Guidebook for Auckland Central
Food Scene
Great coffee and pastries - Italian style. Good for a break while shopping on Ponsonby Rd.
8 locals recommend
Il Forno
55 Mackelvie StGreat coffee and pastries - Italian style. Good for a break while shopping on Ponsonby Rd.
This place is always pumping, so go here if you like lots of people. There are multiple cafes, restaurants as well as a produce market (fruit, veges, meat, cheese, fish, flowers).
298 locals recommend
Ponsonby Central
146 Ponsonby RdThis place is always pumping, so go here if you like lots of people. There are multiple cafes, restaurants as well as a produce market (fruit, veges, meat, cheese, fish, flowers).
If it's fast, cheap and cheerful you want this is the place to go. The locals go here for dinner out with the family. Great selection of good, well priced food (Thai, Malaysian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Italian etc). Wine and beer is available and icecream for dessert too.
34 locals recommend
Ponsonby International Foodcourt
106 Ponsonby RdIf it's fast, cheap and cheerful you want this is the place to go. The locals go here for dinner out with the family. Great selection of good, well priced food (Thai, Malaysian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Italian etc). Wine and beer is available and icecream for dessert too.
Fantastic deli and cafe. The coffee and vibe are great and the food is something else. Limited outdoor seating - the emphasis is on take-away. Great for lunch and take-away meals for dinner.
31 locals recommend
Ripe Delicatessen
174 Richmond RdFantastic deli and cafe. The coffee and vibe are great and the food is something else. Limited outdoor seating - the emphasis is on take-away. Great for lunch and take-away meals for dinner.
A little-known place except by the locals. Great little place with beanbags and mainly outdoor seating. Great to grab a take-away coffee from.
6 locals recommend
Crumb
507b Ariki StA little-known place except by the locals. Great little place with beanbags and mainly outdoor seating. Great to grab a take-away coffee from.
Arts & Culture
This is an exceptional museum located in a beautiful location which gives you amazing views over the city and harbour. The best display of Maori culture and artifacts in NZ.
787 locals recommend
Auckland War Memorial Museum
This is an exceptional museum located in a beautiful location which gives you amazing views over the city and harbour. The best display of Maori culture and artifacts in NZ.
Great for NZ art and regular international exhibits. The gallery is housed in an historic building and a newly added architect designed extension.
606 locals recommend
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki
Wellesley Street EastGreat for NZ art and regular international exhibits. The gallery is housed in an historic building and a newly added architect designed extension.
Auckland's Museum of Transport and Technology. If you're into historic machinery (planes, trains, trams etc) then this is the place for you. MOTAT has a wonderful collection of old planes, a working tram and historic village. It also has visiting exhibitions showcasing emerging technology. Well worth a visit.
197 locals recommend
Museum of Transport and Technology
805 Great N RdAuckland's Museum of Transport and Technology. If you're into historic machinery (planes, trains, trams etc) then this is the place for you. MOTAT has a wonderful collection of old planes, a working tram and historic village. It also has visiting exhibitions showcasing emerging technology. Well worth a visit.
Parks & Nature
One of the oldest parks in Auckland. It has a lovely selection of trees, lovely walks and great views of the city.
62 locals recommend
Western Park
7 Howe StOne of the oldest parks in Auckland. It has a lovely selection of trees, lovely walks and great views of the city.
Lovely bug park which is good for walking and exercise (basketball, tennis, rugby league, cycling, skateboarding). It's also the location of the iconic Grey Lynn Park Festival (held annually in November).
50 locals recommend
Grey Lynn Park
Dryden StreetLovely bug park which is good for walking and exercise (basketball, tennis, rugby league, cycling, skateboarding). It's also the location of the iconic Grey Lynn Park Festival (held annually in November).
Victorian-era glasshouses with numerous tropical plant displays. There is also a mini-bushwalk for those without the time to venture out of the city to see some of NZ's native bush.
69 locals recommend
Domain Wintergardens
Wintergarden RoadVictorian-era glasshouses with numerous tropical plant displays. There is also a mini-bushwalk for those without the time to venture out of the city to see some of NZ's native bush.
One of the oldest parks in Auckland set out in a more formal style. It's adjacent to two universities and the art gallery. Get's quite busy when the university term is on - it can be a bustling student hang-out.
150 locals recommend
Albert Park
33-43 Princes StOne of the oldest parks in Auckland set out in a more formal style. It's adjacent to two universities and the art gallery. Get's quite busy when the university term is on - it can be a bustling student hang-out.
Waitakere
Large park with numerous bush walks and a visitor centre.
