As you all know, our travel plans are highly based on error fares, airline miles, and hotel points. I get error fare notifications on my phone as soon as they come through. As soon as I got the notification for a cheap round trip to Auckland, New Zealand, it was a done deal. I immediately purchased four tickets for Aiden’s 5th birthday, and this guide covers everything we learned about visiting Auckland with kids.
Before you dive into our itinerary, check out our full guide to traveling internationally with kids for planning tips that go beyond this one trip.
Auckland, New Zealand With Kids
Instead of staying in Auckland for the duration of our trip, I decided that we should visit a few different places to make our experience worthwhile. We visited Auckland, Waiheke Island, Coromandel and Rotorua. We had a total of 9 days and stayed 2/3 days in each place. It took me quite a while to build our itinerary for some reason. You know what, I know why, because I am not a planner at all, and we usually just go with the flow. But because it was high season (summer in New Zealand), I had to. I mapped out each day of our trip including accommodations, restaurants and activities, and booked what I could right away.
When Did We Travel To Auckland New Zealand With Kids?
We traveled to Auckland the first week of February 2018. Aiden’s birthday is 06 February, so this was his birthday trip! He turned 5 while we were on our trip as my goal every year is for him to celebrate his birthday someplace new!
What Is The Weather Like In Auckland, New Zealand
February is still considered summer time in New Zealand. The weather is so interesting though; one minute it’s raining, the next it’s sunny. The weather was a mix between rain and sun. And even when it rained, it was still quite warm. So good thing I packed a mix of shorts and pants for us all. Don’t forget your packing cubes!!
How To Travel To Auckland With Kids
We flew United Airlines from Burbank to Auckland with a short layover in San Francisco. I purchased these tickets when an error fare came through for $330 flights to New Zealand. It was too good of a deal to pass up.
Don’t forget to get your kids Pilot Hats for a chance to be invited into the cockpit for piloting 101!! It works like a charm each time we fly with the boys. Click link to purchase: Aiden’s Hat / Ethan’s Hat
The boys slept 11 hours of the 12.5hr flight. I made sure to feed them well and then tire them out in San Francisco prior to boarding our flight to Auckland. They slept with the help of the “1st Class Kids Travel Pillow“
How To Get Around Auckland, New Zealand With Kids
We rented a car from National Car Rental. We got a Toyota Camry which was perfect as it was able to fit all our stuff with no issues. Remember that in New Zealand, driving is on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side.
I did not want to lug too much stuff around, so for the first time ever in my traveling life, I decided to rent car seats for the boys. They had such a hard time buckling themselves in for some odd reason, so I decided I would never make that mistake again, lol. For ease of use, I highly recommend taking your kids’ car seats if you are exploring Auckland with kids on your own schedule. Having to buckle them both every single time was quite a hassle to be honest, especially since they do it perfectly well by themselves when we are home.
How Many Days Do You Need in Auckland With Kids?
- Plan for at least 2 full days minimum
- Aim for 3 days to see it all
- Day 1: Auckland Zoo and Auckland City Beach
- Day 2: Okahu Bay Wharf and a harbour activity
- Extra time: add Rangitoto Island or the aquarium
Where To Stay In Auckland, New Zealand With Kids
We spent 3 nights in Auckland, one night in each of these places.
Hilton Auckland
We stayed here on 60K points for one night. In my opinion, wayyyyyyy too many points. Not excited about Hilton point redemption lately. I was also not happy to find out they didn’t have a lounge. They did offer us a bottle of wine for not being able to upgrade us due to full capacity.
Our host was sweet enough to let us use her kitchen for our little celebration of Aiden’s 5th birthday!!! Splitting our nights between a hotel, an Airbnb, and a homestay ended up being a great way to experience Auckland with kids from a few different angles.
What Are the Best Things to Do in Auckland With Kids?
- Relax at Auckland City Beach with the kids
- Explore Auckland Zoo and the kidzone
- Ride the ferry out to Rangitoto Island
- Visit stingrays and sharks at Kelly Tarlton’s
- Wander Auckland Botanic Gardens for photos
We didn’t do much in Auckland. We planned too, but then we realized that there just so many other fun things to do out of the city. So we spent our time in Rotorua and Coromandel (posts coming up soon).
Auckland City Beach
This place was recommended by our Airbnb host. A great beach with beautiful views, as well as a play area for kids and a restaurant nearby. The kids loved it.
Auckland Zoo
This zoo is great, with lots of animals that were new to the kids. So I am glad we went there. They also have a kidzone kids area and the boys loved playing there after exploring the zoo.
Okahu Bay Wharf
We saw the beautiful downtown Auckland city skyline as we were driving by and decided to stop for a photo. This Wharf is a fishing wharf, so nothing exciting here, however, there is an aquarium across the street that was highly recommended to us.. The boys enjoyed running up and down giving me heart attack and were curious to see what types of fish people caught. They then started asking over and over that they wanted to fish also and that was our cue to leave lol.
