New Zealand is a dream destination for many travellers thanks to its inspiring landscapes, world-class walking tracks, and beautiful beaches. But what happens when the sun heads north for the winter? Even though New Zealand is a world-famous outdoor adventure playground, this beautiful country still offers many activities to enjoy through the cold winter months. Auckland, the country’s most populated city, provides a range of exciting experiences, from winter wonderlands to sensory mazes, cat cafes, and mysterious caverns. Here’s how to explore some of the best winter experiences when you’re in Auckland.
1. Snowplanet
Snowplanet offers the opportunity to ski, snowboard or snow tube in all seasons. If you’re a beginner, there are a bunch of experienced instructors to help you get onto the snow. If you’re a terrain park fan, the evolving course changes every four to six weeks for a unique experience. Snowplanet also offers a family-friendly alpine village called Winter Wonderland, where tubing tracks and snow-capped trees provide a unique snowy experience for families.
2. War Memorial Museum
As one of the oldest museums in New Zealand, the Auckland War Memorial Museum offers insight into the country’s origins and the history of its people. Here, you will find significant Māori and Pacific collections that celebrate our rich culture. Explore Aoteroa’s natural history, extensive war memorial collection and a fascinating Imaginarium purposely built to capture the minds of the young. The museum is set in a tranquil green setting, with views over the harbour and an onsite restaurant and cafe where you can grab a coffee or indulge with a high tea.
3. Kelly Tarlton’s
Discover the incredible underwater world of Kelly Tarlton’s, where sharks swim overhead, and mermaids come to life. Named after New Zealand’s finest diver and ocean explorer, this museum offers the chance to see penguins, sharks, jellyfish, turtles, sea dragons, and stingrays, among a host of other colourful creatures and fish. Kelly Tarlton’s is split into a host of different areas, such as the rock pools, the shipwreck discovery area, and the turtle rescue centre, which offer something fun for the whole family to explore.
4. Parakai Springs
Just 40 minutes from Auckland, Parakai Springs offers a full range of hot water activities, perfect for a relaxing soak during a cold winter’s day. The site encompasses large indoor and outdoor pools, private spas, an adults-only pool and hydro slides. If you want to spend the day at this piece of paradise, pack a picnic or grab some goodies to throw on the gas BBQs onsite. It’s the perfect way to stay warm during winter in Auckland.
5. The House of Chocolate
If you love chocolate (and who doesn’t), head over to The House of Chocolate in Takapuna, where you can try a range of heavenly desserts from triple chocolate brownie to banoffee Alaska. Think chocoholic waffles for lunch. Or enjoy a chocolatey drink such as a s’mores hot chocolate, iced chocolate, or cookies and cream milkshake.
6. Walk in a cave
For the perfect rainy day outdoor activity, try exploring one of the impressive caves in the Auckland region. You never know what you’ll find when you explore these mysterious caverns, from glowworms to stalactites and bats. Bethells Beach offers an impressive sea cave around 40 metres deep with a large natural window. On Rangitoto Island there’s an array of lava caves, just a short boat trip from the city.
7. Domain Wintergardens
Designed in the early 1900s, the Auckland Domain is an area of historical interest. The gardens are open year-round, and two large glasshouses offer a range of tropical and seasonal plants. During winter, the gardens are open from 9:00am until 4:30pm. There’s an onsite cafe so you can grab a warming drink too.
8. Purrs & Beans
Purrs and Beans is the perfect refreshment stop for cat lovers. The cafe provides a forever home to 14 rescue cats, and your money helps support their ongoing care and wellbeing. Enjoy a hot drink or a frappe and feel good about your contribution to the care of these beautiful creatures.
9. Odyssey sensory maze
The Odyssey sensory maze is one of the most unique indoor experiences in the country. “Get lost in a world of a-maze-ment” as you explore a variety of sensory rooms. Each step of your adventure offers quirky challenges, visual illusions, sound effects, lighting effects and scent-sory experiences that combine to give a one-off experience to awaken the senses and test your perceptions. This is a great indoor activity for those winter days in Auckland.
10. Stardome
Experience the mysteries of the night sky from the comfort of the Stardome observatory, located in the One Tree Hill Domain. There’s a small onsite museum that costs just a couple of dollars to enter and there’s an impressive selection of shows to enjoy in the planetarium. The screen is impressive and offers the chance to learn something new in a comfortable environment. Whether you’re a local or just visiting, put this on your to-do list for winter in Auckland.
