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Top Activities for Kids in Auckland

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Last Updated on August 15, 2023 by Leslie Stroud

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Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, offers a huge range of fun sights and activities for families.  We lived in Auckland for three months after Covid derailed our plans for further full-time travel.  Things were just starting to open up again, but we had a blast with our kids!

Like all of New Zealand, Auckland offers endless things to do and see outside.  The natural beauty of this country is mind-blowing.  Just going outside, to a beach, or on a simple hike can offer all the entertainment you need.

Quicks Facts About Auckland

  • Urban population of about 1.5 million people.  For reference, Salt Lake City is about 1.2 million
  • Home to the University Of Auckland, NZ’s largest university
  • Summers are humid and hot.  Winters are chilly and damp
  • It’s not as prevalent as the rest of NZ, but footwear can be optional for kids!  Everything is quite laid back
  • You’ll find the best internet on the North Island here!  Christchurch was the best on the South Island for us (in case you are a digital nomad, like us!)
  • The city is built on an active volcanic field.  There is lots of geothermal activity in NZ!
  • There are many islands you can visit, with varying levels of amenities, from Auckland.  Ferries are plentiful.
  • Auckland can be seen as the “city folk” of NZ and is certainly the most modern part of NZ.

However, if you are like us and love to get out and explore other activities, here are our favorites from our time there.

Activities in Downtown Auckland

Sky Tower

Spotting this tower from the freeway is a thrill as you drive around Auckland.  Getting up to the top and seeing the sweeping views is even more fun!  Downtown Auckland has much to offer and starting with the Sky Tower was the perfect kickoff for us.  Book your ticket here!

Additionally, you can do the Sky Jump, which is a controlled jump off the top!  We did this with our oldest daughter, Lucy, (while the other four kids watched) and we all loved it. 

Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium

We were gifted a visit to this aquarium and loved it.  I’m a big sucker for museums and aquariums.  While this one is small in area, it packs a big punch!  There is a moving walkway under the glass ceiling with a massive aquarium above.  Ride the moving walkway and gaze up at the sharks, fish, and more for a truly breathtaking experience. Check out this deal for a general admission ticket!

We loved learning about trips to Antarctica with Sir Edmund Hillary, testing our resolve in the icy water challenge, and seeing our coloring pages transported to the wall in the interactive drawing center.

Jump Trampoline Park

My goal for every day: wear out my kids.  When it’s a rainy day in Auckland or if you want a different energy output for your kids, get them jumping!  It’s a bit expensive, but we love playing dodgeball with the kids, learning some parkour, and burning lots of calories!

Other Activities In Auckland With Kids

Takapuna Beach Reserve Park 

While all playgrounds in NZ will give you envy, this one was our favorite in Auckland.  Not only does it have beautiful views of the beach, but it is also a kid’s dream!  It’s second only to this one in Christchurch.  If your kids are old enough, take a stroll along the beach while the kids play! You can also book a hotel nearby.

Magic Loft Play Place

While the outdoor playgrounds are a blast, we also love a good indoor one!  Magic Loft Play Place is a great indoor playground in Auckland. The kids had a blast and it’s a great way for them to expend some energy inside.

Piha Beach

Ever been to a black sand beach?  Although amazing, visit this one with caution.  So many tourists are swept out to sea that they made a show called “Piha Rescue”.  

Kitekite Falls

Kitekite Falls is close to Piha Beach and easy to combine for the perfect Auckland day trip. These stunning falls are worth the short walk!  You can swim, but it can be cold even in the summer so be prepared.

Snowplanet

Indoor skiing?  When my kids heard this we knew we had to go.  We love skiing in Utah.  The slope is understandably short, but the concept is worth the visit.  They do rent all the equipment and can rent clothing as well.  Local kids have regular lessons, so schedule ahead and watch for “member only” nights.

