Travelling to a new place is always so exciting, for myself it is actually probably one of my favorite things to do! Scouring the internet to find the best spots of the city and quickly building up anticipation of what it is going to be like. However my latest trip to Auckland wasn’t exactly like this.. On this trip I was lucky enough to be staying with a local, which in my opinion is every travelers dream! Although google searching and spending hours on trip adviser is great fun, there is something so special about experiencing places with someone who knows the in’s and out’s of the area.
Take this for example; you are in a new place, walking down the street, phone in hand, directions light up your screen and you are set on destination that google says is ‘highly recommended’. Don’t me wrong, it probably is great, but compare that to this scenario. You are walking down the street, phone in bag, talking to your local guide about the numerous times they came to this spot as a kid and created all these memories. You then arrive at the destination feeling somehow already connected to it as your guide takes you to their favorite look out spot. You then adventure and discover new areas, creating new memories with your local. Doesn’t this sound so much better?
Now that I have set the scene for you, here is what we got up to in Auckland, New Zealand - Locals edition!
Firstly, I must introduce you to my local guide Holly! Holly and I wet to University together and she is my go to adventure buddy! Our first day was all about exploring the central city, we caught the ferry in and walked around the viaduct. Out of the whole CBD the viaduct was by far my favorite part, I love being by the water and feeling those beachy urban summer vacations vibes. The atmosphere in this area is great, scattered with a number of great bars and restaurants. Towards the end there is even a section with a great play ground and relaxing area. Not to far from the viaduct is a small urban shopping area called Britomart, also with some lovely spots to eat and shops to wondering around. Here’s what I captured from this day..
Cityscape from the ferry
Cute places to eat/drink
Enjoy some lunch at Holly’s favorite place on the viaduct - North Park
Exploring some industrial structures
Great views of the sky tower
AMONA - great cocktail bar and bakery
Milse - an amazing ice cream desert spot in Britomart
After exploring the city we made out way back to the North shore to go and enjoy one of Holly’s favorite beaches that she grew up going to every day in the summer time - Cheltenham beach!
Cheltenham beach, perfect view of
The following we ventured out of the city to a spot called Goat Island, a beach with great snorkeling and gorgeous scenery! Along the way we stopped in for a coffee in a lovely suburb called Matakana. Apparently this is becoming a locals hot spot and a lot of families are moving out to this lovely, my rural area.
Fueled up by coffee and ready to go we made our way to Goat Island. Its a perfect spot to spend the day, you can hire snorkels and flippers if you dont have your own, swim for hours and explore the rock pools!
To finish off this great day Holly took my to a local wharf in her area where we watched the sun go down over the city and went swimming, the best way to end the day.
Into my third and final full day in the Auckland we set out on another day mission. This time to the west coast where we visited the infamous Piha beach! This beach in an iconic New Zealand beach, it even had a Tv show about it, so we HAD to go there!
Pro money saving tip - always pack snacks!
While out on the west coast Holly also took my to a beautiful waterfall called Karekare falls! I absolutely loved it there, the nature was stunning and it felt like we were in a tropical jungle! Obviously we had to make the most of this, so we did a fun photoshoot in the bushes and we loved it!
I absolutely loved this trip, being able to put my phone down and actually be shown around the city was amazing. I discovered places I never would have through my phone, and learnt so much about what its like to be a local in the big city. If you have the opportunity to meet with a local you must! I promise you the things you will experience and the memories you will make will be well worth it! Thank you so much to Holly for being my tour guide and I look forward to my more adventures like this in the future!