AUCKLAND · NEW ZEALAND
Auckland’s best days out.
The 15 most popular things to do in Auckland and the day trips around it. Hobbiton and the Waitomo glowworm caves, Waiheke Island wineries, harbour cruises on the Waitemata and the black-sand beaches of the west coast, all in one place.
Guided Hobbiton Movie Set tour in Matamata: 12 acres of Shire scenes, Hobbit holes, and a Green Dragon Inn drink. 150 mins.
Most Popular“It was a well organized, super interesting and nice tour! Would recommend it to everyone.”
Glide through Waitomo Glowworm Caves by boat, learn geology and Māori stories on a guided 1-hour tour, and hear Cathedral Cave acoustics.
A guided Auckland day trip to Hobbiton and Waitomo. Hotel pickup, lunch, Green Dragon drink, glowworm cave boat ride.
“An absolutely perfect schedule to see two of New Zealand’s most loved tourist attractions. Our guide Shelley made a gray weather day shine bright with her fun attitude and interesting anecdotes along the way. Highly recommend!!”
11-hour Auckland day trip: Hobbiton Movie Set and Waitomo Glowworm Caves with lunch and a silent boat ride under glowworms.
“I loved Hobbiton, but I really would have liked more time to use the restrooms and go to the gift shop. 20 minutes to foboth for us females is NOT enough time, especially if you have lines to wait in. Waitomo caves was nice but we didn't see much once in the boat.”
4.5-hour eco safari from Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour on a catamaran with marine scientists, plus dolphins, whales, seals, birds.
“A beautiful day! Smooth waters with three main encounters: hammer head shark, whale sightings, and a "work up" with numerous dolphins, driving birds and at least 1 more whale. Knowledgeable staff, terrific captains guiding the boat for top notch viewing taking care to limit stress on the wildlife. Vessel was comfortable with enough room for…”
Float, jump, and scramble through Ruakuri Cave in total darkness on Waitomo black water rafting with glowworms, wetsuit gear, and a hot shower.
“Super fun, engaging activity! This was my favorite excursion we did in NZ. Outfitters supply wetsuits, boots, and helmets and take photos during the tour. Water was cold, but the glow worms were amazing. Definitely some amount of scrambling over rocks and swimming in cold water, but super fun for the adventurous!”
Tandem skydiving in Parakai near Auckland: up to 20,000 ft, 75 seconds of freefall at 18,000 ft, and sweeping coast-to-volcano views.
“This was an incredible experience!!! Everything was top notch and the staff is excellent!! My teen daughter and I had the time of our lives!!”
Auckland Hobbiton day trip with official tour, Hobbit-hole visit, Green Dragon drink, and festive buffet lunch. Roundtrip coach.
“We had a great time touring Hobbiton on our one day in Auckland before a cruise. Anna, our guide, was exceptional. She provided lots of interesting information about the sights and filming details in Hobbiton during our walking tour around the Shire. The highlight of the tour was our visit inside a hobbit hole: the…”
Hobbiton day tour from Auckland with small-group pickup, a guided 12-acre movie set visit, and a Green Dragon Inn drink.
“Amazing experience. Hobbiton is beautiful and I recommend it to everybody, also those who hasn’t seen the movie.”
90-minute guided Ruakuri glowworm cave walk: spiral descent, limestone formations, up-close glowworms, and photo-friendly stops.
Auckland Explorer hop-on hop-off bus covers Sky Tower, museums, Parnell and Kelly Tarltons, with English audio and easy hopping.
“Tour was great and guide very informative. Hwani was great. Saw locations we did not see on our walking of Auckland day on our own.”
Small-group Auckland tour linking Hobbiton Movie Set and Waitomo Glowworm Caves with guided stops, included lunch, and pickup.
“A very well-managed experience to two of the best attractions on the north island of NZ. It makes for a very long day (from Auckland) but there are a sufficient number of stops each way to stretch your legs, etc. The MB van was luxurious and comfortable. Lunch was great. Our driver was excellent and…”
Half-day Auckland city tour with Harbour Bridge drive, Mt Eden summit views, North Shore lookouts, and downtown heritage streets for $46.54.
“Great overview of the city with lots of information. If you have a half day and want to get a feel of the city-this is it. Timing is spot on.”
Sail the Hauraki Gulf on a luxury eco-catamaran from Auckland, chasing orcas, dolphins, and whales with onboard science and stunning views.
Hop on Auckland’s original Explorer Bus for a 1-day loop with English audio, free WiFi, and easy stops at Sky Tower and SEA LIFE.
“Quite interesting and since we planned well in advance where to spend quality time, it helped a lot in executing the plan and visit attractions and make the best use of their facilities. So better plan your day and stoppages in advance and try to synchronize the same with bus timing to avoid long waits.…”
The harbour city, the gulf islands, and every road out of it.
