Watching NZ play Australia in World Cup cricket. Couldn't get tickets to the game so had lunch at…read moreMamak and now am at Vulture's Lane. Seems to be the place to be. Massive selection of beers and nachos are $5.00 today. Had a pint of Garage Project and now thinking about a pint of 8WiredSemiconductor!

A charming little lane off Queen Street with lots of good bars and other shops of interest. It's…read morethe little lanes like this that make the CBD interesting and offer welcoming relief from the blandness of Queen Street. There's a few good bars, namely The Belgian Beer Cafe; O Carrolls Irish bar and the best of all: Queensferry Hotel. The first time I came here in 2007 (on holiday) I recall browsing in a cool record store and buying a Bob Dylan album. That store is gone now but it indelibly marked Vulcan Lane as one of the cooler places in the CBD. The Vulcan cafe is a good spot to watch the people go by and another useful addition to the lane is Wishbone Deli. In case you haven't read my review, it's got a great selection of pastas and risottos which are great if you are on the go. A bit of cult place to Aucklanders, there's a lively vibe here and there is always something going on.

Onetangi is the largest beach on Waiheke and a stunner with it's golden sand and calm waters. It is…read morea great summer destination and literally gets heated up with heat waves coming off the sand in the height of the sun. They have a public bathroom here with several access points from the road with ramps and stairs onto the sand and water. The long road that runs parallel to the beach is lined with very lucky people who own beach houses or homes as well as cafes, restaurants at the waterfront and holiday accommodation. It's easy to get to Onetangi if you're fortunate to have brought a car otherwise it's not hard using the public transport route. Nearby there are a few vineyards if you are in the mood for vino also. They do SUP here and of course you can swim- generally it's good conditions. Lots of sand so sandcastles galore if that takes your fancy. Equally if you're feeling super active you can walk or run the entire length- beware though it's longer than you think. A must see Waiheke beach

In the middle of Waiheke Island lies this beautiful, long white sandy beach. Onetangi beach is so…read morenice, I could easily come here every day. But I understand that this is wishful thinking. Anyway I'm grateful if I can visit this place just once in my life, and I have, so mission accomplished. Onetangi beach doesn't get crowded at all, and it's long enough anyway for enough privacy if it does. It's one of those pristine New Zealand beaches that has everything except the crowds of people. If you love hanging around hundreds of people on the beach, then this place is not really for you. The water is so beautiful, clean and inviting here, the sand is soft, you really can't ask for much more.

Welcome to Paradise…read more I've heard Waiheke Island is the Hawaii of New Zealand. But even though I have not been to Hawaii, I disagree. Why? I don't think anything can compare to this place. There are two entrances to the hiking trails to Fisherman's Rock. We took the entrance off of Littler Oneroa Beach. Tip: Dragonfired Wood Oven Pizza food truck is located on the beach and it's a great way to enjoy pizza on the beach! There are steep wooden steps built into the side of the rocks to help guide you up. Throughout the entire hiking trail, there are random spurts of wooden steps that aid you along the way. The hiking trail is fairly easy, with only the uphill portions potentially making this trail slightly medium difficultly. But regardless of the uphill trail, the views are absolutely phenomenal. If you walk all the way from Little Oneroa Beach to Fisherman's Rock, it should take approximately 35 minutes. But you will take longer because it is impossible to not stop and take in the breathtaking views as you are surrounded by the beauty of the ocean. As you approach Fisherman's Rock (which really is just close to the edge of the cliff), you can go down to the rocks and get on a small makeshift swing! Again, the views down there are incredible. Seriously, if you go anywhere else in New Zealand, make this a priority.