Other Things To Do With Kids In Auckland, New Zealand
- Sky Tower – for amazing views of the city.
- Rangitoto Island – island and an easy ferry ride from Auckland.
- Waitemata Harbour – you can go sailing, swimming, bungee jumping etc
- Butterfly Creek – if your kids love butterflies, they’ll have fun here.
- Waitakere Ranges – a national park your kids will enjoy to explore.
- Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium – your kids will enjoy stingrays, sharks and penguins.
- Auckland Botanic Gardens – beautiful grounds and great for photo ops also.
Where To Eat In Auckland With Kids
Can I just say this, the food in New Zealand is amazing! I was not disappointed by any of the places we ate at. Each place had a play area for kids, which made eating out in Auckland with kids far less stressful. Wish this was the norm in LA.
Tips For Visiting Auckland, New Zealand With Kids
- Book your accommodation (hotel/airbnb etc) ahead of time. We moved around quite a bit because I waited until last minute to book and had a hard time finding a nice place that was decently priced.
- A car is a must, there’s just no other way about it. Auckland is a big city, and the North Island of New Zealand is pretty big too. If you’re renting a car, don’t forget that driving is on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side of the road, so be Careful!!! Thanks to my husband because I would have been too scared to drive, lol.
- To avoid fees from your provider, get a sim card from Spark at the airport when you land. They have good rates and really good 4g reception all over the North Island. We got the 8gb plan and had to add some more later as we use a lot of data.
- There are plenty of restaurants with play areas for kids. This is a great list: “Kid Friendly Cafes and Restaurants in Auckland” so take advantage of the, The kids can play and eat and everyone is happy.
- There are plenty of things to do in Auckland, but we didn’t do as many because we had so much more fun exploring other cities. “Things To Do In Auckland for Kids, Teens and Families” is a great list if you plan to spend the majority of your holiday in Auckland.
More International Family Trip Guides
If this trip has you dreaming about your next family adventure abroad, take a look at our guides to Japan with kids, Bali with kids, Portugal with kids, our Mexico family vacation guide, and Australia with kids for more ideas on where to take the family next.
Frequently Asked Questions About Traveling to Auckland with Kids
1. Is Auckland safe for families with kids?
Yes, Auckland is generally considered very safe for families with kids, with well-marked roads, tourist-friendly beaches, and plenty of family attractions like the zoo and aquarium. Exploring Auckland with kids feels easy overall, though remember that driving is on the left side of the road, since that takes most visiting families a day or two to adjust to.
2. When is the best time to visit Auckland with kids?
Summer, from December through February, is the best time to visit Auckland with kids, since the weather is warmest, though expect some rain mixed in even during peak season. Shoulder season months offer fewer crowds if your family can travel outside the school holidays.
3. How expensive is Auckland for a family?
Auckland can be a pricier stop compared to some other New Zealand destinations, especially for hotel points redemptions and city center dining, though renting a car and mixing in a homestay or Airbnb can help stretch the budget. Error fare flights, like the one we used, can also make the overall trip far more affordable.
4. What age is best for visiting Auckland?
Auckland works well for almost any age, since the zoo, beaches, and harbour activities all have something for younger kids, while older kids and teens will enjoy the aquarium and adventure activities like bungee jumping. Just plan extra downtime for younger toddlers after a long international flight.
Read my other posts on New Zealand below:
- Auckland New Zealand With Kids
- Waiheke Island, New Zealand With Kids
- Things To Do In Rotorua New Zealand With Kids
- Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand With Kids
- Things To Know Prior To Visiting The Hot Water Beach In New Zealand
- New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
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Book Your Accommodation
Book family-friendly hotels, apartments, resorts, and vacation rentals with Booking.com. It’s an easy way to compare accommodations and find the right fit for your family and budget.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance can help protect your trip in case of unexpected delays, cancellations, lost luggage, or medical emergencies. Before your next international trip, check Nomad Insurance for coverage options.
Want to Travel for Free?
Travel credit cards can help you earn points and miles that can be redeemed for flights, hotels, and other travel expenses. Check out my recommended travel credit card resources to start making your travel budget go further.
Need a Rental Car?
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Viator makes it easy to discover tours, attractions, day trips, and local experiences. Whether you’re looking for family-friendly activities or unique adventures, you’ll find plenty of options to enhance your trip.
Shopping for Travel Essentials?
From packing organizers and travel gear to family travel must-haves, you can find many of my favorite travel essentials on Amazon.
Ready to Book Your Trip?
If you’d like extra support planning your next adventure, explore curated travel experiences through Rooted Journeys, where we help families discover meaningful and memorable travel experiences around the world.
