10+ Great Things to do in Auckland over 3 Days -

Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city and holds about one-third of the country’s entire population. It’s largely recognized as the business and educational center of New Zealand. Auckland is also home to some of New Zealand’s best-known museums and parks.

If you’re visiting New Zealand, there is a high likelihood you’re at least passing through Auckland. That is especially true if you’re starting or ending your visit on New Zealand’s North Island.

Most people travel to New Zealand for the nature – and for good reason. However, Auckland is so important to the country that I highly recommend stopping there for at least a day or so. Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I feel like a visit to a new country is rarely complete without visiting one (or more) of its most important cities.

I spent three days in Auckland before my month-long campervan trip around New Zealand. I thought it was a good amount of time to see the major highlights + one day trip. My recommendation would be two to five full days for a visit.

That said, here are 10+ things to do in Auckland over three days.

Walk Down Queens Street

Queens Street is the busiest street in Auckland, so you’ll likely be on it at least at one point. It is a major commercial thoroughfare, lined with shops, restaurants and bars. But shopping isn’t the only reason to visit this street.

Major community events in Auckland often happen on Queen’s Street. I visited during Diwali, and a large section of the street was closed to traffic for the celebration. Street vendors lined the streets, selling a variety of Indian foods. At the end, there was a huge stage with Bollywood-style performances.

Queens Street also holds some key Auckland landmarks. If you want to visit the Town Hall, for example, you’ll have to come to Queens Street. At one end of the street, you’ll also find the wharf, which is worth a visit itself.

Visit the Old Ferry Terminal

The Auckland ferry terminal is an important landmark in the city. The original ferry building was built in the baroque style. It takes inspiration from the San Francisco ferry building and features a clock tower.

The old terminal was built in the early 1900s and served ferry passengers for most of the century. However, it was unfortunately not up to code with earthquake standards and had to be discontinued for passenger use.

In the present day, ferry passengers will leave from a newer, more stable terminal. But a visit to see the old terminal is still a nice thing to do in Auckland.

See the Auckland Town Hall

Auckland’s Town Hall is also an iconic building to visit. It’s located on Queens Street and also built in the baroque style.

The Town Hall also serves as a concert venue. So if you’re visiting Auckland hoping to see a concert, you might get to visit the Town Hall this way. Parts of it are always closed to the public regardless.

It’s also nice to just see the Town Hall from the outside. When I visited Auckland during Diwali, there was a small light show projected onto the building every evening as well.

Stroll through Albert Park

Albert Park is located in central Auckland and is one of the city’s most important parks. It’s the home of a Maori village and also housed a European military fortification called the Albert Barracks.

The park’s historical and cultural significance is what gives it the designation of one of the most important parks in Auckland. Walking through the park, you can learn a bit about its significance, plus admire the art sculptures.

You can take the Albert Park Path through the park if you’re visiting on a quick visit. It’s about one kilometer. If you want to visit some additional parks, you can also do all or part of an urban trail to Myers Urban Ngahere Path or the Coast to Coast path.

Admire the University ClockTower

The ClockTower is a gothic-style tower that is part of the University of Auckland. It’s the university’s most iconic building and one important landmark in Auckland. It is a protected historical building under Heritage New Zealand.

The ClockTower is adjacent to Albert Park in the center of the city, so it’s easy to pair it with a trip to the park as a thing to do in Auckland.

You can admire the building from the outside or go inside to tour it for free during business hours.

Climb Maungawhau/Mount Eden

Maungawhau/Mount Eden is the highest volcanic peak located within the city boundaries of Auckland proper. Before the Europeans arrived, Māori used Mount Eden as a fortified hill. There is a dip in the mountain where terraces once existed.

You can get to Mount Eden village via foot, bus or car from the Auckland Central Business District (CBD). Climbing up the hill is a decent workout.

At the top, you get a 360 view of Auckland. This lookout point is where I decided that Auckland is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever seen. You can look directly into the business district and see the skyline. Just beyond the business district, you’ll see the isthmus of Auckland and the nearby islands.

If you do nothing else in Auckland, I recommend climbing Mount Eden! Especially if you want a decent workout.

Do the Symonds Cemetery Heritage Walk

Symonds Street Cemetery is located in Auckland’s CBD at one of the busiest intersections in the city. It’s also one of the oldest parts of the city. Now it functions both as a cemetery and as a sort of open air museum.

There are five trails you can take to walk through Symonds Street Cemetery. On these trails, you’ll learn more about the history of the cemetery and city of Auckland in general. I only did a small part of the heritage walk, but it was quite interesting and historically educational. I recommend at least seeing a bit of the cemetery as a thing to do in Auckland.

Take a Day Trip to Waiheke Island

Waiheke Island is about a 40-minute ferry ride from Auckland. That makes a day trip to Waiheke one of the best things to do in Auckland, especially if you want to get away from the busy city for a few hours.

As you ride the ferry to the island, you can watch the Auckland skyline, including the old ferry terminal, disappear in the distance. On a clear day, it’s an especially beautiful trip.

