New Zealand and Australia have been on my bucket list since forever. Instead of celebrating Christmas, my birthday, our anniversary, and Jeff’s birthday (all within a month and in that order), we took the plunge and went down under on the trip of our lifetime! I’m excited to finally tell you about everything we did in each city on this trip. First stop – where to stay and top things to do in Auckland, New Zealand!
Auckland is a major city on the North Island and the most populated city in the entire country of New Zealand. It has everything from good food, shopping, arts and culture, adventure, islands, and beaches. It’s no wonder that Auckland is rated as the third most liveable city in the world!
WHERE TO STAY IN AUCKLAND
After a long haul flight from Seattle, we were so ready to hit the sack and rest at the SKYCITY Grand. This highly rated five-star hotel is beautiful, clean, and has all the essentials you would want (comfy bed, luscious robes, in-room Nespresso, to name a few). The real appeal, though, is its incredible central location. In the Top Things to Do In Auckland section below, I’ll list out how far everything is from the hotel. But even if you don’t stay here, you sure won’t miss it. The SKYCITY Grand is part of the iconic Sky Tower and next to some of the most popular restaurants in Auckland, including Depot Eatery. We also tried our luck at the casino here, which is the only casino in Auckland! Find more about rates and availability here.
TOP THINGS TO DO IN AUCKLAND
With so many things to do in this city, we tried packing in as many activities as we could during our short three-day stay. However, with a little bit of jet lag, it felt like we only had 2.5 days. Here are the top things to do in central Auckland.
Queens Street (6 min walk from SKYCITY Grand)
Queens Street is at the very heart of Auckland. You can’t miss this bustling street with endless restaurant options, department and boutique stores, bars, and art exhibits. Don’t forget to visit the Britomart where you’ll find a quaint farmers market!
Waiheke Island (15 min walk to Viaduct Harbour from SKYCITY Grand, 40 min ferry ride to Island)
Waiheke Island is about 40 minutes from Auckland via a ferry ride. Depending on your interests, there are other popular islands like Rangitoto Island and Devonport, but you’ll want to reserve one full day for island activities. We picked Waiheke Island since it has wineries, local shops, and beaches.
You can do a full on winery tour where the ferry and transportation are all covered ($125+ NZD). However, we took the budget, less restricting route. We hopped on the Fullers 360 ferry, which leaves about every 30-45 minutes and is $36 NZD for an adult roundtrip ticket. Once on the island, we purchased our own public bus tickets ($10 day pass), and took it everywhere including to the main village area, two different wineries (Wild On Waiheke is now my all-time favorite winery), and, of course, the beach!
Viaduct Harbour (15 min walk from SKYCITY Grand)
Take a stroll around the Viaduct Harbour. This is Auckland’s stunning waterfront and it’s filled with hip restaurants and gorgeous views. You can also admire the grand yachts and watch ferries take off here. This is where you’ll embark on ferries to go to the different islands as well.
Sky Tower (1 min walk from SKYCITY Grand)
Towering at 328 meters (1,076 feet high), the Sky Tower is a distinctive landmark you can spot miles away. Enjoy sweeping 360 views of Auckland here or dine at one of their cafes or restaurants. For you adrenaline junkies out there, you can jump off the Sky Tower (SkyJump) or walk on the outside at the top (SkyWalk)!
OTHER MUST-DO’s
We are bummed to have missed these due to time, but based on the huge number of reviews, you need to check out the Auckland War Memorial Museum as well as Toi o Tāmaki, a free art gallery on Queens Street!
WHERE TO EAT IN AUCKLAND
Giapo (7 min walk from SKYCITY Grand)
A short seven minute walk from SKYCITY Grand, you’ll find the sweetest ice cream shop that I’ve ever been to (literally). Giapo offers the most beautiful and decadent desserts that will satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth! It’s pretty pricey ranging from $10-$18 NZD, and there are typically huge lines, but it’s totally worth trying! I mean, have you ever seen ice cream like this before? I can’t remember the exact flavors we got, but the strawberry one pictured on the left was my favorite!
