It was a beautiful day and we decided to visit a few local parks.

First was Mt Eden, the highest volcano cone in Auckland.  After forming 15,000 years ago, it’s now a very easily accessible hike with a stunning view at the top.

The climb was quite steep but went much faster than we’d expected.  As of 2015 cars and motorbikes are prohibited at the summit, so it’s hike or bust if you want to visit the top.  You might lose your breath and break a sweat, but It’s worth it. You can see the downtown area with the Skytower, the harbor, and the islands off the coast including the youngest volcanic island, Rangitoto.  It was hard not to stand there and take pictures all afternoon because the view kept getting more and more amazing as the clouds and sun changed the light.  Also, I think it’s worth noting that although it was a weekend afternoon and the weather was perfect, there was hardly a crowd.  A nice change from the touristy scene in NYC. 🙂

When we decided to move on, we headed toward Newmarket.  This neighborhood is known for shopping, so we thought we could walk around a bit and find somewhere to eat lunch.  We ended up at Nuffield St Cafe on Nuffield Street and took a table on the sidewalk.  Our expectations weren’t high, but Kevin’s Salmon Hash brunch dish was so good.  

Cappuccinos were great too, and they were much needed.  The neighborhood was bustling and the boutiques all had very well dressed mannequins in the windows.  It’s definitely where I would go if I was looking to shop.  

Lunch was a perfect stop, but we still wanted to visit one more park.  About a 15 minute walk away was Auckland Domain.  This is the city’s oldest park and much larger than Mt Eden.

We had done a little research online and knew we wanted to visit the Wintergardens, a set of 3 botanical gardens.  A Cool House for more temperate plants, a tropical house, and a fernery.  Admission is free.  I’m so glad we went here, this little gem is gorgeous.  It’s a perfect size for a walk through, but if you really wanted to read every sign it wouldn’t take you all day to see everything.  Just like Mt Eden it wasn’t nearly as crowded as we had expected.  As we were leaving a bridal party came in for pictures and sealed the deal for me; I love this place.  

Also on park property is the Auckland War Memorial Museum.  We wanted to spend today outdoors so we’ll save that for a rainy day.

We explored the park a bit and found the Lover’s Walk trail. I’m a sucker for a cute name.

It was a pretty walk through a heavily wooded area and we did get a bit lost, but it was nice scenery so we didn’t mind.  We exited the wooded area near the Centennial Walkway, lined with big beautiful trees, and a cherry grove.

 We barely saw half the park and we’ll have to come back for the rest, but we really enjoyed our first visit.