Hotels in Auckland   

Auckland begs to be explored. In Auckland itself are volcanoes, beaches, historic buildings, open air markets, shops, cafes and all the amenities of modern urban life. Within an hours drive of downtown there are wild beaches, pristine sub-tropical rainforests, thermal pools and vineyards.

Exploring on foot or bike
The best way to see Auckland up close is by foot or bike. Auckland is linked by a network of council-maintained walkways and bike paths. Two of the best tours are the Coast-to-Coast Walkway, which crosses the isthmus from the Auckland waterfront to Onehunga and the 50 kilometre Bike Ride which circles the city.

The Coast-to-Coast Walkway starts at the Old Ferry Building and proceeds along Customs Street, reclaimed from the harbour in the 1840s. Then up a once-prominent headland, Point Britomart, until it was excavated in the 1880s to reclaim more land. From Albert Park, at the top of the bluff, the Walkway crosses to Auckland Domain, home of the Wintergardens and Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Volcanoes dominate the Auckland Isthmus. Auckland Domain itself sits on a 50,000 year-old scoria cone. Mt Eden (196m), also known as Maungawhau (mount of the Whau tree) is rich in Maori heritage. The Walkway passes well-defined defensive earthworks, storage pits and terraces. The walker is rewarded with exquisite views of the city and gulf.

From Mt Eden and One Tree Hill , the Walkway winds down to Manukau Harbour and the Onehunga Heritage Walk. The Coast-to-Coast Walkway is 13 kilometres long and takes about four hours of brisk walking. Bus stops are never far away so it is possible to walk or ride certain stretches.

For push-bike enthusiasts, the 50 kilometre Bike Ride provides a great way to see the sights. Ride follows Tamaki Drive to St Heliers, up over Mt Wellington with superb views, and then on to Western Springs before returning to the waterfront via trendy Grey Lynn and Ponsonby. The Ride takes a full day of pedalling, but there are any number of distractions such as pubs and cafes. The route is well-marked with distinctive blue signs.

The Explorer Bus
Aucklands Explorer Bus provides another excellent way to see Aucklands top attractions. The Explorer Bus makes a circuit from the Ferry Building, stopping at Aucklands 'Top 14' attractions including Kelly Tarltons, Parnell, Sky City and Victoria Park Market. Explorer Busses depart from 9am to 4pm on the half-hour from the Ferry Building.
Exploring further afield
Devonport is also easily accessible on foot from downtown via the Devonport Ferry, which departs from the Ferry Building for the scenic ride across Waitemata Harbour on a regular schedule daily. The Devonport Waterfront Heritage Walk passes by some of Devonports more historic spots and short walks to the summits of Mt Victoria and North Head offer spectacular views of Auckland, Rangitoto and the Hauraki Gulf. Give yourself a good half-day to see the sights, longer if planning on a leisurely lunch or a visit to one of the many picturesque pubs.

Further afield is West Auckland, famous for its forests, beaches and vineyards. A good place to start your tour is from the Arataki Visitors Centre, about a 20 minute drive from downtown. Scenic Drive follows the crest of the Waitakere Ranges with side trips to the fantastic West Coast surf beaches: Whatipu, Piha, and Te Henga . Muriwai Beach and the Gannet Colony are accessible from Route 16 just north of Kumeu.

For wine lovers
Inland at the foot of the Waitakere Ranges is wine country. Noted for excellent Pinot Noirs and Cabernet Sauvignons, about 30 wineries dot the countryside. Matua Vineyards in Kumeu and Delegats in Henderson offer particularly attractive grounds and tasting facilities. Pleasant hot springs in Parakai round out an exquisite full days tour of West Auckland. The full trip can be done in a day, but who wants to hurry?

Coastal excursions
Two well-signposted routes explore the country north and east of Auckland and make excellent excursions: The Twin Coast Discovery Highway and The Pacific Coast Highway. The Twin Coast Highway follows the wine trail to Parakai and Helensville before heading north to the Kaipara Harbour which was New Zealands busiest port in the early days of last century shipping out Kauri logs and gum to the world. Today it is a sleepy backwater more famous for fishing and kumara growing than international commerce.

At Wellsford, the Highway turns south towards Warkworth and the lovely Matakana region, which is becoming a wine and tourism centre. Numerous Regional Parks like Tawharanui provide excellent bathing and fishing beaches as well as bush walks. The Highway then returns to Auckland via the thermal pools at Waiwera, Orewa with its brilliant white sand beach and the Whangaparaoa Peninsula with Shakespeare Regional Park. The Twin Coast Discovery Trail can be done easily in a days drive.

The Pacific Coast Highway explores the country east of Auckland before going on to the Coromandel and Tauranga, about a four-hour drive. A good day-trip is to follow the Motorway south to Manukau City and then follow the Highway to Whitford and Omana Regional Park with its mangrove walks and bathing beaches. The Highway then skirts the Hunua Ranges where there are many beautiful bush walks in the Waharau Regional Park . At Miranda are more thermal pools and the Miranda Shorebird Centre. At Miranda you can either follow the Highway to the Coromandel or return to Auckland via Mangatangi. Allow a day for the loop.

Aucklanders and visitors are indeed fortunate to be in such a beautiful area. Within an hours drive you can be in cathedral-like groves of old growth timber or on deserted wind-swept beaches. Even in the City you can get away to bush-clad reserves that give you a glimpse at what the isthmus was like in the days before the land was cleared for civilisation. Happy exploring.

Auckland Dining