Auckland-ish recs for sister?

[bironic]

Hey, NZ friends. My sister and her new husband will be honeymooning in Aotearoa/New Zealand for a couple of weeks, starting in about a week. They'll be based in Auckland. They have some basics planned, like the Hobbiton and glow worm cave day trip, but are welcoming recommendations on what else they should see or where to eat. Any personal favorites that are reachable by public transit or tour? Things they like include: nature, animals, nerd stuff, vegan food, whiskey, things that aren't found in the U.S. northeast.

Comments

[isis]

Not an NZ person but when I was there (note, this was > 15 years ago) we took the ferry to Devonport which is an island across the harbor. Some wartime ruins and museum-y things. Speaking of which the Auckland museum is great, had surprisingly good food and a cool earthquake simulator. Also the Maritime Museum, if you're into that (which I am). Waitakere park (not sure if it's public-transportation accessible) has a beautiful waterfall.

Not sure how tour-able these are from Auckland, but: hiking Mount Doom (Tongariro) is cool; Rotorua is also really interesting, volcanic hot pools and Maori culture.

[bironic]

Thank you! I will share with them.

This is making me want to turn my own vague aspirations of visiting into an actual plan.

[isis]

It's very much worth it! My biggest recommendations are to take as much time as you can, and to expect to vegetate the first day because the flight is heinous and you get there early morning on whatever sleep you can manage on a plane.

[bironic]

Update: They sent pictures from Rotorua and it looked marvelous.

[cyphomandra]

china_shop directed me here, as I live in Auckland! Things to do in Auckland - the harbour is one of the best parts, so take a ferry - if they like hiking I would recommend the ferry over to Rangitoto (volcanic island) and climb to the top, there should be reasonable numbers of native birds and the last time I went over we saw a pod of dolphins in the bay. If less keen on walking, Waiheke Island has lots of vineyards and art places, or the Maritime Museum (in the CBD) does sail excursions as well. For nature there’s also the Auckland Zoo and Kelly Tarlton’s aquarium. I also like climbing Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill and it’s in a big park - you would prob have to bus to this. The Domain is a public garden closer to the CBD and it has the museum in it, which I like a lot.

Nerd stuff - Weta Unleashed does a film effects workshop tour, fun but not cheap. Sadly my favourite escape room place closed recently but the board games cafe it was part of is still going - Dice and Fork. If they like arts/theatre stuff the Civic Theatre is amazing just to look at and I think they do tours; if wanting live theatre I’d suggest checking The Basement and Q Theatre.

I am no good on whisky and I’m not vegan, but my local FB foodie group says East Eats for vegan (in CBD) or Kind Cafe (Morningside - take train).

Other stuff - if they do the museum it has a good Māori section but if they want more contemporary there are some Māori-run tour companies eg Kiko tours to look at - I don’t have any first hand recs sorry. The Otara Markets are on saturdays and will have lots of Māori and Pasifika stalls/foods/etc.

[bironic]

Hello! Thank you for this!

[bironic]

Update: They did the vineyards, zoo, and aquarium and enjoyed all! Thank you.

[mific]

Quick check before I do a lengthier reply. Do they eat exclusively vegan?

[mific]

Anyway, here are my suggestions. I don't eat exclusively vegan or in the central city these days so can only suggest this site: https://www.happycow.net/best-vegan-restaurants/auckland-new-zealand (most look pretty central). Indian restaurants are great for vegan, too. My fave is this one (https://maps.app.goo.gl/F5a2SatKHFw8kTSp9?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy) but it's not really central.

Ponsonby Road shops (up the north end of the road) are quirky and sometimes posh, with lots of coffee shops, and the Ponsonby Foodcourt (a walk or short bus ride south down the road) is yummy, and multicultural. Not sure how easy it'd be to eat strictly vegan there, but vegetarian, sure.

Seconding the main museum in the Domain, the Maritime museum, and Kelly Tarlton's aquarium. KTs pioneered huge transparent tubes running through giant aquaria so sharks and manta rays swim right over your head.

Seconding a walk in Maungakiekie/Cornwall Park (and they have a restaurant in CP that does English "high teas" during the day - need to book it, though.)

