A really beautiful historic building that you can visit and explore, and is also a venue for…read moreweddings. I was involved in a wedding here and at the dress rehearsal we had the opportunity to take in the building, and it's really like walking into another era with the old-fashioned wallpaper and pictures on the wall, and seeing into the past as you head upstairs and have a look around. It's a beautiful space for a wedding; the ceremony was on the steps out the front of the house and the hall inside was a nice intimate space for speeches and socialising. The man who we liaised with regarding the function was really great - friendly and flexible. If you are thinking about having a wedding here just keep in mind - no stilettos inside! (Which, if you're me, is a great excuse to take off your bridesmaid shoes that you can't walk properly in anyway.)

Alberton was definitely in the running when I was choosing a wedding venue as it is just so…read morebeautiful. It's one of those places that is constantly used for fashion, film and even music video shoots because its historic character is so well preserved. It is grand, old and beautiful but there are some rules and regulations that apply to keeping it that way so keep that in mind if you are thinking of using it for an event. The great thing is that it's open to the public so all you have to do is wander on in and explore all its nooks and crannies at your leisure. You will have to pay for the pleasure but that's as it should be in order to keep preserve places like this for future generations. The grounds are stunning as well and a visit here can take you back in time for some romantic day-dreaming. Great for kids too - history is so much more interesting when it's tangible.

I was wandering around Blockhouse Bay the other day when, for the first time in my life, I saw that…read morethe Armanasco House was open. This is quite the rarity apparently, with the Blockhouse Bay Historical Society being the keyholders and guardsmen of this historical landmark. So I went in and checked out the exhibition they had on - a selection of historical photos of Blockhouse Bay. Under the eagle eyed supervision of a lady who reminded me a little too much of the exorcist in "The Poltergeist," I checked out the old photos - but my attention wasn't held for too long . For out the back window stood the prime attraction of the house - the dunny. An old longdrop that has been preserved all these years. There is something poetic about the preservation of a toilet - I'm not sure if I can put it into words, but if that dunny could speak, it would definitely have some stories to tell. Armanasco house is worth a look if you are in the area and it's open - but it is also available for viewing by appointment.

Town hall opened in 1911 This 5 story building was specially designed to fit a triangular shaped…read moreplot of land. It resemblances Lambeth Town Hall in London. This was Auckland's first permanent seat of both administration & entertainment in the city. The Great Hall seats 1,673 people, modeled on the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, considered having among the best acoustics in the world. The exterior of the Edwardian building is constructed of 2 types of stone. The ground floor is made of a dark volcanic basalt, heavily rusticated, contrasting with pale stonework above. Oamaru limestone from the south island was used for the upper part of the building. The lower part is often assumed to be Auckland basalt but was actually sourced from Melbourne. . The five-storey building was specially designed to fit the wedge-shaped piece of land that had been acquired for it in the 1870s at the junction of Queen Street and Grey Street. It bears a striking resemblance to the Lambeth Town Hall at Brixton, London, built at around the same time. The Town Hall formed Auckland's first permanent seat of both administration and entertainment in the city's history, with its Great Hall (seating 1,673 people) modelled on the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, and considered as having among the finest acoustics in the world. The exterior is constructed of two types of stone; the ground floor is made of a dark volcanic basalt, heavily rusticated, which contrasts with the pale stonework of the upper storeys. Oamaru limestone from the south island was used for the upper part of the building. The lower part was from Melbourne, in Australia.

Although the Town Hall is quite a small and intimate venue to go for a concert, nothing quite…read morecompares to the experience that you get when this place goes off. The floorboards literally move beneath your feet and you feel as if you're on a trampoline. No lies! I swear it's the craziest feeling when you're moshing to the Smashing Pumpkins and you can jump twice as high as normal. I wonder if there will come a day when that floor caves in, leaving a big messy pile of punk-rockers sprawling on the ground. The Town Hall hosts quieter and more civilised entertainment too, orchestras and the like, but I haven't seen any. I'm way too hardcore.

Wow... we saw 4 guys sky jumping from highest building in Auckland... mainly we heard them…read morescreaming as they jumped then we saw them... Amazing people watching... an outdoor restaurant & bar below the skyline tower...

To see all of Auckland, the bay bridge and the Port take a ride on the Sky lift. The view is…read morereally neat. You may see a cruise ship. You can see a McDonald's logo on a roof that is the former location of the NZ corporation office. The old City Hall is nearby. If you know where to look you can see the park and buildings of the Māori Council, the Indigenous people of NZ. Up on the enclosed viewing area you can spend as much time as you'd like. Cool is that in the floor are see-thru panels to the ground below. You can avoid walking on these if you wish. A floor above is a cafe, a bar and souvenir shop. I believe this is handicapped accessible. Call to make sure.

Interesting to stroll through the Victoria Park Market…read more From 1905 to 1918 a series of brick buildings were constructed to...deal with the removal of rubbish in Auckland. At the turn of the century in the early 1900s, rubbish was moved by horses. Due to fears about the rats spreading the bubonic plague via the garbage, the Auckland city council approved an incinerator to be built to intentionally burn the city's rubbish. The power generator used coal initially, however steam generators were later added to keep up with the demand for rubbish removal. Now the Victoria Park Market is repurposed from the original waste depot and incinerator complex. Check out the Celebrity Walk which features prominent New Zealanders like Sir Edmund Hillary and other famous athletes, authors and politicians. An interesting slice of Auckland history.

