Auckland tourist activities for the jetlagged
February 24, 2018 1:03 PM Subscribe
What should a newly arrived, exhausted tourist do in Auckland Tuesday morning?
I'm flying in to Auckland from the States on Tuesday morning. I get there 9am and expect to be exhausted after the long overnight flight, but my hotel room may not be available until 3pm. What can I do that's low key as a tourist after I've gotten a shower and breakfast? Something interesting but not too demanding. In Paris I'd suggest "take a boat tour on the river"; you get to see the city go by from the comfort of sitting down.
I'm flying in to Auckland from the States on Tuesday morning. I get there 9am and expect to be exhausted after the long overnight flight, but my hotel room may not be available until 3pm. What can I do that's low key as a tourist after I've gotten a shower and breakfast? Something interesting but not too demanding. In Paris I'd suggest "take a boat tour on the river"; you get to see the city go by from the comfort of sitting down.
I live in Auckland. It really depends on where your hotel is? It is one of the largest cities in the world area-wise and is very difficult to get around in cos of the terrible traffic. I'm hoping you are somewhere central. It depends what you're in to but there is an excellent art gallery in town and I think the museum is good too. You could go up the sky tower and have a coffee at the top. Just wandering around the city could easily take you all day.
posted by thereader at 2:50 PM on February 24, 2018
posted by thereader at 2:50 PM on February 24, 2018
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be right in the middle of town, like a block from the Sky Tower.
posted by Nelson at 4:14 PM on February 24, 2018
posted by Nelson at 4:14 PM on February 24, 2018
Do you not sleep well on flights? I've been to New Zealand twice (from SF) and found heading there one of the easiest long flights I've ever taken in terms of jet lag. From SF you take off around 10 pm, get served dinner, maybe watch a movie, then sleep seven or eight hours, get breakfast, watch a couple TV shows, then land in the morning. It works really well if you can sleep halfway decently on a plane.
When I flew into Auckland we caught a morning ferry to the volcanic island in the center of the bay, did some gentle hiking around the island, then took the ferry back & wandered the city center until dinner time. There are also boat cruises around the bay & bus tours around some of the main tourist sites.
posted by Jaclyn at 6:53 PM on February 24, 2018
When I flew into Auckland we caught a morning ferry to the volcanic island in the center of the bay, did some gentle hiking around the island, then took the ferry back & wandered the city center until dinner time. There are also boat cruises around the bay & bus tours around some of the main tourist sites.
posted by Jaclyn at 6:53 PM on February 24, 2018
Walk around the Parnell rose gardens. I went in May--=November over the equator-- and everything was still in bloom.
posted by brujita at 6:53 PM on February 24, 2018
posted by brujita at 6:53 PM on February 24, 2018
Response by poster: Thanks for the advice. "Sightseeing ferry" was closest to what I had in mind, note it only runs twice a day. A ferry over to Devonport is also a low key way to do something mildly interesting. But as Jaclyn said, coming from California the jet lag wasn't so bad in Auckland. I was able to sleep on the plane and with only 3 hours difference, have a mostly normal day.
PS: the Auckland War Memorial Museum is fantastic. It was too demanding for a jet lag day, but the highlight of our visit.
posted by Nelson at 12:55 PM on March 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
PS: the Auckland War Memorial Museum is fantastic. It was too demanding for a jet lag day, but the highlight of our visit.
posted by Nelson at 12:55 PM on March 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
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posted by jbenben at 1:06 PM on February 24, 2018