The Wintergardens in the Domain are lovely - lily ponds, greenhouses, like a miniature Kew. https://maps.app.goo.gl/mqX47TzH9PgWLFgE8?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

Eden Garden is beautiful - it's in the side of one of Auckland's defunct volcanoes, compact and lovely. Has a nice cafe. https://maps.app.goo.gl/bJ8rk8cbzo5VT8B77?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

Devonport these days is maybe a bit posh and expensive. Other cruises to consider would be:
- The Riverhead Tavern cruise - https://www.newzealand.com/nz/plan/business/riverhead-tavern-cruise-auckland-s-best-day-out/ (from central Auckland to the tavern and back)
- a day at Waiheke Island - maybe via the hop on hop off ferry plus bus deal. https://www.getyourguide.com/auckland-l822/waiheke-hop-on-hop-off-tour-t105619/?ranking_uuid=224dc646-c0d6-431b-9c60-6c3bb75d1a5c. You can also hire e-bikes but it's hilly so they'd need to be fairly fit. If it's a nice day, definitely plan to swim as the beaches are lovely, esp. on the north side.

Avondale Sunday Market - at Avondale racecourse car park, Ash Street, Avondale, Auckland. http://www.avondalesundaymarkets.co.nz/ - similar to the Ōtara market but might be closer and easier to get to. Sunday mornings to noon.

Train to the Ōtara shops in the daytime and poke about. They have a zillion dollar shops with enticing multicoloured stuff and numerous small cafes and takeaways (not vegan, but there are falafel places etc). Very Polynesian & multicultural.

I hope they have fun! Our public transport isn't great compared to NE US cities. One main N-S train, and one to West Auckland, otherwise buses. Anything they can do like get a several-day pass to avoid cash etc would be a good idea. There's a journey planner site via Auckland Transport.

BTW I have a handout on Kiwi slang I wrote. Might be a bit outdated and is slanted towards new overseas doctors, but an amusing read, anyway. :)

[mific]

Also remembered this. I was going to encourage them to eat as much ice cream as possible, but, vegans! https://www.consumer.org.nz/articles/vegan-ice-creams-ranked-from-best-to-worst

[bironic]

This is all fantastic! Thank you so much. My sister eats vegan & her husband is "flexitarian."

Now I want to stow away in their suitcase and go to the markets.

[bironic]

Update: They say THANK YOU for all the ideas and want you to know that they did the aquarium, Posonsby twice, and a few parks and enjoyed all! They also ended up walking to several places within Auckland central... and learned quickly what a calf workout that entailed on the hills.

[mific]

Yay! I'm so glad they enjoyed themselves! :D

[cyphomandra]

Our public transport isn't great compared to NE US cities.

Painfully true. Currently no trains are running AT ALL while they try and sort the network for the new rail link; they’re supposed to start again on the 27th Jan.

For ice cream, Little Lato (prob easiest to either do their Ponsonby branch or their pop up at Kohimarama Beach) has won best non dairy for a few years now.

[bironic]

Two excellent things to know.

[imbir]

Aucklander passing through and putting a +1 on the recs for the Ponsonby food court, Rotorua and the Tongariro Crossing (it really is the best one-day trek in NZ and and this is the ideal time of year to do it).

They're going to have to vist at least one beach, you can't get away from them -- standouts that are accessible by bus are Orewa beach and the one bordering Shakespear Regional Park. Also maybe Takapuna so they can laugh at the pronounced break between the multi-million dollar beachfront properties that look like resort villas and the ones that look like tupperware containers.

Cruise operators often have package deals that combine various nature-related activities. I'm trying to talk my boss into taking us on this whale & dolphin watching cruise that includes a visit to an island wildlife sanctuary for our next team-building thing.

My favourite suburbs to walk around in are Davenport (scenic bayside village, naval history, good food, great view from the top of Mount Vic) and Parnell (dollhouse villas, rose garden, Parnell Baths, good food, within walking distance of Auckland Domain & the museum).

I would have recommended The Jefferson bar for whiskey, but they've closed due to flood damage. Old reliables are The Cork and The Broken Lantern (both in Ponsonby) if they want a classic experience, or Panacea in Auckland Central if they're willing to get experimental.

If they're going to be relying on public transport, I recommend getting a couple of AT Hop cards (one each), which will save them a fair amount of money and can be used to pay most bus, ferry and train fares within Auckland. For travel outside of Auckland, an InterCity bus will get them to and from Rotorua and the Tongariro National Park. But if they can spare the money, I recommend taking the Northern Explorer train down to Tongariro and back. It takes the same amount of time as the bus but is more scenic and comfortable.

[bironic]

Belated thank you for this. I shared it with sis & husband right away and then forgot to tell you.

They say they had a GREAT time at Panacea, and they went to Posonsby twice, once for exploring/shopping and once for dinner. Thank you!

P.S. Your vids won Festivids for me this year :D