Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you if you kindly choose to book via my links.
Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, with a population of around 1.7 million. This is quite astonishing, as (believe it or not), this is about a third of New Zealand’s population.
It has more of an urban, city-like feel to it than some of the other cities in this beautiful country, with plenty of skyscrapers in the centre and more of a bustle on the streets.
It is a great place to visit for a short time but is usually part of a much longer New Zealand itinerary for people visiting the country over a few weeks.
Read on for an exciting two-day Auckland itinerary covering some of the best sights in the city.
Summary – 2 day Auckland itinerary
Day 1:
- Breakfast at Auckland Domain Wintergardens
- Auckland War Memorial Museum
- Viaduct Harbour
- Sky Tower
- Dinner at Sal’s Pizza
- Stay at Haka House
Day 2:
- Breakfast at Remedy Coffee
- Auckland Art Gallery
- Waiheke Island
- Rangitoto Island
- Mount Eden (Maungawhau)
- Dinner at The Garden Shed
Auckland weather
Auckland tends to have a mild, humid, subtropical climate all year round, but the city is quite breezy due to its coastal exposure.
Summer, which is between December and February, has highs of around 23–27°C, whereas winter, which is between June and August, rarely drops below 8°C. Rainfall is fairly high and spread throughout the year but is rarely extreme.
What is the time difference in Auckland?
In summer, New Zealand switches to Daylight Saving Time, moving the clocks forward an hour to GMT+13 – 13 hours ahead of the UK. This starts from the last Sunday in September and ends on the first Sunday in April, when the clocks go back to GMT+12.
How to get to Auckland
You can fly to Auckland from major airports in the UK. You can’t fly direct and flights usually have a stopover in the Middle East or Far East.
Auckland Airport is just under half an hour’s drive from the city centre. After landing, the first thing you may notice is that it’s pretty chilled and quiet, which can be very refreshing, especially if you’re coming in from South East Asia.
I picked up a local sim card from the kiosk just before the exit but I’d recommend buying an eSim on arrival, or before you travel, so that you can stay connected in New Zealand.
How to get around in Auckland
There are a few different options to get to the heart of the city. Although there is a taxi rank, the most economical and relatively easy way to get to the centre is via the AirportLink bus.
This leaves from bus stop B at the domestic terminal and bus stop A in the transport hub at the international terminal. This will take you to Puhinui Station where you can catch a train to anywhere along the Southern Line and Eastern Line.
There is also a 38 bus that operates between Auckland Airport and Onehunga (via Mangere Town Centre).
Auckland Transport accepts contactless payments for bus and train travel. You can tap on and off with a contactless debit card, credit card or a smart device.
However, from my memory, the Airport Link service required an AT HOP card. You can buy these online or at a vending machine, which my partner and I did. These are $25 NZD ($5 NZD for the card and $20 NZD of credit).
Although, to the best of my knowledge, my partner is still waiting for the payment to come out of her account six months after visiting. You can check out the Auckland Transport website for more info.
If you’re travelling on less of a budget, you can also book a private transfer – the quickest and most convenient way to get to your accommodation in Auckland.
Where to stay in Auckland
There are plenty of options for accommodation in Auckland and a really great budget-friendly option is Haka House. It is super clean, with friendly staff and great resources. As Haka House is a chain across New Zealand, after staying at one I decided to stay at others in different cities.
Kiwi International Hotel is also a budget friendly option and is cheaper, however it is not as upmarket and has more of a hostel feel.
2 day itinerary for Auckland
Day 1 – Wintergardens, War Memorial Museum, and Sky Tower
Breakfast at Auckland Domain Wintergardens is the perfect way to start your time in Auckland. Offering tranquil gardens with water fountains and giant Victorian-style greenhouses, this area is very peaceful and away from the general bustle of the city.
It’s free to get in and the cafe is great for coffee and pastries. This area as a whole offers beautiful views across the city.
The Domain Wintergardens are around five minutes’ walk away from Auckland War Memorial Museum, which is a war memorial honouring those who served in the military.
It is also a museum of natural history, with cultural exhibits on Māori and Pacific heritage. It costs $32 NZD for international visitors to enter.
Next stop is a stroll down Viaduct Harbour, a beautiful marina with stunning views. It has plenty of places to grab lunch and chill with a drink.
Your final stop of the day is the iconic Sky Tower where you can get some beautiful views across the city for $45 NZD (pre-booked), $47 NZD on the day.
Dinner in Auckland: If you want to keep it budget friendly, Sal’s Pizza do a great slice of pizza. It’s a chain with plenty of restaurants across New Zealand.
Day 2 – Island hopping in Auckland
Breakfast in Auckland: For breakfast, Remedy Coffee is a cosy little cafe with fantastic coffee, offering a variety of vegan and vegetarian options from smashed avocado on toast to sandwiches, salads, and muesli. They also offer gluten-free options.
Auckland Art Gallery is not too far away and houses almost 17,000 artworks in various different collections and exhibitions, including works by Māori and Pacific artists.
After this, you can connect with Auckland’s surrounding nature by island hopping. Waiheke Island is a haven of vineyards, olive groves and beaches.
There are plenty of places to eat and drink and it also has some fantastic art galleries. It is only a 35-minute ferry ride from the Downtown Ferry Terminal.
Book ferry tickets and a hop-on-hop-off tour for Waiheke Island
Rangitoto Island is a volcanic island and is great for hiking and seeing all different types of wildlife. You can hike to the summit, explore lava caves and enjoy walking through the Pōhutukawa forests.
There are also places to swim, snorkel, or simply relax at scenic spots along the coastline. One thing to note is there’s no cafes, restaurants, or food shops on the island, so you need to bring your own food.
Remember to take your rubbish back to the mainland with you. It typically takes around 25 to 30 minutes to get to Rangitoto Island from the Downtown Ferry Terminal.
Book return ferry tickets to Rangitoto Island
You can do both islands in one day, but you will need to return to the Downtown Ferry Terminal between each one.
Top tip: Book your ferry tickets in advance, especially in the summer. Prices for both of these trips vary due to peak times but are between $44 NZD and $59 NZD return.
The final stop of the day is Mount Eden (Maungawhau). It offers spectacular sunset views. It’s Auckland’s highest volcanic cone, which makes it perfect for a 360-degree panorama of the city skyline.
Dinner in Auckland: The Garden Shed is a great bistro near Mount Eden, offering fantastic vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options in a garden-inspired setting.
Where to go after Auckland
When you’ve finished in Auckland, you can head down south to discover the rest of New Zealand’s North Island. Rotorua is famous for its volcanic activity and Matamata is home to the Hobbiton tour (where you can see where the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were filmed) and the Waitomo Glowworm Caves.
Car rentals are readily available and there is also a coach company called InterCity that will take you all the way down to the South Island and beyond.
This is a guest post from Tim Jones from Wildness and Wellbeing, a podcast and blog with a focus on how the outdoors can help your mental health. Tim travelled New Zealand last year.
