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Hotel Suggestions in Auckland
radroadkill
MDRegistered User regular
MDRegistered User regular
I have a coworker who's going to be traveling to NZ for work later next month and has decided to take some personal days to explore around the city.
Does anyone have suggestions for potential hotels/areas to look at? No one at the shop has ever been over to NZ and she's be working in a different city so we have no one to ask about Auckland. Something close to any sort of public transit or lots of easily accessible awesome tourist things would be ideal.
Also any tips on must see things or traveling to NZ in general are appreciate! She'll be coming from Hawaii.
Does anyone have suggestions for potential hotels/areas to look at? No one at the shop has ever been over to NZ and she's be working in a different city so we have no one to ask about Auckland. Something close to any sort of public transit or lots of easily accessible awesome tourist things would be ideal.
Also any tips on must see things or traveling to NZ in general are appreciate! She'll be coming from Hawaii.
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Staying within walking distance of the ferry terminal will give access to many awesome day trips - out to Rangitoto and Motuihe Islands Mission Bay, day trips over to Devonport (highly recommended), wine tasting on Waiheke, whale watching, sailing, et cetera. An overnight trip out to Great Barrier island would be awesome too. The Auckland Museum and domain are definitely worth a visit.
The Intercity bus service is great, but I don't have any experience with Auckland public transport. The public transport on the north shore is pretty good though, so I'd assume it compares. Taxis are available, but pretty expensive.
How long will she be in NZ total? Is she planning on visiting the South Island as well? What sort of activities is she into? If I haven't seen it or done it, I probably know someone who has.
Plus just to walk around the CBD itself is fun and a half. Grab some sushi, sit out on the Quay and watch the ferries come in and out.
As far as hotels, I'm not sure, it depends on how much she's wanting to spend. But the public transportation is actually not bad at all.
I haven't been over to Devonport yet, but I've heard it's gorgeous. Mission bay is hella fun.
You got me so excited I thought you were coming over to visit!
Any of the bays/beaches work for things to do. Rainbow's End is an amusement park? kelly Tarltons is an aquarium of sorts. Hell, even just go out onto the harbor on the ferry (so need to do this one day).
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Wellington is a pretty neat city - definitely lots to do and see. Te Papa is an amazing museum, and admission is free, so I'd absolutely recommend checking that out. Lots of cool displays and interesting information on NZ's history. As far as nightlife goes, I'd recommend checking out Courtenay Place. Plenty of neat bars, clubs, and restaurants. Cuba Street is also worth a visit - lots of great food and cafes. I'd also recommend taking the old cable car up to the botanical gardens. Lots of nice walks and great views.
2 days in Auckland is criminally short! But better than nothing I suppose. I'd definitely stay close to the water - get a hotel near Viaduct Basin, which is the cool waterfront area built for the 2000 America's Cup race. If she's just got 2 full days, I'd say spend one on the water, and one in the city. 360 Discovery has a deal where you pay $30NZ for a hop-on-hop-off tour that stops at (if I remember right) Rangitoto Island, Motuihe Island, Brown Island (maybe), and Mission Bay.
Depending on what she's into, she could hike up Rangitoto (about a 2 hour walk, very highly recommended, amazing views - bring a small flashlight to explore some small lava caves too), bike around Mission Bay, or visit Kelly Tarltons (I haven't been in years and years, but it was pretty cool back then). There are a bunch of other tour operators down by the ferry building, so just see who's running what deals. Fullers is the other big company, and I think there are other smaller ones.
As far as a day in the city would go, the sky tower is worth a visit. Kind of expensive, but again, great views. Ponsonby is a cool suburb of Auckland, great food and bars if she gets a night out. Shopping in Newmarket is good times too. I haven't been to the new art museum, but my mate's girlfriend works there, and from what she says, it is pretty fantastic. I think admission is free too, so check that out.
Oh, one more thing, if she's into super rad adventures, I'd highly recommend going on a canyoning trip. There's a day trip that goes down to an area by Piha beach (one of the most popular beaches in the area, south west of Auckland). I did the day trip with Awol Adventures a year or so ago, and it was an unbelievable experience. There are a few other companies who do similar trips.
And of course, the Sky Tower. I know, I know, touristy trappy thing and I haven't even gone there yet, but I think it might actually be worth it if she's only in town for 2 days. Can see everything.
Oh, and I think Te Papa is having an exhibition right now of historical wedding dresses from england? Possibly as far back as pre-victorian times. Kind of awesome, I wish I could get down there while that's going on.
Oh! And the Auckland War Museum in the big park that I forgot the name to just now. But that is definitely worth a visit. Lots of local history, some really neat exhibits on maori history and culture. The Domain! That's the name of the park!
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If your friend needs any Wellington ideas ask away. I lived there for 5 years and am visiting right now
I'll take any more suggestions on awesome things to do in either city though. She won't have to worry about accommodations in Wellington if she stays but she'll have way more free time.
Depending on her budget, I'd suggest taking a flight south to Nelson or Picton. Could be a day trip or an overnighter. I'm a fan of SoundsAir - they do multiple trips between Wellington and Picton/Nelson daily - I think it'd be something like $180NZ, round trip. Assuming the weather is good, the flight over the Sounds is simply amazing, and the flight is only about 45 minutes. Be aware they do use little prop planes, as some people get freaked out by that. I'd recommend Nelson, as it's a great little city with lots to see and do.