2 days in Auckland? Looking for opinions.

After following this forum for about 8 months in prep for our upcoming X Century cruise in January I want to thank everyone who posts here. All of you from Down Under have to be the friendliest, most helpful folks on the CC boards. And since you have been so great I thought I would ask my own question.

We will be arriving in Auckland pre-cruise on January 4 at 1:30. We plan to take a taxi from the airport to our hotel (Celestion Waldorf). What I am asking today is this: If you had the rest of that afternoon and a full day the next day and a partial day before boarding the ship to spend in and around Auckland, what would you do?

Now I am going to push the envelope here and ask for a bunch of info.

First, what would you do in that time?

Second, how about recommendations on places for dinner, breakfast and lunch. Plus on the 5th we will be meeting two other couples we are cruising with for dinner so someplace a little nicer for that one.

Is the HoHo bus a good value? Would you take it all the way around without getting off and then go back to see particular places? If so, what places.

Lastly, Trip Adviser has very mixed reviews of Kelly Tarlton's. Would you go?

I have read all the Trip Adviser stuff, checked out numerous websites and more but I have come to believe that the Kiwis who post on this forum know more than all of them.

Thanks to all of you for your opinions. I know they will be good ones.

I am sure you will get a lot of great answers. We recently had a day in Auckland to fill in between disembarking in the morning and a late afternoon flight home. We jumped on the ferry to Waiheke Island, walked into town (not sure what the name of the town is) and enjoyed a very leisurely lunch, and a spot of shopping. I could happily move to Waiheke Island!

It has been many years since I have had an evening meal in Auckland, but good food has a special place in my memories and last time we were there we really enjoyed Wildfire (a Brazilian Churrascaria, close to the dock and central Auckland) and Orbit the revolving restaurant in the Skycity tower (you can also jump of it :D).

I'll be interested to see what other suggestions you get ...

Cheers,

Here goes!!! As an Aucklander (and Kiwi) I am extremely proud of our wonderful country ;)

After following this forum for about 8 months in prep for our upcoming X Century cruise in January I want to thank everyone who posts here. All of you from Down Under have to be the friendliest, most helpful folks on the CC boards. And since you have been so great I thought I would ask my own question.

 

We will be arriving in Auckland pre-cruise on January 4 at 1:30. We plan to take a taxi from the airport to our hotel (Celestion Waldorf). What I am asking today is this: If you had the rest of that afternoon and a full day the next day and a partial day before boarding the ship to spend in and around Auckland, what would you do?

 

Now I am going to push the envelope here and ask for a bunch of info.

 

A day trip to Waiheke Island would be tops on my list, and there are some wonderful restaurants over there, particularly at the wineries. There are options of just taking the ferry over and using the local bus, or private tours.

Apart from wineries, Arts and Crafts are quite in an abundance. It will be busy as it is a holiday mecca, but don't let that put you off.

 

First, what would you do in that time?

 

If you are into sailing the Maritime Museum (Voyager) is really worth a visit - it is right next to Princes Wharf.

 

Second, how about recommendations on places for dinner, breakfast and lunch. Plus on the 5th we will be meeting two other couples we are cruising with for dinner so someplace a little nicer for that one.

 

Favourite dining places - huge choice on Princes Wharf and the Viaduct Basin, and now over in the Wynyard Quarter, all an easy walk if you are in the city.

Personal favorites - for B L D - Waterfront Cafe (next to the Maritime Museum) and where we are having our POST CRUISE DINNER on the 6th :D

Lunch or Dinner -Limon, Princes Wharf. If you want to go a bit up market, Euro Princes Wharf, is run by NZ's "Mr Masterchief Judge" so one of our top restaurants, as is Soul Bar on the Viaduct. Recently dined at Urban Turban at Wynyard Quarter and we were quite impressed. And I could go on....

 

Is the HoHo bus a good value? Would you take it all the way around without getting off and then go back to see particular places? If so, what places.

 

Good option to get a good overview of Auckland. Auckland Museum is worth a stop, and you can take a wander to the Wintergardens in the Domain where the Museum is located. Nice cafe near the Wintergardens too.

 

Lastly, Trip Adviser has very mixed reviews of Kelly Tarlton's. Would you go?

 

Kelly Taltons is pretty impressive, possibly overpriced in some respects (as per previous comments) and is on the HOHO bus route. It may be very busy being holidays - if there is a queue at the door at ground level, I would give it a miss, as will be a long queue :eek:

 

I have read all the Trip Adviser stuff, checked out numerous websites and more but I have come to believe that the Kiwis who post on this forum know more than all of them.

 

Thanks to all of you for your opinions. I know they will be good ones.

Thanks to all of you. Keep 'em coming.

If "real" sailing floats your boat then why not try a 2 hour trip around Auckland harbour on a yacht that competed in the America's Cup. I did and thoroughly enjoyed it and have the photos to prove it , showing me at the helm !

See the following website for details and booking.

http://www.explorenz.co.nz/SailNZ/index.html

Do'es any one know if Te Whau Vinyard and Cafe on Waiheke Island open for lunch in February?

