1) Do not stay right in the city centre
The most obvious thing tourists do in Auckland is stay right in the city centre. Don’t! Stay somewhere in the North Shore, where you get an amazing view of the city skyline, you are close to the beaches, and the city centre is only a few minutes away anyway, so a hop, skip and jump, and you’ll be there.
2) Stay in the North Shore
If you stay in the city centre, you’ll have to pay a lot of money and end up staying a tiny box like room. Find a motel or Air Bnb somewhere in the north shore and you’ll find something much nicer for the same price.
3)The North Shore of Auckland has some of the best beaches
The North Shore has some of the most amazing, white sand beaches. You could go to Davenport, go surfing and just chill.
4) Be prepared for ANY kind of weather, all in a single day
The weather is New Zealand can be super random and unpredictable. Its rainy one minute, hot the next minute, and before you know it, you’d be freezing. Be prepared for any kind of weather and have at least 3 layers on you, that you can add or remove as necessary.
5) Plan ahead
There is sooo much to do in Auckland, and not just around the city. There’s lots more to do and see than the Sky Tower. You’ll find caves, walks, treks, especially in the North Shore, so get a map, plan your time and explore.
6) Rent a car
The public transport in New Zealand isn’t great and so don’t rely on it. You are just going to end up wasting time. Rent a car and you’ll be sorted.
7) There are plenty of day trips from Auckland
There are so many places around Auckland that you can go like Rotorua, Waitomo Caves and the Hobbiton and they are all just an hour away from the city.
8) So many free things to do
If you are in Auckland, you can do plenty of things for free and not have to spend a bomb to have fun. There’s the Silo Park, Wynyard Quarter, North Head Tunnels, Chase Waterfalls, North Shore Beaches, and of course the walks and hikes.
Here is a list of amazing things you can do in the North Shore, West Auckland and Auckland Central.
If you are moving to Auckland, read more about the best suburbs to stay in the North Shore of Auckland.