Depot Eatery (1 min walk from SKYCITY Grand)
While planning for our trip, Depot Eatery was literally mentioned in every single Auckland travel guide. It was also located right at the base of our SKYCITY Grand hotel so this was a no brainer! Everything was seriously so delicious; I still remember how each dish tastes as I’m writing this. We ordered the oysters, street corn, lamb ribs, and pork hock (pictured above).
Major Sprout (7 min walk from SKYCITY Grand)
To be honest, I wanted to come here because it looked very “Instagrammable”. But not only was Major Sprout immaculately decorated inside, the food exceeded our expectations. I mean how beautiful are the pancakes above! Don’t they look like they were made for unicorns?
After our sweet but short stay in Auckland, we headed off to the Waitomo Caves, Hobbiton Movie Set, and Rotorua. I’ll be sharing more details in the next posts!
SKYCITY Grand provided me a complimentary media stay in exchange for this post. Thank you for supporting companies that make Just A Tina Bit possible!
Oh my goodness New Zealand is beautiful and it looks so clean. It is on my bucket to go there one day. I just hope it’s not infested with insects though…
Mich x
https://michjosephblog.wordpress.com
That’s too funny because it’s almost the same for both Eddie and I! His birthday, mine, wedding anniversary, all within one month, haha! EXPENSIVE! LOL! This was such a great idea to celebrate everything with a beautiful and memorable trip to New Zealand and Australia! I’ve never been to either, so this is definitely a post I’ll be bookmarking and referring to when the time comes; I love the fact that you made suggestions on places to visit that are in such close proximity to the hotel you’ve stayed. Thanks so much for sharing, beauty, and I hope you’re having a great week so far!
XO,
Jalisa
http://www.thestylecontour.com
Ahh, this looks gorgeous! I love NZ. Major Sprout looks so cute. Definitely on my bucket list, Tina!
Julia・Little Miss Haute Couture
Whhat lovely and super beautiful photos….great post babe…xx,Neha
http://www.theinstylejournal.com/
I would love to travel to New Zealand! All of your photos are gorgeous! x
http://www.wanderlustboulevard.com
Wonderful and perfect! I follow you blog, please follow me too. http://alamodenatine.blogspot.com
I just met a woman from Auckland and the way she described it moved to the top of my list! Saving this post!
Heidi || Wishes & Reality
What a fantastic city!! Amazing!!
♘ http://www.sugarpopfashion.com ♘
Thanks for this wonderful guide, Tina! The food at major sprout looks so magical! I can’t wait for your post on the Hobbiton Movie set. hehe. All the pictures I’ve seen of it are so cool!
-Helen
http://www.sweethelengrace.com
OH wow so many events to celebrate in a month! Happy birthday to you two and also happy anniversary! This is such a fun trip to the country down under. The many sightseeing spots remind me of Seattle – Britomart is like Pike Place, the ferry to Viaduct Harbor is like the one to Bremerton, and the Sky Tower is like the Space Needle! Haha~ ok enough about my nostalgia :). I’m so happy to read about this travel post as I’ve been wanting to take a trip to AUS and NZ, so definitely jotting down the to-do’s there! Ah and the ice cream both look so good! You got me at strawberries and donut!! 🙂 xo~ Lena
http://www.thewanderliste.com
I really hope I will make it to Auckland one day! If that’s the case, I will remember those tips for sure 🙂 Thank you so much for making me wanna travel this place even more!
xx, Carmen – http://www.carmitive.com
Great photos. OMG, I am always eating ice cream… literally every day – and that photo of the ice cream is incredible. lol I have never visited New Zealand, but love the recommendations. Will have to revisit this when I finally go. Thanks for sharing!
Xo,
Miki
http://mikialalmode.com
Oh, Tina! It’s so lovely to see a travel diary on your blog; you’ve shared some really beautiful images (wonderful food photography too). I hope you had a fabulous time -and how funny that four such huge events of the year are packed into one month for you and Jeff haha!
aglassofice.com
x
Thanks for the recommendations! ill keep that in mind when I visit 🙂
THE FASHION MATTERS- Travel & Fashion blog | INSTAGRAM: TheFashionMatters
Lovely advice and enjoyed your pictures!
