Worth getting out of bed for...

Viewpoint

Sleep in, then head to Takapuna Beach Café (www.takapunabeachcafe.co.nz) on the North Shore for the all-day breakfast. The banana hotcakes with bayberry compote, mascarpone and anise syrup or the roasted portobello mushrooms with thyme and grana padano cream on sourdough are enough to tempt anyone from their bed, but add the views of Rangitoto Island and the harbour and it’s the perfect morning option.

Arts and culture

This cosmopolitan city’s 800-year Maori history is celebrated at the Auckland Museum (www.aucklandmuseum.com). If time is on your side, join Potiki Adventures (www.potikiadventures.com) for a memorable trip through contemporary Maori life. Art fans should make for the Auckland Art Gallery (www.aucklandartgallery.govt.nz), which houses the most impressive collection of national and international works in New Zealand. If you’re more of the nautical persuasion, the National Maritime Museum (www.maritimemuseum.co.nz) should float your boat.

Something for nothing

If you can handle the smell, check out the daily early-morning auction at Auckland Fish Market (www.aucklandfishmarket.co.nz), where the google-eyed fish make a fascinating sight.

Shopping

Edgy Ponsonby Road plays host to labels you may know, and some you may not. Storm (www.stormnz.com), Carlson (www.tanyacarlson.com) and Marvel Menswear (www.marvelmenswear.co.nz) are all worth tapping. For cool Kiwiana, try the Garden Party (www.thegardenparty.co.nz). Running off Ponsonby is the famous K Road (short for Karangahape). It’s a grungier destination for lovers of vintage fashion, and fans of comic books should also check out For Sale (www.heroes4sale.co.nz). The suburb of Newmarket is home to two major NZ fashion talents, Karen Walker at 6 Balm Street (www.karenwalker.com) and Kate Sylvester at 1 Teed Street (www.katesylvester.com), who also have stores around hip High Street in the CBD. For alternative underwear, pop to Thunderpants (www.thunderpants.co.nz).

Daytripper

Worth a day exploring, and even an overnight stay, is the boho but increasingly upmarket Waiheke Island (www.waihekenz.com). Just a half-hour ferry ride from Auckland city, it offers boutique wineries, an extensive community of artists, sheltered beaches and plenty of activities, including kayaking and windsurfing. Take a walk around the Connells Bay Sculpture Park (bookings essential; www.connellsbay.co.nz), before heading to Cable Bay Vineyards (www.cablebayvineyards.co.nz) for lunch and a wine tasting.

Best beach

It’s hard to pick just one, but for moody atmospherics you can’t go past Karekare, 35km to the west of Auckland. Black sand leads down to the surf at this star of the big screen (it featured in The Piano). There’s no public transport to the beach, which keeps visitor numbers down, and the surf can be wild, so only ever swim when life guards are on duty.

Perfect picnic

Waiheke Island’s Palm Beach is a perfect stretch of white sand in a sheltered bay. If you’re coming from the mainland, pack your basket before you leave – there’s a barbecue area, so stock up on Euro-style sausages at Frankies Wurstbude, Shop 4, Elliott Stables at 41 Elliott Street (09 365 2700). If you’re not that organised, try Island Thyme, a delicatessen in nearby Surfdale, or, on Saturday morning, the Ostend Market (www.ostendmarketwaiheke.co.nz), both on Waiheke.

Walks

Take a stroll through the serene Auckland Domain, a 75-hectare park within the crater of the Pukekawa volcano. There’s a sculpture walk, playing fields, duck ponds and the Wintergarden, where tropical plants grow in two gorgeous glasshouses.

Children

It’s not only the kids who’ll love Goat Island Marine Reserve, 90 kilometres to the north of the city. Knee-deep in the water, you’ll come up close to sea creatures such as blue maomao and snapper fish. Snorkelling is safe, and gear (including wetsuits) is available to hire from Seafriends (www.seafriends.org.nz/index.htm). Within Auckland, Devonport’s quaint beaches on the North Shore are also child-friendly.

Activities

New Zealand is the place for adventurers, but even if adrenaline coursing through your veins isn’t quite your thing, the outdoor life has much to offer. Visitors are able to sail on the harbour on genuine America’s Cup yachts with Sail NZ (www.sailnewzealand.co.nz). For two hours, you can either help to crew or just sit back and enjoy the ride.

And

Auckland's iconic Sky Tower is the southern hemisphere's tallest structure at 328m. Enjoy the scary but unmissable views down through the glass floor panels at the observation deck – it's NZ$28 to visit the top (www.skycityauckland.co.nz).