Volcanic island with the largest Pohutukawa forest in NZ. Climb to the top for stunning views of the city and Hauraki Gulf. Visit the lava caves on the way up (or down). Only a short ferry ride away.
280 locals recommend
Rangitoto Island Scenic Reserve
Volcanic island with the largest Pohutukawa forest in NZ. Climb to the top for stunning views of the city and Hauraki Gulf. Visit the lava caves on the way up (or down). Only a short ferry ride away.
Iconic west coast scenery - bush, beaches and volcanic cliffs. NZ's only mainland gannet colony can be found here.
76 locals recommend
Muriwai Gannet Colony
428 Motutara RdIconic west coast scenery - bush, beaches and volcanic cliffs. NZ's only mainland gannet colony can be found here.
Shopping
Great shopping strip - it has clothing, books, gifts, plus cafes and bars.
227 locals recommend
Ponsonby Road
Ponsonby RoadGreat shopping strip - it has clothing, books, gifts, plus cafes and bars.
Great for iconic NZ artwork, ceramics, jewellery and NZ-themed gifts to take back.
13 locals recommend
The Poi Room
17 Osborne StGreat for iconic NZ artwork, ceramics, jewellery and NZ-themed gifts to take back.
Essentials
Large supermarket just up the road - it also has a pharmacy (chemist/ drugstore) inside it.
79 locals recommend
Countdown Ponsonby
4 Williamson AveLarge supermarket just up the road - it also has a pharmacy (chemist/ drugstore) inside it.
Drinks & Nightlife
Plenty of room and good bar food. Actually, there are plenty of bars along Ponsonby Road - this is just one of them.
34 locals recommend
Longroom
114 Ponsonby RdPlenty of room and good bar food. Actually, there are plenty of bars along Ponsonby Road - this is just one of them.
Great food and bar scene. This place has a great vibe and is always busy. Popular with locals and tourists.
223 locals recommend
Viaduct Basin
Great food and bar scene. This place has a great vibe and is always busy. Popular with locals and tourists.
Great mix of cafes, restaurants and bars. Right on the harbour - watch the fishing boats and locals promenade up and down. Connects to the Viaduct Harbour by a bridge.
18 locals recommend
North Wharf
Great mix of cafes, restaurants and bars. Right on the harbour - watch the fishing boats and locals promenade up and down. Connects to the Viaduct Harbour by a bridge.
Sightseeing
Iconic suburb just a ferry ride away from downtown Auckland. Climb up Mt Victoria for stunning views of the Waitemata Harbour and Hauraki Gulf.
224 locals recommend
Devonport
Iconic suburb just a ferry ride away from downtown Auckland. Climb up Mt Victoria for stunning views of the Waitemata Harbour and Hauraki Gulf.
Great local shops, cafes and bars. It has a great vibe to it. It's also the place to stop-off on the way to Eden Park (rugby and cricket ground).
47 locals recommend
Kingsland
New North RoadGreat local shops, cafes and bars. It has a great vibe to it. It's also the place to stop-off on the way to Eden Park (rugby and cricket ground).
Great beach, cafes, restaurants - this place hums during Summer. Keep going and visit Kohimarama and St Heliers, beaches just a bit further along the road.
250 locals recommend
Mission Bay
Great beach, cafes, restaurants - this place hums during Summer. Keep going and visit Kohimarama and St Heliers, beaches just a bit further along the road.
Parnell Road
Parnell RoadUpmarket shopping precinct - also cafes and restaurants.
There are great views of the city and harbour from this volcanic cone. You can also see the crater and remnants of Maori fortifications.
140 locals recommend
Mount Eden Summit
250 Mount Eden RdThere are great views of the city and harbour from this volcanic cone. You can also see the crater and remnants of Maori fortifications.
Wonderful views from this volcanic cone, plus an insight into Maori fortifications. It's set in the middle of a lovely park. Made 'famous' by U2's classic song "One Tree Hill."
279 locals recommend
One Tree Hill
670 Manukau RdWonderful views from this volcanic cone, plus an insight into Maori fortifications. It's set in the middle of a lovely park. Made 'famous' by U2's classic song "One Tree Hill."
Beautiful beaches, scenery and wineries. A great laid-back vibe on this island paradise. Easily accessible by ferry from downtown Auckland.
407 locals recommend
Waiheke Island
25 Karaka RdBeautiful beaches, scenery and wineries. A great laid-back vibe on this island paradise. Easily accessible by ferry from downtown Auckland.
If its dramatic scenery and isolation you're after, then Bethell's is the place to be. The iconic file "The Piano" was filmed here.
106 locals recommend
Bethells Beach
If its dramatic scenery and isolation you're after, then Bethell's is the place to be. The iconic file "The Piano" was filmed here.