According to Fodors Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant are open for lunch.

Are there taxis or easy transportation from the ferry to these vinyards?

We are thinking to stroll around town for a few hours then go to lunch at one of these vinyards,is tranportation a problem?

Thanks

I recommend Mudbrick on Waiheke. It has great food, friendly service and an unbeatable view back to Auckland city :)

How far is Mudbrick from town or the ferry dock? Are there taxis to take us?

Everyone here has mentioned Waiheke Island. Can anyone give us an update on transportation on the island. From the looks of things on Google Maps, the ferry landing isn't in town. Are there taxi's? Is bus the only option.

Mudbrick Restaurant sounds amazing. But I would love to know transportation options. Does the bus go there? I have no problem with taxis if they are available.

Thanks for everyone's feedback so far.

Jim

Hi Dr Koob,

Fullers are the company that operate the ferry to Waiheke Island. You can purchase return tickets at the ferry terminal (which is very close to central Aukland and near to where the ship will dock). Another option is to purchase a package that includes a transfer around the island. I think you can purchase these at the ferry terminal, or book in advance. I am a bit light on details, as I was only there for a day, and I am an Aussie not a Kiwi. (We just walked around - after eating too well on the cruise we really needed to walk it off!).

However, if you follow this link and scroll down to "other tours" it will give you some inclusive options... http://www.fullers.co.nz/destinations-tours/waiheke-island.php

I hope this is helpful.

Cheers,

Hi Dr Koob,

(We just walked around - after eating too well on the cruise we really needed to walk it off!).

Thanks so much for the info. When you do a Google map search it looks like it is quite a ways from the ferry landing to the village on the Island. Were you able to walk that? It's hard to tell how long the walk would be from the ferry landing to the village.

Jim

Hmmm, memory is a hazy thing ... but I think it was between 1-2km (maybe a mile?). It is a steady uphill climb for much of that, but not too steep. If I were to return to Waiheke, I would probably catch the bus and travel much further afield. We had to get back to the airport by 4pm, so we really only had the morning and lunch. There is a WW2 gun battery at the opposite end of the island that sounds interesting, and heaps of artistic ventures like sculpture gardens and museums, but you would need a bus/taxi to get to most of these (or take an organised tour). This is a pretty good website of things to do ... http://waiheke.aucklandnz.com/index.html

You aren't getting as many responses as I thought you might, so can I suggest you post your questions on the "Australia & New Zealand Cruisers" section. It is quiet at the moment, everyone must be out stocking up for Christmas:p, but this is where a lot of us Aussies and Kiwi's call home ;)

Cheers,

Oh, I remembered one other detail... when we got on the ferry, there was a guy with a whole lot of maps and brochures who was a tourism volunteer or something. He gave us a map and showed us some nice walking tracks. I got the impression that the Waiheke Island Tourism Association have volunteers that travel the ferry with the aim of helping tourists out. I can't remember if he had a name tag, but he didn't initially standout as out of the ordinary until we saw him hand out maps to some other tourists. If you decide to do your own thing look out for someone with an unusually large number of maps and brochures (!).

Cheers,

We took one of the best tours we have ever been on in New Zealand in Nov 2009. It was with Coast to Coast Tours - Auckland's ECO-tour and FARM. I will always remember that day as special.

We met, chatted with and had our pictures taken with the Prime Minister of New Zealand. Our guides, Stu and Donna, made sure we were at the new tourist center at 2:00 pm for the opening. The Prime Minister was there to do the ceremony. He is also the Minister of tourism which has become the largest source of income for the country. Stu is the treasurer of the tourism council. This visit was an extra on our tour but goes to show the individual attention given to each group.

Donna and Stu were delightful. Stu and a driver met 14 of us on the dock in Auckland at 9:00 a.m. Donna is Stu's wife and is half Maori. Stu's family is Scotch and Irish. Their farm has been in his family for several generations. They were the guides and owners of Coast to Coast Tours. The major part of our time was spent enjoying their hospitality at the sheep farm.

Our tour started with a drive through the bush to a welcome center where we stopped to view the overlooks and get some history and art of the Maori and New Zealand.

Next we got the important shopping out of the way with a stop at a crafts bazaar in a local shopping center. I bought an oyster shell necklace and became the envy of all on the tour. Jack checked out the prices at Burger King while I was shopping. A Whopper Jr was $4.00. I was tempted to go into Starbucks for a coffee but the complimentary at the bazaar was so good I didn't.

We drove over to the west coast to look at the scenery and at the way the Aucklanders set up their weekend houses, called a “bach”. The scenery was spectacular – cliffs, waves, black sand beaches and gannets. Gannets are like seagulls with a bit of yellow color. They nest in an orderly even-spaced pattern on the open rocks.

We stopped at a honey outlet to taste the products. A special product is a variety that they ship to China for use as an antiseptic on injuries. New Zealand has developed very favorable trade and immigration relationships with China. About 20% of the population is Oriental or Polynesian. Almost all of them are concentrated in the Auckland area. It is sort of the Miami of New Zealand.