For us, the monthly visit to the night market is really just entertainment for the kids and a very…read morecheap dinner. I love any Asian/Indian/ethno food so can always find something to keep the wolf from the door. There is a wide range of cuisines: Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Philipino, Hungarian, Hong Kong, Pacific Island, and more plus a plethora of post prandial sweets. The food quality at some stalls might be a bit iffy - I suppose at $6 they won't be using the best ingredients, but I have never been sick!!. Sometimes I wonder about the hygiene too but fingers crossed... A lot of the food is in bain maries pre-cooked but the last two meals I've had have been cooked on the spot. It always amazes me that there is a huge queue for churros, which must be the most over-rated snack ever - flavourless dough sticks covered in a sauce of choice. Having said that though I wish I owned that business because the queues reach out the door and they are making a killing!! As at the time of writing this, the Pakuranga market is getting overcrowded. We went last night, arriving at 6pm opening time and it was already extremely busy. We were glad to be in and out within 30 minutes because it was becoming uncomfortably congested. If the crowds continue to grow, the market will need to expand its area. If I was designing the space I would move the "dining" tables to an area away from the throng of hungry punters trying to buy food. And in my perfect world pushchairs would be BANNED from all pedestrian areas!! Why, oh why, do people bring push chairs into crowded pedestrian areas? Dumb. I recommend the night market for a bit of frivolous fun on an evening when you have nothing else on and want to take the kids out for some low key entertainment and dinner. The "shopping" is best avoided unless you want fruit and veges. However, if on the other hand, you have an urge to offload your cash on $2 Shop junk, costume jewellery, flannelette onesies, carvings, mobile phone covers and accessories, a (fully-clothed) back/neck massage, ear candles, cheap and nasty nail polish and nail art, a dubious fortune telling, or second-hand bric-a-brac then this will be your Shangri-la!

Awesome place to have a super unhealthy Friday night dinner. The cuisine there is just so varied u…read morecan have anything u cud think of.. Obviously cheap food.. As for the shopping.. There are a few vege stores and a lot of cheap low quality stuff, items that may entertain children..

This walkway encircles the edge of the huge open pit that has three centuries of gold-mining…read morehistory. It's unbelievable that such a thing exists. Not too difficult of a walk either following the wide gravel path and suitable for anyone- prams, wheelchairs, of all ages. Additionally great because there are signs along the way for a bit of an education. Lookouts around for a different view of the same incredible chasm with it's varied height-ed shafts, network of tunnels, pipes as well as working mining vehicles. Must see if you are in this mining-rich heritage-d town.

If you like coffee, you have to come here and sample the traditionally brewed Ethiopian coffee. I'm…read morepretty sure it's the best coffee in the world. The process of making the coffee is interesting to watch in itself, but the taste is heavenly. A tiny cup of incredibly thick, strong, aromatic coffee with teaspoon after teaspoon of sugar stirred in. I don't even like sugar in my coffee usually, but Ethiopian coffee is a revelation. There's other stuff at the festival too! I've been a number of times and always had a great time. With it's focus on the art and food traditions of refugee communities, it's an opportunity to share in some culture that you might not be so familiar with. Ever-popular are the drumming demonstrations and the dancing on the main stage, but there are also heaps of stalls to browse, food to taste, and the Annual Cultural Football Tournament. If you've been before, note the change of venue; the festival won't be held at Potter's Park this year (2013), but at the War Memorial Park instead, on Sunday the 7th of April.

I mainly wanted this glowworm tour because they allow pictures to be taken while in the cave. The…read moretour date I was looking at was fully booked but you can email them to be added to the waitlist. I asked to be added to the waitlist for 2 on October 12, and got off the waitlist on November 9, for a tour on December 28 so don't give up hope if it is originally fully booked! I did the spellbound explorer tour which included a walk through a cave as well as a boat ride through a cave for the glowworms. The tour guide was great and allowed pictures during the first back and forth on the boat ride and asked us to put away our phones during the second. This is because the first go-around allows for the eyes to adjust and see the glowworms better so the second go-around the glowworms are much brighter. The cave walk was also a nice add on for 20 NZD but if the tour with the cave walk is not available the regular boat ride is perfect on its own. I loved this tour as our tour guide took pictures for each group that wanted some with glowworms and also provided us with personal pictures of glowworms taken with a nicer camera with a longer shutter speed.

Oceane was an informative and friendly guide. We were able to see so many glow worms! It was like…read moreseeing the milky way! Ask her about Mama Mia if you like aquatic wildlife.

For me, the best thing about Auckland Arts Festival is that you can be as involved as you want to…read morebe. If you want to go to watch a performance, there are loads of plays to choose from (this year, I'm going to see Hui) as well as Opera, ballet, dance-theatre...the list is endless and there's enough variety to suit everyone. Alternatively, if you don't want to be that involved, you can go sit for free in the Festival Garden on Queen Street (where I spent almost all of Saturday afternoon) watching live music performances on wooden benches with a glass of the Stoneleighs wine that is available on-site. And if you're not even up for the that, just walk down Dominion Road and you'll find loads of free street performances from the Auckland Theatre Company on at various times throughout the festival. An annual event that takes place over three weeks every year, the Arts Festival is such a fantastic event and great way for everyone in the city to appreciate local and international theatre right here in the city. It's something really worthwhile to get involved in.

