Go to town
If it’s been a while since you visited the Big Smoke, take time
to rediscover Auckland with the family.
words Hayley Barnett
photos Hayley Barnett + supplied
The past two to three years haven’t been kind to any of us, but our biggest city, Auckland, has really felt the pain. If you haven’t been trying to escape it, you’ve at least been trying to avoid it.
But now that we’re all emerging from our bubbles and travelling like never before, the city is finally back on people’s radars.
If you were a local who couldn’t escape during those dark days, life went on, and the vibrancy of the city never disappeared. When I visited with my family for a long weekend earlier this year I was excited to find that there were new places which had opened up since our last visit, as well as renovations galore, proving the city had used its dog days to reemerge better and brighter than before. Here are some of the coolest, most fun activities that we squeezed into three days in the city.
Auckland War Memorial Museum
If you get stuck with a rainy day in Auckland, one of the best things you can do is head to the Auckland War Memorial Museum. It’s a fun day out for the family and also educational for both adults and kids alike. On entering, we immediately got up close to a complete T-Rex skeleton, a rare opportunity anywhere in the world. Most examples in museums are replicas but this one is made up of real bones, black in colour due to mineral deposits on the bones.
Next, we headed to the War Memorial gallery to take in the old planes, a favourite exhibition for four-year-old Oscar. Then we experienced what felt like a real volcanic eruption. The frightening simulation is designed to show you what it would be like if a volcano erupts whilst you relax in your living room at home. We also managed to get to the Weird and Wonderful exhibit, as well as the kids’ discovery centre, before heading down to the café for lunch.
The Covent Hotel
Nestled next to a Catholic church and school in Grey Lynn sits an old nunnery recently converted into a rather suave boutique hotel. It’s not your usual roadside accommodation typical of the Great North Road strip, and that’s its charm.
The Spanish Mission-style building offers 22 eclectic rooms to choose from, all stripped back to their original brick walls, keeping the old steel windows, and filled with religious paraphernalia in every nook and cranny. It turns out this modern-yet-creepy vibe is very, very cool.
The kids were excited to arrive at “the haunted house”, nicknamed after only seeing a photo of the building’s exterior on Booking.com before we made the journey.
Once inside the room, it feels more like you’re living the highlife in a cool, stylish New York apartment than sleeping in an old convent. But the kids couldn’t quite shake the creepiness. It might have been the giant murals of blood-soaked ghouls in the hallways, but who knows? For me, it just added a wow factor which made our trip to the Big Smoke that much more exciting.
Our apartment, aptly named Mother Superior, came fully equipped with a kitchen and lounge room, and our bedroom was separated from the kids by the bathroom and a hallway. Hard to come by in a regular hotel.
Just below our room sits one of Auckland’s hippest places to dine, Ada. We left the kids with Grandma and headed downstairs for a long Sunday lunch. Avoiding food envy, we chose the set menu, and enjoyed the ambiance of the restaurant, with its super-high ceiling and bustling vibe.
Book The Convent Hotel on booking.com
Auckland Zoo
There’s always something new and exciting happening at Auckland Zoo. When we arrived, we were all blown away by how much had changed compared to our last visit two years ago. The new tiger enclosure is incredible, with the big striped cats wandering through tunnels overhead as you pass timidly underneath. Orangutans dangle high above in towers and it’s easy to spot them wherever they are. All the new enclosures are a vast improvement in size and quality for the animals and make the viewing experience that much more immersive. Even the main café has had a makeover.
Of course, all the classics remain – the concrete dragon in the playground, the huge elephant and lion enclosures, the penguin and seal pool, and the giant bird sanctuaries – but the changes make it seem like a whole new experience. Highly recommend a visit next time you’re up.
Sea Life Kelly Tarlton’s
Everyone’s favourite aquarium is still just as fun as it was when it opened 38 years ago. Despite this fun fact making me feel very old, our visit to see the sharks, turtles and stingrays (special requests for our weekend) was a surprisingly awe-inspiring activity which saw all of us have a very educational rainy afternoon.
From Shackleton to Gentoo penguins, we came away all the more wiser and even watched someone feed the sharks inside the tank. A 100-year-old crayfish viewing was an unexpected highlight for the kids and I was quite taken with the centre’s Turtle Rescue operation. Did you know it’s the only place in New Zealand that offers a turtle rehabilitation programme?
Hayley and family stayed at The Convent Hotel courtesy of Booking.com
