{"id":60,"date":"2013-05-28T03:27:01","date_gmt":"2013-05-28T03:27:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-insiders-guide-to-auckland\/"},"modified":"2022-08-08T23:18:19","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T23:18:19","slug":"the-insiders-guide-to-auckland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-insiders-guide-to-auckland\/","title":{"rendered":"The Insider\u2019s Guide to Auckland"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a major gateway into New Zealand, Auckland can get skipped over when you\u2019re on the way somewhere else. But you\u2019re missing out. Nicknamed the Big Little City, New Zealand’s largest city has the cosy, community feel of a small town even though it stretches over 1000 square kms. Summer is the most popular time for Expedia Travellers (December and January), followed by the September and March school holidays, but Auckland is popular year round with couples and families.\u00a0Keep an eye out for packages and deals at\u00a0Expedia’s\u00a0Auckland Holidays<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here are my insider tips for a few fun days in Auckland:<\/p>\n

Brunch<\/h2>\n

Brunch is a local institution in Auckland. If you\u2019re staying downtown head to the Viaduct where there\u2019s plenty of options. If, like me, you\u2019re a connoisseur of creamy mushrooms, head straight to the\u00a0Mecca Viaduct Basin Caf\u00e9<\/a>. The Portobello mushrooms are served with tiny spicy saut\u00e9ed potatoes and chorizo. Their classic eggs Bene come with bacon, ham, salmon or spinach and have a cult following.<\/p>\n

Hit the shops<\/h2>\n

Most of Expedia\u2019s customers stay right in the city centre and the CBD is a shopper\u2019s heaven.\u00a0Queen Street\u2019s most loved department store is Smith & Caughey’s. It\u2019s Auckland\u2019s equivalent to David Jones or Myer. Lose yourself and a few pennies here, then cross the road to High Street where New Zealand\u2019s fashion designers and international labels hang out.<\/p>\n

Ponsonby Road<\/h2>\n

At 2km long, you need to know where to begin when you\u2019re exploring this street. Start at the new Ponsonby Central, think Melbourne\u2019s Prahran Markets, on the corner of Richmond Road for a bite to eat and you\u2019ll find New Zealand designers and high street retailers all within cooee.<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Newmarket<\/h2>\n

After the CBD and the North Shore, Newmarket is Expedia’s most popular Auckland destination. It’s south east of the city and gives the CBD a run for its money in terms of shops.\u00a0Two-Double-Seven is a small shopping centre with parking (tip: a $5 purchase from any store including Countdown supermarket gets you two hours free parking). You\u2019ll find all the high street shops here, plus cafes and a few of New Zealand\u2019s designers.<\/p>\n

Eating and drinking<\/h2>\n

Auckland is bursting at the waistband with top chefs serving excellent cuisine. Some of the most acclaimed include\u00a0Depot Eatery & Oyster Bar<\/a>,\u00a0The Grill by Sean Connolly<\/a>,\u00a0The Grove<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Euro Bar<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 all in the CBD. Out in the suburbs try Chef Sid Sahrawat\u2019s award winning\u00a0SIDART<\/a>, the divine degustation dinners at\u00a0Meredith\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0or the meat mecca\u00a0Jervois Steak House<\/a>. Seafoodies should head to\u00a0Kermadec Ocean Fresh<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Hammerheads<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0NSP<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Portofino<\/a>\u00a0are great for Italian.<\/p>\n

Island time on Waiheke<\/h2>\n

Spend a whole day on stunning Waiheke Island, a thirty minute ferry ride from downtown. Edged in beaches and covered in vineyards, Waiheke is perfect on a sunny day. It can be rainy in Auckland and still blue sky perfect on Waiheke. Catch a bus into the village of Oneroa, or rent a scooter for the day and take yourself on a tour. Several wineries do fine dining with fantastic views and plenty offer tasting platters and wood-fired pizzas. Browse the boutiques or grab a caf\u00e9 lunch in Oneroa before heading to Little Oneroa for a swim on a smaller, less crowded beach.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a major gateway into New Zealand, Auckland can get skipped over when you\u2019re on the way somewhere else. But you\u2019re missing out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,6,2,3,39,14,7,18,74],"tags":[88,34,89,58],"authors":[],"class_list":["post-60","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-destination","category-experiences","category-explore","category-food-and-wine","category-interests","category-oceania","category-relax","category-shopping","tag-auckland","tag-culture","tag-new-zealand","tag-tips","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Insider Guide to Auckland | Expedia.com.au<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As a major gateway into New Zealand, Auckland can get skipped over when you\u2019re on the way somewhere else. 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