Rainbow’s End in Manukau in Auckland’s southern suburbs is New Zealand’s largest amusement park.
Its main attraction is New Zealand’s only corkscrew roller coaster, which features a vertical loop, three inversions and a double corkscrew. Stratosfear is the scariest ride where you freefall while spinning upside down. Other rides include Fear Fall, where you plummet 18-storeys to the ground at 80km/h, as well as a log flume ride and Gold Rush, a mine-themed roller coaster ride.
The New Zealand Maritime Museum in Viaduct Harbour is an excellent museum that features exhibits on New Zealand’s maritime endeavours from Maori canoes right up to the recent America’s Cup yacht race.
The museum’s permanent galleries include Maori and Polynesian canoes, displays on early European exploration of New Zealand and the Pacific region and the subsequent settlement and immigration, whaling and sealing, and the development of modern commercial shipping.
The Blue Water Black Magic exhibit focuses on New Zealand’s role in the America’s Cup yachting competition. The exhibit features NZL32, New Zealand’s winning America’s Cup entry from 1995 as well as Sir Peter Blake’s famous lucky red socks and a replica of the America’s Cup trophy.
The museum is also home to several ships including restored ships from the 19th century to more recent reproductions of historic vessels. Some of these ships, including the Ted Ashby (a ketch-rigged deck scow) are available for sailing trips (at an additional charge).
The Museum of Transport & Technology (MOTAT) is a fascinating place if you’re into old cars, planes, trains and steam engines.
This science and technology museum is set on two sites, which are linked by a tram route running vintage tramcars (originally from Melbourne). The museum admission fee includes a return tram trip between the two museum sites. The tram also stops at Auckland Zoo en route between the two museum sites.
MOTAT 1 (the original museum site on Great North Road) was built on the site of a beam engine pump house, which originally supplied water to Auckland. The original beam engine has been restored and is on display along with a collection of other steam engines.
The original museum site is also home to a large collection of over 100 vehicles including trams, trains, cars, buses and fire engines. There is also a display on space travel including a Corporal rocket.
The excellent Pioneers of Aviation exhibit including displays on Charles Kingsford-Smith’s trans-Tasman flight and Jean Batten’s England–New Zealand flight. Parts of Richard Pearse’s aircraft (which made flights prior to the Wright brothers) are also on display here.
The MOTAT 1 museum site is also home to a recreated shopping street depicting life in the 1920s.
Although MOTAT 1 is home to an excellent aviation pavilion, MOTAT’s main aviation exhibits are housed at the museum’s secondary site on Meola Road (MOTAT 2).
Aviation exhibits at MOTAT 2 include the engine from Jean Batten’s Percival Gull (the actual plane is on display at Auckland Airport) as well as displays on the history of commercial aviation including Pan American Airways and Imperial Airways flying boats of the 1930s and TEAL (which later became Air New Zealand) flying boats of the 1940s and 1950s. This site also has exhibits of military aircraft including a collection of Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft.
Mount Eden & One Tree Hill are two extinct volcanoes that provide great views of Auckland. Although accessible by bus (and a walk from the bus stop) it is easiest to visit if you have a car.
Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium (formerly Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World) is an excellent attraction despite all the glossy brochures that make it sound like a tourist trap worth avoiding. The aquarium was constructed from disused sewage storage tanks and it was unique at the time as it was one of the first aquaria to feature curved walk-through tunnels.
The aquarium features a large range of marine life including sharks and stingrays and there is now also a very good Antarctic Ice Adventure attraction featuring King and Gentoo penguins and a replica of Scott’s hut from the South Pole from the 1912 South Pole expedition.
Although it’s not a huge attraction for international visitors, Auckland’s zoo is quite good considering the city’s relatively small population. The zoo has all the major African animals, but the main attraction is native animals such as the kiwi and tuatara.
This excellent museum is a good introduction to Auckland’s history and its Māori culture.
The museum’s exhibits include a large collection of Māori and Pacific Island artefacts including a large Māori meeting house and a Māori war canoe dating from 1830.
There is also excellent displays relating to New Zealand’s involvement in both the First and Second World Wars and the museum also includes a war memorial to New Zealand soldiers killed in both wars.
The Auckland Art Gallery features an excellent programme of New Zealand and international exhibits that supplement the country’s most extensive art collection.
AJ Hackett has set up a bungee platform on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, 40m (131ft) above the harbour. Jumpers are fitted with a full body harness and then walk 10 minutes from the base of the bridge before leaping from the jump pod.