Happy friday!
x Sandra
http://www.morestylethanfashion.com
These are so beautiful pics. The food looks super yummy.
Nina
Nina’s Style Blog
Such a great guide, Tina! I’ve always wanted to visit New Zealand and Aukland looks awesome!
Annessa
http://www.seekingsunshine.com
Looks so fun there! I haven’t heard much about Auckland but thanks for sharing! I’m planning on a trip this year but had no idea where to go, perhaps I may visit Auckland!
http://www.prettyinleather.net
What a beatiful trip to New Zealand and Australia, two places that are on my bucket list since years…
I love your photos and post 🙂
xoxo
http://www.bellezzefelici.blogspot.com
Looks like such a lovely place! 🙂
Florals&Smiles
Wow! This is definitely on the bucket list!
Smooches,
Wow the city looks so beautiful through your lens! And all that food is scrumptious. Would love to visit there in a heartbeat!
xx Yasmin
http://banglesandbungalows.com
Such a beautiful city!! Thanks for sharing!
Adi xx
fancycorrectitude.com
instagram.com/fancycorrectitude
Great travel guide Tina! Love the pictures, and that plate of food at Major Sprout looks so good! I’ll definitely be using this post whenever I am able to plan a trip to New Zealand.
Great tips and beautiful pictures, the food looks amazing!
LA VEINE
Thanks for the tips!!
Federica Di Nardo
http://federicadinardo.com
New Zealand is a country that we wanted to visit since ages! Lucky you to get a complimentary stay, Tina!
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
I wild love to visit New Zealand!! So cool.
Thanks for the tips babe.
X Merel
http://www.andathousandwords.com
It looks like a great city and I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for the guide!
http://violettedaily.com
Beautiful photos! The ice cream looks so yummy 🙂
Laura
Pink Frenzy
New Zealand is so close to us here in Australia… It is definitely on my list to visit one day, I have heard so many good things! This is such a detailed review babe, thanks for sharing!
x Emily
http://shedoes.com.au
I really want to see Auckland, definitely on my travel wishlist 🙂 love your photos, btw
Nati xx
http://www.simplyartdicted.com
I haven’t been to Auckland before, but this will come in handy some day. Thanks for sharing. These are great shots.
http://missymayification.blogspot.co.uk
I have never been here but if I ever do I must visit the ice cream place, they look so delicious!
Camila,
My Vogue Style | http://www.myvoguestyle.com
What lovely and super beautiful photos ! Thanks for sharing !
Nina
xox
http://www.thecrispylipstick.com
New Zealand looks like such a beautiful place. My brother-in-law and his wife plans to move there some day so maybe when he does, I’ll get to visit him. I have heard so many good things! The food looks delicious! Thanks for sharing Hun! xx
Ann-Marie | http://facetocurls.com
that is so neat you got to collab with them for this–if I could only taste those yummy cones!
Katelyn/www.theyellowspectacles.com
Wow, Auckland looks amazing! Would love to visit someday! =)
– Cielo
Mermaid in Heels
Great post!! The food looks incredible!
Great post and New Zealand is on my bucket list too 🙂
xo, Jessica || The Petite Diaries
I’ve never been to New Zealand and sort of doubt I will, but it’s the sort of place I like to go to in my dreams. 😉 TBH my favorite parts of this post were the ice cream and the pancakes. The pancakes were definitely made for unicorns, it’s the only possible explanation of their beauty.
But seriously, what a gorgeous and informative travel post! Nicely done.
Julia | juliainbluhm.com
Oh wow! I definitely wanna go to New Zealand sometime, and this blogpost only made me wanna go sooner! Love love love!
Great post! I’m from Auckland and I love Giapo! 🙂 I also visited Major Sprout on the weekend and had their pancakes – amazing!!!