Butterfly Creek

This is a perfect activity for your last day in Auckland due to its proximity to the airport.  We combined this with our flight back to the USA, so it was a bittersweet experience.  There are ropes courses that need to be booked in advance (all spots were filled when we went).

Think of it as a bit of an outdoor zoo, a mythical creature section, and a butterfly pavilion.  Light food can be purchased and there is a small train ride that is fun for littles.

Day Trip to Waiheke Island

Due to poor planning on our part, we didn’t make it to the island until dinner.  The ferry is easy to take from downtown Auckland and even a night or two stays on this cute island would be very fun.  It has gorgeous beaches and delish restaurants. You can tour around the island via Ferry and a hop-on-hop-off bus. Enjoy any of its 16 convenient stops which include vineyards, beaches, and restaurants.

Sheep World

Learn all about sheep wrangling and farm life!

Nature Activities to Explore in Auckland With Kids

We haven’t seen all of these in person, but they were all recommended to us!  You really can’t go wrong getting outside in New Zealand

*(Be sure to check here for New Zealand’s entry requirements and COVID updates. Currently, entry requirements are very strict and borders are closed to almost all travelers.)

Other Auckland Tips

Check out my other posts about Auckland and enjoy your time there!

HIKING THE TONGARIRO CROSSING WITH KIDS IN NEW ZEALAND

VISITING HOT WATER BEACH IN NEW ZEALAND WITH KIDS

RESOURCES-

FLIGHTS:

  • Skyscanner.  We love the “anywhere” feature to see where it is cheap to fly to.
  • Kiwi.com. They will arrange the cheapest connection, which may mean a few different airlines.  However, if flights change, they will find you a solution!
  • Expedia.  Since we fly so many different airlines, we love the Expedia points we can earn.  We also get better deals the more we book through them.
  • Other platforms we like: Priceline, Aviasales, Hopper, and Travelocity.

ACCOMODATIONS:

ACTIVITIES:

  • Airbnb Experiences
  • Viator
  • Get Your Guide
  • These platforms allow you to put in the dates and location and will give you the option to book top activities in the area, straight from the site.

TRAVEL INSURANCE:

As a large, full-time traveling family, travel insurance is a must for us. It’s always a good idea to have travel insurance in case something goes wrong. With the unpredictable state of the world, it is more important now than ever.
We love World Nomads for our travel insurance. They provide travel insurance to travelers from over 130 countries and have many policy options to fit your needs. World Nomads allows you to add multiple destinations to your plan, so it is great for those always on the move. (Coverage may not be available for residents of all countries, states, or provinces. Be sure to carefully read your policy wording for a full description of coverage

We also love Travel Insurance Masters. They offer a wide selection of plans to suit every traveler. They work only with reputable insurance providers and recommend the best plan for a traveler’s specific trip, and offer side-by-side comparisons of a multitude of plans all in one place. Their smart algorithm and filters make requesting a quote and purchasing travel insurance easier than ever.

TRAVEL NECESSITIES:

For a comprehensive list of all the 7 Wayfinders Travel Must-Haves, Click Here. 

Tip: If you are making an online purchase (airline tickets, hotels, clothing…basically anything you can imagine) be sure you are using Rakuten! You can either download the app if you are shopping on mobile, or open a browser on a desktop. You then type in the store you are looking to shop at (ie: hotels.com, amazon.com) and shop like normal. The only catch…you get money back! Each store is different, but you can get anywhere from 2%-35% cashback on every purchase! For us, it’s a no-brainer. We are shopping anyways, might as well get some money back!

Welcome, Fellow Traveler! I'm Leslie, a mom of five crazy kiddos. Along with my husband, Chris, we've been full-time or part-time traveling the world as a family for over 4 years! We continue to invest in memories as we travel the world and love to empower other families to explore full-time travel or add more travel into their family life. Besides travel, we are foodies and love to explore through our tummies and can't keep away from Disney parks around the world. We currently reside in Portugal and are exploring expat life and learning a new language. Please explore our blog and reach out to us!