A wine tasting was next. Croatians were imported as labor to cut lumber. The lumber market dropped and the Croats went into wine making. They dominate the industry here. The winery is owned by Consolidated, a worldwide company. The wines were pretty good. At least half those on the bus were tipsy when we left there.

As I said, we spent a lot of time at the farm. We went for lunch then left for more touring and came back in time for tea and a farm tour. Lunch was fresh lamb chops cooked on the barbie and served with chutney, sweet potatoes, salad and tomatoes and zucchini. To drink was beer, wine and soft drinks. All very delicious. For tea several hours later, there was “Pavlova”, a meringue with cream and kiwis, strawberries and pineapple.

They took us to visit the lambs after lunch..... when we returned for tea and to pay our bills. They were sweet adorable little creatures. It used to be all about wool, but wool prices are so low that they actually lose money on the shearing, but it must be done to keep the flock healthy.

What I will remember the most about the day was the hospitality of Donna and Stu. They took 14 Americans and Canadians into their home and treated us like family. We were their best friends for the day. They showed us around their town and around their farm and left us with wonderful memories.

They are Tripadvisor's 2001 Certificate of Excellence Award winner company owned/operated by NZ *born* & Maori hosts, showcasing the west Auckland region where their family has lived & farmed since 1922. They have a web page. http://www.coast2coastnz.com

I am in the same position, I will be arriving on Dec, 27 and leaving on the boat Dec, 29. What is on the island (waipike?) everyone has been talking about?

Is that better than going to Bay of Islands? I know it is a long day but I was thinking of doing the Bay of Islands tour on the 28th and then on the 27th and 29th seeing Auckland. But now that I read about this island I am wondering if that is better?

I am thinking about a day trip over to Devonport. Any opinions about that as compared to Waiheke Island?

I am thinking about a day trip over to Devonport. Any opinions about that as compared to Waiheke Island?

Devonport is actually a suburb of Auckland, very close to cruise dock and across the harbour from the downtown ferry terminal. Devonport has it's own boarding terminal (on the R hand side, just outside of gelato shop) Will take about 10 minutes to get across. Place is probably too small to spend a whole day, but on arrival there are shops and cafe's. Also lots of old villa's and there should be some tours. There is also Cheltenham Beach, a small beach but quite nice to swim.

You could carry on to Waiheke as some sailings stop at Devonport first.

The difference is that Waiheke is an island with more options like taking a vineyard tour or to go to a larger beach like Onetangi Beach.

You can pick up tours on the Waiheke dock. Also taxies, definitely would need a taxi to go to the Mudbrick restaurant and also for Te Whau restaurant. Te Whau has even more spectacular views then Mudbrick and has divine food. Stands to reason both restaurants are pricey, but worth going.

For a more modest budget, you can walk from the ferry to the first village called Oneroa. Is very easy to do, just follow the main road about 10 minutes, then up the hill stay on same road (veers to the right) about 5 minutes till you come to intersection and that's Oneroa! A few shops, cafe's, banks & post office, Oneroa Beach and Little Oneroa Beach.

From there you could take a bus to Onetangi Beach or you could take a Fullers tour from the ferry with a bit of sightseeing and ending on Onetangi beach.

Whatever you choose make sure you leave enough time to get back to Auckland. Waiheke ferry takes about 35 minutes (or 45 when Devonport stop included). But think at least one hour with boarding etc. and if returning to cruise ship; leave one ferry earlier just in case.

Another tip, when reading time table, make sure to check leave from Auckland or Waiheke and Mon-Fri or weekend. Hay! every Waihekean has done it one time or another:D

Thanks for all the great info on Waiheke Island - looks like a great option for a day trip.

We would be keen to go over for a look for the day and to do some exploring and geocaching (GPS treasure hunting) so would need a hire car, scooters or bicycles for the day.

It appears that we can hire scooters on the island but practically speaking are the distances and hills scooter friendly? I mean I don't want to hire a scooter thinking that it would allow us to explore much of the island only to find that the small engines wont get us past the first hill or to the next suburb.

Thanks for all the great info on Waiheke Island - looks like a great option for a day trip.

 

We would be keen to go over for a look for the day and to do some exploring and geocaching (GPS treasure hunting) so would need a hire car, scooters or bicycles for the day.

 

It appears that we can hire scooters on the island but practically speaking are the distances and hills scooter friendly? I mean I don't want to hire a scooter thinking that it would allow us to explore much of the island only to find that the small engines wont get us past the first hill or to the next suburb.

actually now that I have researched some more I see that we can get a hire car for less than the cost of two scooters so there is little sense in hiring a scooter when a car is cheaper.

If you want to explore most of the island then I would definitely go by car.

When visiting the main suburbs; bicycles are okay, if you are fit.

Scooters are also fine as long as you don't mind driving on the main road.

Would not recommend scooters when you go further afield like the gun implacements/tunnels, because it is not only quite a long way, you would also be travelling on gravel.

How far is Mudbrick from town or the ferry dock? Are there taxis to take us?

Yes it's just a 5-10 minute taxi