Is Auckland Worth Visiting as a Tourist?
If you are traveling to New Zealand, chances are you are flying into Auckland. So if you are like me, you might wonder if Auckland is even worth visiting? After all, you came to New Zealand to see Lord of the Rings sites and beautiful nature.
I spent a little over two days in Auckland and have mixed feelings. Personally, I feel Auckland is well worth visiting, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit here. But at the same time, I feel like Auckland wasn’t as exciting as I’d imagined.
As a tourist, is Auckland worth visiting? I created this post to share my experiences, things to do in Auckland, and how I spent my time here.
**This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support!
I spent two weeks in New Zealand. I basically ended up spending a week on New Zealand’s South Island and another week on the North Island.
When I visited New Zealand, it was during Christmas and New Years. I figured spending New Years in Auckland would be the best place to see fireworks. I ended up spending 2.5 days in Auckland before escaping the city to see places like Hobbiton and Tongariro National Park.
So is Auckland Worth Visiting for Tourists?
Auckland being the largest city in New Zealand, I have a feeling many tourists are going to end up here one way or another whether it be a layover at Auckland Airport or like me, just curious to see what Auckland is like.
Obviously, I don’t know everything about Auckland or saw and did everything the city has to offer but after spending 2.5 days in Auckland as a tourist, I can comfortably say that yes, Auckland is worth visiting, but maybe prioritize some of the major attractions around New Zealand first.
What do I mean by this? New Zealand has so much to offer, the nature here is spectacular and there are so many other attractions that I feel are a must. So why spend an extra day in a city like Auckland when you can tack on an extra day elsewhere.
My recommendation, is spend a day in Auckland instead of 2-3 days unless you are staying in Auckland as a base for day trips and activities on the Northern Island.
5 Things to do in Auckland that Make it Worth Visiting
I stayed in the city center and ended up walking to all the attractions and sites that I wanted to visit.
There were a few attractions in Auckland that I missed out on, like Mount Eden and the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
If are limited on time and only have a day or two to visit Auckland, I’d say don’t miss out on these must visit attractions.
Sky Tower
When visiting Auckland, you have to visit it’s #1 attraction, the Sky Tower.
The Sky Tower is 328 meters tall or 1,076 ft and serves as both a telecommunications tower and tourist attraction.
As a tourist, the Sky Tower is a must. When visiting the Sky Deck, you are 220m above the city streets and get a 360° view of Auckland.
For more information about the Sky Tower and to purchase combo tickets, you can view the Sky City website.
You can also purchase tickets beforehand for the Sky Tower on Klook.
Weta Workshop
I purchased a combo ticket that included the Sky Tower and Weta Workshop. After all, both attractions are practically in the same building. You can do one right after the other.
Weta Workshop is a unique attraction and interesting especially for those that are interested in film making.
You get to go on a moviemaking tour and get a behind the scenes look at how they come up with and create special effects, props, and so much more for movies.
For more information and buying tickets, you can view the Sky City website.
Tickets can also be purchased in advance online through Get Your Guide.
Viaduct Harbour
One of my favorite places in Auckland was the Viaduct Harbour. This area was full of restaurants, sites, museums, and so much more.
Here you can find the New Zealand Maritime Museum, markets, and the Wynyard Crossing.
The Wynyard Crossing in a fun folding bridge that raises and lowers as ships are coming and going.
Queen Street
Queen Street seemed like the place to be in Auckland. When visiting the city, I highly recommend walking around Queen Street.
Queen Street was full of shops and restaurants.
You can find everything from high end stores like Rolex to souvenir shops.
Eat International Food
I’ll be honest, I didn’t come to New Zealand and expect great food and after traveling there for two week, I still stand with my statement.
That being said, I did find good restaurants throughout the country and found myself in many international restaurants.
While in Auckland, I got a couple of Kebabs. I got a really messy but good Kebab at Karadeniz Cafe, right on Wellesley St E.
I also had really good Indian Food at Chawla’s Indian Restaurant.
There are also a lot of great Chinese Restaurants, Vietnamese, Pubs, you name it, you can find it all in Auckland.
Day Trips from Auckland
Auckland is a great place to stay at if you plan on doing y trips around New Zealand’s North Island. Not to mention a lot of tour companies will be based out of Auckland.
Once you’ve fully explored Auckland and want to venture further outside the city, here are some day trips that I did and highly recommend.
Rangitoto Island
One of the easiest and best day trips from Auckland is Rangitoto Island.
This island is accessible by ferry from the downtown ferry terminals.
Rangitoto Island is a volcanic island. There is a shield volcano almost in the center of the island and you can see reminiscence of volcanic activity all around the island, from old lava fields to volcanic rocks.
The main activity to do on Rangitoto Island is to hike. There is a great hiking trail from the ferry terminal on the island to the summit.
For ferry information, times, and purchasing tickets, feel free to visit the Fullers360 website.
Hunua Falls
Hunua Falls is another doable day trip from Auckland. From the city center, it’s about a 50 km drive and takes around 45 minutes to one hour.
Hunua Falls is a beautiful 30 meter tall waterfall located in Hunua Ranges Regional Park.
Hiking to Hunua Falls is easy. It’s only a 5-10 minute walk from the parking lot. I saw people here enjoying picnic and even swimming in the waters below.
Hobbiton Movie Set Tours
Of course, no trip to New Zealand is complete without visiting the Hobbiton Movie Set Tours in Matamata.
The Hobbiton Movie Set is about 2 hours from Auckland’s City Center.
This is a must visit attraction in New Zealand and probably one of the country’s most visited sites.
See where filming was done for Hobbiton in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies.
The set looks just like it does in the movies, you can visit Bilbo’s Bag End home, tour the inside of a few hobbit homes, and even get a pint of beer at the Green Dragon Inn.
For more information on Hobbiton including times and tickets you can visit the Hobbiton Movie Set official website.
It is recommended to purchase tickets to the Hobbiton Movie Set online and in advance. You can also buy tickets through Get Your Guide, Klook, or Viator. Below are some recommended tours to Hobbiton from Auckland.
Common Questions About Auckland
Is Auckland expensive to visit?
– I found that Auckland was not that expensive. As long as you go in knowing that New Zealand is somewhat pricey as it is, there won’t be any surprises. Obviously, it’s much more expensive then most countries in South East Asia. Like any other place, Auckland can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. I found hotels were average in price and food was not outrageous.
Is Auckland a safe city?
– To me, Auckland felt like a safe city. I never ran into any sketchy situations or ran into questionable people. That being said, always travel using common sense and be aware of your surroundings.
How many days in Auckland is enough?
– One day in Auckland is plenty to see major attractions. If you stay in Auckland any longer then that, I recommend doing day trips from the city.
Conclusion
So, is Auckland worth visiting as a tourist? My honest opinion is yes, but make sure to prioritize other plans first. I think Auckland has enough things to do for a day but anything beyond that I feel you are wasting your time. I did like Auckland, but it didn’t have anything that you can’t find in other big cities around the world. Yes, plan for a day here, see some of the sites. If you plan on staying in Auckland longer or are using it has a base, it is a great city for day trips.
Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸
Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️🇳🇿
Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖
For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com
Activities and Tours 🏖️🚁
Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.
In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘
I recommend checking with Rental Cars.