Once you’re on Waiheke Island, there are plenty of things to do. You can join a hop-on, hop-off bus tour, rent some bicycles or simply explore on foot using one of the nature trails. The island is best known for its many vineyards and other agriculture. I highly recommend doing wine and olive oil tasting on the island.

If you want to do what we did, when you get off the ferry, follow the signs for the nearest nature trail. After ~20 minutes on the trail, you’ll reach a winery called Cable Bay. In this area, you can visit 2-4 wineries depending on what’s open, as well as an olive oil tasting room.

The island also has other activities like kayaking and beaches. If you want, it is possible to stay overnight in the hotel in a range of accommodations.

Eat Asian Food

New Zealand has plenty of good food and is perhaps most famous for its savory pies and fish and chips.

But in the city, the Asian food really shines. If you visit the international district, you’ll see this for yourself. New Zealand is generally pretty far from most countries, but it is relatively close to Southeast Asia. Plus, there are a lot of Asian expats and people of Asian descent living in the country.

If you like Asian food, you are going to find some delicious dishes in Auckland. I especially enjoyed some of the Japanese food.

Try Some New Zealand Snacks

I’m not usually much of a snacker, but New Zealand has a ton of interesting and tasty snacks that are worth a try at least once. Here are some examples:

Kiwi dip
Honey Soy Chicken Kettle chips
TimTams (technically Australian, but equally enjoyed in New Zealand)
Whittakers Chocolate (creamy milk)
Toffee Pops
Squiggles
Crumble
Hokey Pokey
L&P Soda
Twisties
Meat pie
Sausage roll
Bluebird Salt & Vinegar chips

Kiwis will also swear by Pineapple Lumps, but I didn’t care for them.

Additional or Alternative Things to do in Auckland

If you have more time and are looking for additional things to do in Auckland, or just alternatives you think you’d enjoy more than my recommendations, keep reading.

Tour the Auckland War Memorial Museum

Visit to learn more about New Zealand’s history, including Māori history and European colonization. You can even watch the Haka (an important Māori dance) here at certain times.

See the Auckland Sky Tower

The Auckland Sky Tower is a prominent part of New Zealand’s skyline. It stands at 328 meters (~1,076 feet). You can go to the observation deck for a view over Auckland, or just look on from afar. If you’re more adventurous, consider doing the skywalk or sky jump off the tower.

Walk through Cornwell Park

Cornwall Park is a giant park next to the heart of Auckland. It has several walking paths and heritage sites to enjoy.

Visit the Auckland Art Gallery

The Auckland Art Gallery is the biggest gallery in Auckland. It boasts the largest collection of national and international art in New Zealand. The gallery also hosts events. Currently, (as of February 2025), this gallery is free to visit.

Logistics

Now that you know some of the best things to do in Auckland, here is some practical information on logistics.

Where to Stay in Auckland

If you only have a few days in Auckland, I would recommend staying more centrally located. I personally stayed on the edge of the Auckland CBD, and it was a great spot to access good food, bars and things to do in Auckland.

Here are some of the most recommended neighborhoods:

Auckland CBD:
- Pros: Central location, walkable, good access to public transit, wider range of accommodations for different budget types
- Cons: Potentially noisier at night
Viaduct
- Pros: Walkable to CBD, ocean views, close to nightlife and shopping
- Cons: Potentially more expensive
Ponsonby:
- Pros: Quirky bars and restaurants, potentially quieter
- Cons: A bit far from city center (20-minute walk)
Parnell:
- Pros: Centrally located, luxury surroundings
- Cons: Less affordable surroundings
Mt. Eden:
- Pros: Historic part of Auckland, close to nice cafes and restaurants
- Cons: Farther from the CBD (~40 minute walk)

These are the neighborhoods I think are best to stay in when visiting Auckland, but there are additional places close to the city center and in the suburbs. For a more thorough and detailed breakdown of where to stay in Auckland, see this blog.

Getting Around Auckland

For the biggest city in New Zealand, Auckland can be surprisingly walkable. If you’re staying in or adjacent to the CBD, or even farther out somewhere like Mt. Eden, you can walk to most of Auckland’s key sites and nice restaurants, bars and cafes.

You can travel by public transit, but it can be a little bit pricier relative to other major cities around the world. To travel by bus or train, you must have an AT HOP card, which costs $5 NZD to purchase. Rides then cost about $1-$10 NZD each for adults.

Uber operates in New Zealand, which also makes it easy to get around by taxi.

If you choose to drive in the city, be aware traffic can be really rough in the mornings and evenings, and parking can be limited.

Auckland Safety

Auckland is quite safe, especially for a big city. Be aware that you will see some unhoused people, especially in the CBD, but they are not dangerous people in my experience.

Take typical precautions in Auckland – be aware of your surroundings, walk in well-lit areas in night, and don’t keep your phone or wallet in your back pocket.

If you are self-driving, be aware that there are some signs warning about car break-ins. You should be okay if you park in a secure area.

Hope these tips on things to do in Auckland were helpful!

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10+ Great Things to do in Auckland over 3 Days