Auckland is an ideal holiday destination in the northern side of New Zealand. It has many beautiful attractions such as the Iconic sky tower which is the tallest building not only in the country but also in the southern hemisphere. It also has wonderful roller coasters, great restaurants and bars which offer delicious foods and drinks. In addition it has great beaches such as – Mission Bay Beach – located some distance away from downtown. If you are planning on going there it is best to consider obtaining a car rental in Auckland in order to travel comfortably and with ease around the city. Although Auckland has several tourist attractions here is a list of the six top attractions in the city:
1. Mount Eden
Mount Eden is the highest mountain in Auckland and the highest volcano in the city located south of the CBD. The mountain has a great view of the entire city including the harbor. It is among the region’s 48 volcanic cones and is a great well preserved crater. The most exciting part is that it is free of charge to visit the mountain which makes it a more pocket friendly tourist destination.
2. Auckland Museum
The Auckland Museum is an impressive museum located in Auckland Domain, Parnell. It was first constructed in 1929 in memory of the New Zealand soldiers who fought during World War I. Today, it has a striking collection of artifacts that traces New Zealand’s history from its earliest Polynesian settlers to the present-day and showcases the natural heritage of New Zealand making it an ideal tourist attraction.
3. Cornwall Park
Cornwall Park located on One Tree Hill is among the biggest parks in Auckland. It is certainly worth visiting for some lovely panoramic views of Manuaku harbor and the city. It has wide walkways running throughout which are popular for joggers and walkers. It is an ideal place for relaxing with pleasant picnic sites. It also has an ice cream shop and a nice restaurant which makes it more impressive.
4. Sky Tower
Auckland’s iconic sky tower is the highest building in New Zealand and the city’s most famous landmark. The sky tower is incredible as one can get the best view of the city on top of the iconic tower. It has a glass fronted lift that will take you up to the viewing platform. You can also get a thrilling experience by ‘sky walking’ around the tower and if you need to get a more exciting experience you can decide to sky jump from the tower.
5. Tiritiri Matangi Island
Tiritiri Matangi Island is among some island sanctuaries controlled by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation which tries to avoid the extinction of several rare animals and plants of New Zealand. Upon visiting the island you are likely to see rare species of birds such as, North Island Saddleback, Stichbird, North Island Robin, Takahe and also come across some common birds.
6. Waitomo Caves
At Waitomo caves you will experience a thrilling tour which includes a breathtaking boat ride across the glowworm grotto which is illuminated by a lot of glowworms hanging from the cave ceiling. The boat ride provides an exciting experience which makes the Waitomo caves a tourist attraction worth visiting.
In addition to the above tourist attractions, you can visit The Lord of the Rings Hobbiton Movie magical Set Tour from Auckland to see where The lord of the Rings movie was filmed and also take pictures in front of the hobbit holes. All these tourist attraction make Auckland an ideal tourist destination.
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Images credit (under CCL) by order: Martin Ward, Robin Ducker