ACTIVITIES FOR EVERY INTEREST

The adventure trail runs hot in Auckland. Whatever your inclination, there’s an activity to excite. These are our six top-rated endeavours for visitors of every ilk.

1. ADRENALIN JUNKIES

Make like Beyonce and throw yourself off the Sky Tower or walk its perilous rim with the wind nipping at your ear lobes. Carabinerup and climb Auckland Harbour Bridge or bungy off its 40-metre ledge. If ziplining appeals, soar above native forest and vineyards with EcoZip Adventures on Waiheke Island or swoosh over Eden Park stadium before landing on its world-famous pitch. Got more brass bottle than an SAS soldier? Try snorkelling with sharks at SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium. Every Saturday and Sunday from 10am, all participants must be 1.3-metres tall… and hard as nails.

SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium, Central Auckland

2. FAMILIES

Gamers go giddy for Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq in Newmarket for its collection of arcade games, bowling, bumper cars and a diner serving freakshakes, while film-buffs should make a beeline for Weta Workshop Unleashed in central Auckland, a labyrinth of props, film sets and cinematic wizardry. Try 16-holes of glow in the dark mini-golf at Glowputt Mini Golf in Takapuna, journey through several rooms crammed with weird © Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, and wonderful effects at Odyssey Central Auckland Sensory Maze on Queen Street or take the whānau to Auckland War Memorial Museum for three floors (and just as many hours) of educational fun.

Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, Central Auckland

3. ACTVIVE RELAXERS

Dust off the hiking boots; the new and improved Te Ara Tūhura/ Hillary Trail has partly reopened after three years of upgrades. Located in the Waitākere Ranges, less than one hour’s drive from central Auckland, you’ll enjoy wild 3 west coastline including a new 360-degree lookout. If the weather is unwilling, head inside instead. Snowplanet in Silverdale will quench every snow-related thirst with its dry ski slope and Alpine-style café, while Paradice indoor ice rinks (in both Avondale and Botany) host ‘black out’ disco Fridays.

Te Ara Tūhuna/Hillary Trail, West Auckland

Todd Eyre

4. SOLO ADVENTURERS

How about a tandem skydive with a qualified instructor? The bird’s-eye view of Auckland is second-to-none and there are serious bragging rights for doing this off your own back. For instant companionship join an Aucky Walky Tours’ small walking group to delve into secret spots, or drop into Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki to peruse their ever-changing exhibitions. Free gallery tours run daily at 11.30am and 1.30pm. When hunger strikes, head to The Lunchroom on lower Queen Street opposite Commercial Bay. Discover $15 daily lunch options and, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, top-notch people watching.

Aucky Walky Tours, Central Auckland

5. ROMANTICS

Sling your legs over the saddle of an electric bike and discover Auckland on a fully-guided cycling tour. Power to the Pedal offers a range of routes with a maximum group size of four – a double date perhaps? Alternatively, board the Shuckleferry in Mahurangi Harbour for a cruise to oyster-packed Brownes Bay and experience the full oystershucking shebang. Why not make like the masters of romance (the French, obviously) and head to La Cigale French 5 Market. Springing up in Parnell every Saturday and Sunday from 8am-1.30pm, it’s packed with artisan produce. For some late-night love, tour the galaxy at Stardome Observatory & Planetarium in One Tree Hill domain or laugh yourselves silly at The Tuning Fork in the Spark Arena building.

Auckland Art Gallery, Toi O Tamaki, Central Auckland

6. NATURE LOVERS

Habitat Tours offer a unique kiwi spotting tour combined with a picnic in Tāwharanui Regional Park. Tuck into a hamper of goods just before dusk, then tiptoe into the forest to spy North Island brown kiwi. For daytime encounters, Auckland Zoo is full of delights, including human-sized meerkat tunnels: pop your head into clear perspex domes and observe these cheeky chappies at eye level. Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari runs Friday-Monday, with weekday afternoon cruises and twice daily sailings on the weekend. Skim along Auckland’s turquoise waters on-board a 20-metre catamaran, scouring for Bryde’s whales and common dolphins.

Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari, Central Auckland

© Miles Holden