"Auckland - The City o ..." a Auckland Region Travel Page by kiwigal_1

Auckland is my hometown although I spent the good part of five years abroad I have been back in town since 2003. I work in downtown Auckland so can meet up for coffee if you are coming to the city.

Auckland has a really pretty outlook with the harbour and the volcanic cones dotted over it. There is plenty to see and do here too. You might like to visit Mission Bay or Takapuna which are two popular inner city beaches with good cafes also. You might like to go up Mt Eden or One Tree Hill for some lovely views of the city (and a bit of exercise too!). Cornwall Park (where One Tree Hill is located) is a nice place for walks, running, cycling and picnics. For shopping there are several malls, the biggest being St Lukes in Sandringham. Downtown is ok for shopping but most local kiwis don't shop here. The Sky Tower is a distinctive landmark on the Auckland landscape. It offers good views both day and night and has the casino and some good restaurants. I would also recommend a cruise on the harbour or a trip to Waiheke and Devonport. Most of these activities cost very little too :-)

Auckland city is one of the most spread out cities in the world and only has a population of just over 1,000,000 people. If you take a look at the map you can see the areas that make up Auckland.

The green section is where I live and this is known as Central Auckland or Auckland City. The red area is known as South Auckland or Manukau City and this (including the Papakura district in blue) is really the southern boundary of Auckland.
The lime green section is West Auckland or Waitakere City and the Yellow section is North Shore City which makes the northern boundary of Auckland. Parts of the Franklin and Rodney Districts are also sometimes considered to be part of Auckland also.

Unfortunately getting around this large space is not so easy as we do not have a good public transport system although if you have time on your side there are buses and trains from the city centre to most places you would want to go. If you are in Auckland, and indeed New Zealand for a longer stay then I suggest you consider buying a cheap car!

Welcome to the City of Sails!