Auckland, North Island

Discover over 60 things to do with kids in Auckland!

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Auckland Activities and a family day out

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Rangitoto Island, Auckland

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Auckland family holidays

Auckland family holiday

Auckland family on Viaduct Harbour

Play and Stay in Auckland

Walks and Parks

Walks & Parks

Get Outdoors!

Discover the region's walks, parks, beaches, lakes or rivers.

Auckland is one of the most attractive cities in the world ~ with countless beaches, fun harbour and city centre, islands to explore and LOTS of things to do with the kids.  You and your whanau will never be bored with our selection of the best family things to do in Auckland!  Check out our guide to what to do with kids, teens and families in Auckland.

Central Auckland

New Zealand’s economic heart and biggest city is also an exciting family visitor destination, situated on a sunny harbour with city beaches just minutes away from the CBD.  Orientate yourself by heading down to Viaduct Harbour, wandering the waterfront, checking out the super yachts or enjoying the waterfront restaurants.  Nearby is the must-visit Sky Tower along with excellent and kid-friendly museums and tons of exciting activities!

The Hauraki Gulf and Waiheke Island

There are over 50 islands in the Hauraki Gulf, which lies between the Waitemata Harbour and Coromandel Peninsula. The two largest are Waiheke and Great Barrier and these are easy to access by ferry from downtown Auckland. The most distinctive island is Rangitoto – the most recent and the largest of the approximately 50 volcanoes of the Auckland volcanic field. You can take a day trip to see Rangitoto close up. Otherwise why not explore the harbour with a cruise or even take a whale and dolphin safari! The best island to visit for a day or to stay on for a family-friendly, beach getaway is Waiheke Island. It’s just 40 minutes by ferry from downtown Auckland and this holiday haven has beautiful beaches, wonderful walks, native forest reserves and plenty of family restaurants, cafes and wineries.

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Devonport and North Shore ~ cruisy and quirky!

Only 15 minutes by car, or 10 minutes by ferry from Auckland’s Queen Street, is the historic seaside village of Devonport – one of the earliest settled areas of Auckland. You will find cafes, craft fairs, walking tracks and good swimming beaches.  You can even explore Devonport by Magic Broomstick Segway Tours!

Takapuna This popular one kilometre beach has a reserve and picnic area and is only a short walk to cafes and shops and ten minutes drive from Auckland and the North Shore. Said to be the best urban beach in Auckland, Takapuna offers safe swimming and white sand as well as beautiful views of the harbour.

North of Auckland – just a stone's throw to the best beaches and coast!

Warkworth  40 minutes drive from Auckland brings you to this captivating historic village on the banks of the Mahurangi River. As well as the nostalgic charm of Warkworth’s heritage buildings and boutique shops, its scenic native bush and meandering riverside boardwalk make it a great place to explore.

Matakana just 45 minutes north of Auckland lies the picturesque Matakana village and wine region – their Saturday Matakana farmers market is a ‘must-visit’. Matakana is also the gateway to the beautiful east coast beaches, fishing villages and regional parks that surround the region.

Goat Island New Zealand’s first marine reserve is a little over one hour’s drive from Auckland but well worth it with fantastic beaches and easy snorkelling with masses of colourful fish.

West Auckland - and the wild West Coast

Under an hour from the city centre brings you across the Waitakere Ranges and onto Auckland’s wild West Coast where you can explore lush native rainforest, scenic coastline and windswept black-sand beaches.

The most famous and popular beach is Piha with its iconic Lion Rock, exciting surf and remote feel.

