Outdoors · Auckland · New Zealand
8 best outdoor things to do in Auckland
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Techno246, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Maungawhau / Mount Eden, Waiheke Island and Rangitoto Island. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 22–29 hours across 7 areas; 5 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 5
- Time to see them all
- 22–29 hours
- Areas
- Mount Eden, Hauraki Gulf and Auckland Domain
Outdoors in Auckland
Viewpoint · Mount Eden
1.Maungawhau / Mount Eden
Walking into the crater is not allowed out of respect for its cultural significance; stay on the summit path.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Iconic
- Outdoors
- History
Island · Hauraki Gulf
2.Waiheke Island
Book winery lunches ahead in summer and at weekends, and plan your return around the busy late-afternoon ferries.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Couples
- Food
- Outdoors
- Views
- Iconic
Island · Hauraki Gulf
3.Rangitoto Island
There are no shops or water on the island; bring food, water, sun protection and a torch for the lava caves, and check the last ferry time back.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Active
- Views
- Kids
Park · Auckland Domain
4.Auckland Domain and Wintergardens
Walk up through the Domain to the museum from Parnell or Grafton to avoid paying for parking.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Nature
Park · Epsom
5.Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill and Cornwall Park
Bring a picnic; Cornwall Park has wide lawns and barbecues and is one of the most relaxing green spaces in the city.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Views
- History
- Outdoors
Historic site · Devonport
6.Devonport and Maungauika / North Head
Bring a torch to explore the tunnels, then walk round to Cheltenham Beach for a swim in summer.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Views
- Kids
- Outdoors
Zoo · Western Springs
7.Auckland Zoo
Visit the kiwi in the nocturnal house first thing, when the birds are often more active and the space is quiet.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Waterfront · Eastern Bays
8.Tamaki Drive and Mission Bay
Hire a bike in the city or use a share scheme and ride the flat route out to St Heliers for brunch.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Active
- Couples
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Eden | Maungawhau / Mount Eden | 1–1.5 hours |
| Hauraki Gulf | Waiheke Island and Rangitoto Island | Full day + Half a day |
| Auckland Domain | Auckland Domain and Wintergardens | 1 hour |
| Epsom | Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill and Cornwall Park | 2 hours |
| Devonport | Devonport and Maungauika / North Head | Half a day |
| Western Springs | Auckland Zoo | 3–4 hours |
| Eastern Bays | Tamaki Drive and Mission Bay | Half a day |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 5 free, 1 low cost, 2 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Waiheke Island; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 7 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Mount Eden): Maungawhau / Mount Eden, at least 1 hour.
- Half-day 2 (Hauraki Gulf): Waiheke Island, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Hauraki Gulf and Auckland Domain): Rangitoto Island → Auckland Domain and Wintergardens, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Epsom): Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill and Cornwall Park, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Devonport): Devonport and Maungauika / North Head, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 6 (Western Springs): Auckland Zoo, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 7 (Eastern Bays): Tamaki Drive and Mission Bay, at least 3 hours.
The best months to be outside
- February: highs of 25°C (77°F), about 7 rainy days, busy crowds. Usually the warmest, most settled month and the best for swimming, once school holidays have ended.
- March: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 8 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm, settled weather continues with fewer crowds; a favourite month for Waiheke and hiking.
- January: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 8 rainy days, very busy crowds. Peak summer holidays: warm, often sunny and humid, with beaches, islands and ferries at their busiest.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Devonport — Seaside village of villas and volcano lookouts, a 12-minute ferry ride from downtown
- Mount Eden — Leafy residential suburb under Maungawhau, with a café village on Mount Eden Road
More of Auckland
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Auckland?
Maungawhau / Mount Eden. At 196 metres, Maungawhau is the highest natural point on the Auckland isthmus, with a 50-metre-deep grassed crater, Te Ipu-a-Mataaho, and terraces left by Māori pā settlement.
+Which of these are free in Auckland?
Maungawhau / Mount Eden, Auckland Domain and Wintergardens, Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill and Cornwall Park, Devonport and Maungauika / North Head and Tamaki Drive and Mission Bay.