The re-opening of this Auckland icon was heralded for the weekend of 15-16 November 2015. We went…read morealong for a nosey and had high expectations. Previous attempts at rejuvenating VPM have been pretty abysmal so this had to be better. All we can say is "ho hum". The design is nice except they have failed to allow for crowds of dawdling people. Bi-fold doors open out on to the walkways, restricting access for people, and large pot plants add to the already narrow access. The shops/stalls are not really anything new. There are still empty shop spaces. The stall holders were all looking desperately at the meandering crowds who had little use for their handmade wares. I predict that many will not return. There was not enough food for sale - we arrived at about lunchtime - and unbelievably the sushi shop had a practically empty cabinet and hungry people were walking in and out again. The remaining food outlets: a couple of cafes, were ill-equipped to cope, slow and struggling to serve the throngs of people! This, on the opening day of a market that had so much promise but seriously failed to deliver. Such a shame. Someone with a mobile coffee caravan could do a roaring trade down at VPM - coffee can soothe the savage breast and much can be forgiven when you have a good hot coffee fix in your hand! Good luck to them for the future - I really hope they succeed...

Thanks to our New Zealand friends (Geoffrey and Margaret), whom we met the year before during our…read morecruise through Southeast Asia, for planning a day of fun, exercise, and good eats in Auckland. We started with a hike up Mount Eden (Maungawhau), a dormant volcano and the highest natural point in Auckland, offering panoramic views of the city from its summit. As we hiked uphill along pathways and boardwalks to the summit, our friends explained that Mount Eden is a culturally significant Māori site, pointing out its historical Māori pā (fortified village) terraces and its sacred 160-ft-deep crater. It took us about 18 minutes to hike up from the parking lot to the summit while following the pathway to the boardwalks. The uphill hike was relatively easy with an elevation gain of nearly 240 feet, and I was sure glad that my osteoarthritic knee wasn't "acting up." We prepared for this hike by taking physically challenging shore excursions and actively exercising pre- and during our cruise. After all, we didn't want to reach the summit wheezing and out of breath, because we truly wanted to enjoy the panoramic views and take in the cultural and historical background from our younger friends. It was very windy atop and along the summit boardwalks, and I had to either hold on or lean into the handrails, otherwise be blown about like tumbleweed. At the summit, we were treated to a 360° panoramic view of Auckland city, its nearby neighborhoods, the iconic Sky Tower, Auckland Harbor Bridge, Rangitoto Island, and a glimpse of the South towards the Auckland Airport. Instead of returning to our vehicle the same way we had climbed up, our friends guided us downhill on a less steep, paved private roadway. Our round-trip hike took about an hour, and it was a beautiful day to spend with friends, enjoying iconic sights and learning about Māori history and culture.

At 196 meters high, Mount Eden, a dormant volcano, is the highest natural point in Auckland. It…read morewas named in honour of George Eden, the 1st Earl of Auckland (a white guy), by Governor William Hobson (another white guy). In the Māori language, Mount Eden is called Maungawhau, which means "mountain of the whau tree". At the top of Mount Eden/Maungawhau is a large, grassy crater 50 meters deep which is sacred to the Māori and must not be entered. Mount Eden/Maungawhau is a popular for hiking, and while it is not a long or difficult hike, there are steep sections. Around the crater are boardwalks that were installed in 2020 for people to take a stroll. Fortunately when we went hiking on Mount Eden/Maungawhau, the weather was nice, although it was quite windy at the top. I took a lot of photos to try and capture the beauty of the area, but it's something you just have to experience in person. If you like hiking and nature, don't miss Mount Eden/Maungawhau. [Yelp collections: NZ/Fiji 2023; New Zealand 2023; Hiking]

This little square at the end of the viaduct seems to be a bit of wasted space, however it does…read morehave a few seats in the viaduct for those who don't want to pay for a restaurant meal, and adds a bit of interest for those people watching in O'Hagans. It's also a handy meeting spot for those social activities, dragon boating, group runs etc. Nothing special to go out of your way for though, just a bit of local colour. The name is also a bit misleading. This space would be ideal for some actual markets, and would certainly have the ready-made crowds on its doorstep.

Carrington's is a really cool bar located in the heart of the Auckland Unitec campus. Though…read moreoriginally created for student use, Carrington's has flourished over the years and is now open to the general public too. With a full bar and pretty good range of food available, Carrington's is a great place to sit in the afternoon with friends and have a few drinks and something to eat. The chips are deliciously salty and crisp - I definitely recommend getting a bowl to share. The bar itself is pretty big, with a decent sized dance floor and plenty of seating inside, as well as a separate room which houses pool tables, and a newly renovated outdoor area. This set up of Carrington's makes it the perfect venue for 21st parties and the like; there's enough room to sit, gossip, dance, you can smoke outside, there's two bars (one in the new outdoor area), and the pool tables add a little bit of friendly competition to the party. Plus, it's hilarious watching your friends play when they're drunk! Tip: If you're a student at Unitec there are often deals on the food and drinks, so be sure to ask!

We had our wedding ceremony and reception here on March 8th 2014 and had an absolutely amazing…read moreexperience! The special events team were extremely polished in their service, presence and delivery, we loved every minute of our day with these guys! The venue is well organised to host events such as weddings or big parties and we found the food to be of outstanding quality and very reasonably priced. I recommend Carrington's Pumphouse to anyone considering having a special event 100%!!!