There are many interesting, fun and exciting things to entertain yourself and your family when you are visiting beautiful Auckland, News Zealand. Hiring a car is a fantastic way to get around the city and ensures you the opportunity to go where you want, when you want and to stay as long as you like rather than depending on bus schedules or paying for expensive taxi rides.
Read further for a few ideas on places you might enjoy visiting.
Rainbow’s End
Thrill seekers and those with children will enjoy spending a day or more at the country’s largest theme park. Several extreme thrill rides are offered for those brave enough to ride. For the tamer and sometimes younger crowd, there are bumper cars, bumper boats, racing cars, an interactive virtual theater experience, a pirate ship and more. Your youngest children will enjoy Kidz Kingdom which is specially designed with several rides and activities just for them. Food vendors can be found throughout the park.
Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium
Here you will see over 30 live animal exhibits representing more than 80 different species. Truly amazing underwater viewing tunnels will allow you to get a close up view of the world’s very largest Antarctic penguin colony exhibit, as well as giant stingrays, tropical fish, seahorses, sharks, crustaceans and much more. You will have a chance to get close to the penguins when you choose to participate in the Penguin Discovery. And for those with really courageous hearts, Shark Dive Xtreme is offered. You will have the opportunity to actually swim with the sharks or stay in a cage and still be in touching distance of the sharks.
Rangitoto Island
Nature lovers will truly enjoy a visit to this amazingly beautiful island. A short pleasant ferry ride will take you to the largest volcano in Auckland and the home of the world’s largest pohutukawa forest. A guided driven tour is offered or you may walk on marked trails. You will see black lava caves, the gorgeous forest and an extraordinary view when you reach the summit.
North Head
Military enthusiasts will enjoy exploring tunnels, gun emplacements and historical war remnants from World War II. Additionally, it has lovely views with great picnic spots and a generous amount of room for your children to run off some energy.
Butterfly Creek
Not only will you enjoy seeing 750 delightful free-flying tropical butterflies, you will also find giant saltwater crocodiles, a large variation of birds, many smaller reptiles, insects, tarantulas and more. Here you may also see New Zealand’s largest marine coral and fresh-water tropical aquarium, visit with farmyard animals and take a ride on the Red Admiral Express Train as it goes around the working wetlands. A cafe and playground are also on site.
Sky Tower
At over 1,000 feet, this is the tallest structure in New Zealand. Glass-fronted lifts will take you up to various viewing platforms. Adventurous visitors can try out the Sky Walk which enables you to walk on a platform around the outside of the building while being protected inside a full-body harness and overhead safety lines. True daredevils can try out the Sky Jump which allows you to jump right off the building and fall straight down all with the necessary safety measures of course. Various eating establishments are on site including Orbit which is a 360-degree revolving restaurant.
Pakiri Beach
This gorgeous open ocean beach with its beautiful white sand shore offers surfing, swimming, boogie boarding, windsurfing, kayaking, fishing and just a good time playing in the water. Horseback riding along the shoreline is also popular at this beach. Plan to bring a picnic and stay all day.
Auckland Art Gallery
With more than 15,000 objects of art, the art enthusiasts in your family won’t want to miss out on this. Home of the visual arts, both modern and traditional, everyone will find something to enjoy.
These are just a very few of the seemingly endless supply of wonderful things to do and see in Auckland. No matter what you plan to do, you will no doubt enjoy your visit immensely. Hire your car and get busy making those memories that will last you a lifetime.
Marlene Shore is a freelance travel writer and blogger for New Zealand Car Hire firm, Go Rentals.
