Must See Places in Auckland

Auckland is an absolute must during your year abroad, after all, it is New Zealand's largest city. If you are spending your au pair program in New Zealand, you will see many of the most beautiful places during the Auckland Orientation. We have picked out the corners of Auckland that you should definitely capture with your camera.

Map of Auckland with numbered marks for the photo spots
Discover Auckland through your camera lens.

1️⃣🏙️ The Sky Tower

The television tower in Auckland is called the Sky Tower. The tower offers a panoramic view of the city from three platforms and you can visit without prior reservation. If you're a bit of an adrenaline junkie, the Sky Tower is also the place for you. From the highest platform, you can do the “Skyjump” – a rope-guided base jump – or visit the “Skywalk”, which is only about 1 meter wide, and walk around the tower at a height of 192 meters. And that's definitely worth a photo!

street in auckland with skytower, cars and high building
(c) joshalexyoung, Unsplash

2️⃣🌄 Mount Eden

If the entrance fee to the Sky Tower is too high for you, grab a picnic basket and climb Mount Eden. It is the highest natural elevation in the city and is completely free. However, it can only be reached on foot, as the narrow access road has been closed to all motorized traffic since 2016. Mt. Eden is of spiritual significance to the Maori and contains several archaeological sites. Both are to be protected. Another plus point: from Mt. Eden, you can see the entire Auckland skyline.

3️⃣🏖️ Takapuna Beach

Located in the Takapuna Beach district in the north, the wide sandy beach invites you to linger. Here you can either relax right by the water or settle down in one of the many small cafes directly on the beach. Or both, because even with sandy feet, no one will kick you out here. There is also a playground for children (and the young at heart), which will provide you with some cool action shots for your profile!

Explore Auckland as Au pair! 🛫

Kick off your New Zealand adventure with AuPairCare’s 3-day orientation in Auckland! Meet other international au pairs, get ready for your time with your host family, and explore the city’s highlights on a fun Auckland tour.

Auckland Orientation

4️⃣🛍️ Queen Street

Queen Street is the complete opposite. Here you will find Auckland's city center, which embodies the city's thriving life with its numerous shops and office buildings. The street was also probably the place where the city was officially founded in 1840. Queen Street also won an Urban Design Award in 2009.

5️⃣🏞️ Piha Beach

If you want to escape the city for a few hours, you could drive 40 kilometers to the west coast. The town of Piha is still part of the Auckland administrative area and offers another scenic highlight. With Lion Rock and Taitomo Island offshore, you can take beautiful shots for your profile. The Tasman Lookout at the south end of the beach gives you an overview. And if that's not enough, you can take a detour to Kitekite Falls, not far from the coastal town in the jungle.

white beach shot from above with stone island in the shore
(c) leanxview, Unsplash

6️⃣🌈 Hunua Falls

We didn't want to deprive you of another waterfall. Although Hunua Falls is located about 50 kilometers southeast of downtown Auckland, it's a wonderful destination for a day trip. Not far from the paved road, a paved path leads you to the small pond into which the waterfall plunges. Incidentally, there is an oversized photo frame at the edge of the path. This allows you to take a picture of yourself in front of the falls or simply take the perfect photo with a little extra.

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