 

 

 

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North Island

South Island

Map of New Zealand
  • Central Otago
  • Auckland
  • Bay of Plenty
  • Christchurch
  • Dunedin
  • Coromandel
  • Gisborne
  • Fiordland and Milford Sound
  • Hawkes Bay
  • Marlborough Sounds
  • Manawatu
  • Nelson & Golden Bay
  • Northland
  • North Canterbury
  • Queenstown
  • Rotorua
  • South Canterbury
  • Taranaki
  • Southland
  • Taupo
  • Wanaka
  • Waikato
  • Wellington
  • West Coast
  • Whangarei
  • Bay of Islands
  • Tauranga
  • Gisborne
  • Hamilton
  • Napier
  • Kapiti
  • Palmerston North
  • Whanganui
  • New Plymouth
  • Arrowtown
  • Te Anau
  • Akaroa
  • Ashburton
  • Hanmer
  • Kaikoura
  • Methven
  • Mt Cook
  • Oamaru
  • Tekapo
  • Timaru
  • Abel Tasman
  • Motueka
  • Nelson Lakes
  • Blenheim
  • Picton
  • Catlins
  • Gore
  • Stewart Island
  • Central Plateau
  • Invercargill
  • Cromwell
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Westport
  • Glenorchy

Our favourite destinations…

Auckland

New Zealand’s economic heart and biggest city is also an exciting family visitor destination, situated on a sunny harbour with city beaches just minutes away from the CBD. Orientate yourself by heading down to Viaduct Harbour, wandering the waterfront, checking out the super yachts or enjoying the waterfront restaurants. Nearby is the must-visit Sky Tower along with excellent and kid-friendly museums and tons of exciting activities!

Wellington

Wellington is New Zealand’s capital. Here you will find New Zealand's parliament buildings, including the 'Executive Wing', more well-known as 'The Beehive' due to its distinctive shape. Another icon to look out for is the Wellington Tram, which was the main means of public transport between 1878 and 1964.

Christchurch

With a population of around 400,000 Christchurch, in Canterbury, is the South Island ’s largest city, yet much of it has the feel of a small town. Perhaps that’s why it’s known as the Garden City but with the expansive Hagley Park, Botanic Gardens, Port Hills, River Avon and numerous beaches the city certainly has an open, relaxed feel that’s hard to beat.

Queenstown

With its well-deserved reputation as New Zealand’s activity adventure capital you’ll never run out of activities and things to do in Queenstown, but you may run out of time! With breathtaking scenery, activities and festivals, cafes and restaurants, skiing and snowboarding, shopping and wineries, this lakeside alpine resort rates as one of the world’s top vacation destinations for all ages and seasons.

Rotorua

Rotorua sits on the shore of Lake Rotorua, one of sixteen lakes in the area formed by hundreds of thousands of years of eruptions from the Taupo Volcanic Zone. The area is renowned for its geothermal activity and top of any activity list is to see the bubbling mud pools that are around the region for yourself. The Waimangu Volcanic Valley offers a first hand insight into the devastation caused by the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera and is a great place to discover steaming volcanic craters and bubbling, spitting  pools of mud!

Nelson and Golden Bay

The Nelson and Golden Bay regions, at the top of the South Island, boast enviable sunshine hours, glorious sandy beaches, safe swimming spots, lots of wildlife to look out for, and Abel Tasman National Park - an absolute must to explore, on foot, by kayak, your own craft or watertaxi.  Nelson is home to a vibrant arts and crafts community with a fabulous Saturday market, and is close to award-winning wineries and family-friendly bike tracks to take you around the coast.

Hawkes Bay

Napier was rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake and is now known as NZ's Art Deco City.  The Art Deco influence has created a unique city – nowhere else can you see such a varied concentration of art deco style. With over 2,200 sunshine hours a year, Napier is a year-round holiday destination with countless activities to entertain the kids – there's days of entertainment on Marine Parade alone, plus numerous other family-friendly trips and activities.  Add to that the beaches, walks and flat cycle paths, outdoor cafes and entertainment, and you have a perfect holiday destination!

Northland

Beautiful, unspoiled beaches, fishing, historic gum fields, kauri forests – the Far North has it all. With subtropical temperatures, it's often known as ‘the Winterless north', with warm, humid summers and mild winters.
Gateway to the Bay of Islands, Paihia is a pretty, lively beachside town and a perfect base for your family holiday. It’s your start point for Bay of Island adventures including day cruises, sailing, kayaking, swimming with dolphins and reef or wreck diving.