Auckland to me is like a flashy magician or something. It's always pulling something out of its hat…read moreand acting all come hither like, 'Don't you want to get involved Sophie? Why yes Auckland I do thanks. The Auckland arts festival is just one of Auckland's many white rabbits. Being staged from the 6th of March through to the 24th it is an all inclusive tour de force. To kick it off one of the biggest fire shows of the year was put on in the domain, this show entitled 'Breath of the Volcano' was inspired by the Volcanic cones of Auckland, and was an outdoor theatre spectacular like nothing I've ever seen. The fireworks were able to be seen city wide. One of my favourite events of this festival and I've been to a few was 'White Night' , where Auckland's cultural epicentres like its museums and art galleries stayed open after dark, till late. It was a remarkable opportunity to explore my new city from a wholly different perspective. Honestly I couldn't recommend this festival enough.

Just to the south of popular Muriwai beach on Auckland's West Coast is the small cove of Maori Bay…read more This beach can be accessed either by foot from the stairs at the Southern end of Muriwai, or by turning up left before the car park. To get to the beach you are faced with a very steep walk down over rocks gravel, and this is one of the reasons that if you went to this beach to relax, you are less likely to be surrounded by hoards of children. What you will come across is a large number of surfers. My partner tells me that the break at this bay is better than at Muriwai, and it is often less crowded. This is not a swimming spot for amateur or weak swimmers as there are no life guards on duty, and there can be a very nasty rip that runs along the beach and straight into the rocks at the northern end. I have seen surfers walking back around over the cliff path after being sucked out and swept around to Muriwai. You have been warned! Rare and endangered Fairy terns nest at the northern end of the beach in the right season, so heed the signs and don't touch the baby ones, even if they look lost!

Every time I pull into the car park at Maori Bay I smile. Even though I visit the surf spot often,…read morewhen the swell is good, I am always surprised by the amazing views. The car park sits high on a cliff giving you a tremendous view of the rough ocean crashing onto the rocks at the base of Otakamiro point, where hundreds of gannets flock together at one of New Zealand's few breeding colonies. It really is a sight. The west coast waters here are a little too feisty for the casual swim, but even if you're not a keen surfer, the grassy clearing next to the car park sets the scene for the perfect picnic to watch the sunset. Or if you're more of an adventurer take the walk over the hills to get snap-happy up close and personal with the gannets!

Rangitoto was definitely a highlight of our visit to Auckland. We had a free day and wanted to get…read moresome exploring in, so we took the 10:30 ferry ride on over which was quick and beautiful. The range in microclimate hiking to the summit was fascinating. There were times where it was unbearably hot and then others when it was cool and wet. So interesting! The views, unsurprisingly, were magnificent.

We booked this tour through Fullers/360 Discovery Tours. They made it very simple to find the…read morecorrect dock, pick up our ferry tickets, and hop on board to the island. It was a fun little cruise to Rangitoto and then a very well organized tour and hike once there. We boarded an open-sided cart pulled by a truck/tractor, and it drove us all over the island - with our guide pointing out neat sights along the way, including volcanic fields, old dwellings where the WWII soldiers used to bunk, and some flora and fauna that we passed: birds and pōhutukawa trees (of which Rangitoto is the largest forest in the world). We stopped at the foot of the summit, and those who wanted to venture to the top hopped onto the boardwalk that runs alongside the mountain. It was an easy climb along the flat winding boardwalk, but the views do get a little daunting for those afraid of heights. There is a stop along the way called the crater summit track. Here you can walk around the edge/ring of this very large and very deep volcanic crater. There were lots of beautiful trees and scenic views to stop and see/snap photos of along the way. You can see Motutapu Island from the summit, where it connects to Rangitoto. Our guide said that some people hike from Rangitoto to Motutapu along the causeway connection, but we did not have time for that on this tour. Once we snagged our photos at the top of the summit, we headed back down and then boarded the vehicle again to meander back around the island to the dock and start our journey home. Overall, I would say this island (as part of a tour or a self guided hike with your own ferry pass) is a great way to spend a day. Hiking, beautiful views, and the sights of New Zealand that you don't get from just staying in Auckland!