Auckland is a great city for being outdoors and getting involved in sport. It has hosted two Americas Cup challenges and the geography of its location means that is perfect for the thousands of amateur and professional sailors that live there.
Take a hire car up to the top of Mount Eden for a spectacular view out over the city and its harbour and watch the tiny sails bob across the waters. Finally, this year, you can head to Eden Park to watch the final of the 2011 Rugby World Cup which the host nation are favourites to win.
Auckland Mini Guide
The beautiful city of Auckland is considered one of world’s best places to live in terms of quality of life. Auckland is a conurbation located on an island in New Zealand and is made up of four different cities.
Auckland is known as the city of sails because of all the yachts that go past the Northern half of North Island where Auckland is based. Together Auckland city, Manakau City, North Shore City and Waitakere City make up the largest metropolitan area in the county.
Auckland is certainly cosmopolitan and there are many great bars, restaurants and places to stay in the city so leave yourself time to explore.
New Zealand’s premier airport is Auckland International Airport and you will probably want to pick up your Rhino rental car from here as it is located outside of the city itself in the suburb of Mangere. Public transport is not well developed enough to get away without having to use a car in Auckland while taxis work out being much more expensive. However, bad road layout in this densely populated city means that you will often have to struggle through traffic. Avoid peak hours like the plague.
Having a car allows you to explore some beautiful sights in the surrounding areas. You can go wine tasting on Waiheke Island which also has great beaches. For more beaches and nature walks head out to the Waitakere Ranges where you can see stunning waterfalls.
Auckland is a city which is rich in culture with many things to see and do including various art galleries and museums. To get a good view of the city and orient yourself in Auckland, why not climb the Sky Tower which is more than 300 metres tall?
If you are feeling especially adventurous it is even possible to do a jump from the tower attached to a cable.
Alternatively you could go up to the Star Dome Observatory on One Tree Hill. During the day there are good views as well as some Maori archaeological sites to see, and at night the opportunity to star gaze is fantastic. One Tree Hill is of interest itself as it is one of the many volcano cones (extinct) upon which Auckland was built.
One of you first points of reference in the city should be the Auckland War Museum which is dedicated to much more than war and has a fine collection of artefacts from Polynesian cultures.
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