is a wonderful illustration of what enrichment heritage buildings can bring to a…read morecommunity. Smack bang in the middle of the busy Newmarket shopping precinct, it seems a rather incongruous place to find such a place, but it has stood the test of time in this location, its been there since 1862! Up a steep driveway and surrounded by a lovely manicured lawn and trees, its hard to believe that you are still in one of Auckland's most bustling areas. The day I was there, I was there solely for a visit to the 'museum', the inside of the house itself has been preserved as would have been back in the day, which provides a interesting insight into this specific time period. I loved all the old antiques and things. My friend who came with me actually commented that she had been before as her cousin had his wedding/ reception at Highwic and she thought it was an amazing venue for that sort of thing. That it is.

I was wandering around Blockhouse Bay the other day when, for the first time in my life, I saw that…read morethe Armanasco House was open. This is quite the rarity apparently, with the Blockhouse Bay Historical Society being the keyholders and guardsmen of this historical landmark. So I went in and checked out the exhibition they had on - a selection of historical photos of Blockhouse Bay. Under the eagle eyed supervision of a lady who reminded me a little too much of the exorcist in "The Poltergeist," I checked out the old photos - but my attention wasn't held for too long . For out the back window stood the prime attraction of the house - the dunny. An old longdrop that has been preserved all these years. There is something poetic about the preservation of a toilet - I'm not sure if I can put it into words, but if that dunny could speak, it would definitely have some stories to tell. Armanasco house is worth a look if you are in the area and it's open - but it is also available for viewing by appointment.

Interesting to stroll through the Victoria Park Market…read more From 1905 to 1918 a series of brick buildings were constructed to...deal with the removal of rubbish in Auckland. At the turn of the century in the early 1900s, rubbish was moved by horses. Due to fears about the rats spreading the bubonic plague via the garbage, the Auckland city council approved an incinerator to be built to intentionally burn the city's rubbish. The power generator used coal initially, however steam generators were later added to keep up with the demand for rubbish removal. Now the Victoria Park Market is repurposed from the original waste depot and incinerator complex. Check out the Celebrity Walk which features prominent New Zealanders like Sir Edmund Hillary and other famous athletes, authors and politicians. An interesting slice of Auckland history.

The re-opening of this Auckland icon was heralded for the weekend of 15-16 November 2015. We went…read morealong for a nosey and had high expectations. Previous attempts at rejuvenating VPM have been pretty abysmal so this had to be better. All we can say is "ho hum". The design is nice except they have failed to allow for crowds of dawdling people. Bi-fold doors open out on to the walkways, restricting access for people, and large pot plants add to the already narrow access. The shops/stalls are not really anything new. There are still empty shop spaces. The stall holders were all looking desperately at the meandering crowds who had little use for their handmade wares. I predict that many will not return. There was not enough food for sale - we arrived at about lunchtime - and unbelievably the sushi shop had a practically empty cabinet and hungry people were walking in and out again. The remaining food outlets: a couple of cafes, were ill-equipped to cope, slow and struggling to serve the throngs of people! This, on the opening day of a market that had so much promise but seriously failed to deliver. Such a shame. Someone with a mobile coffee caravan could do a roaring trade down at VPM - coffee can soothe the savage breast and much can be forgiven when you have a good hot coffee fix in your hand! Good luck to them for the future - I really hope they succeed...