Weird Auckland?
April 1, 2013 7:51 PM Subscribe
I've lived in Auckland (on the Shore) for a year, and I've seen all the really popular touristy stuff (the Sky Tower, Waiheke Island, the War Memorial Museum, etc). Now I'm wanting to find the fun weird stuff that locals know about.
Like if Auckland had a UFO museum (it does not, to the best of my knowledge)? That's the sort of thing I mean. Any suggestions? Can be places to go, things to do, stuff to eat, whatever. Anything outside Auckland is okay too as long as it's not, say, more than an hour or so's drive away.
We're kind of knee-deep in small children at the moment so my recommendations aren't particularly outrageous and more "family outing" grade.
If you like hills, old tunnels and gun emplacements - Visit North Head and Fort Takapuna. You can have a nice sedate walk around the Chelsea Sugar Refinery's park, or a longer, muddier walk along the Okura Bush Walkway
In general, poke around the Plan My Play and Department of Conservation sites for places to visit for a bushwalk etc.
Drive out to Riverhead (out west) and have a fantastic coffee and lunch at the Kauri Gum Store and Cafe which is inside a very old store building with a glass panel so you can see the skeleton of one of the old kauri gum miners on the ground underneath. Well, it's not a real skeleton, I hope. There are the ruins of an old flour mill to prowl around too. Alternatively, you can catch a cruise up the river of Riverhead from Auckland and eat at The Riverhead Tavern (haven't done the cruise part yet, but the tavern is excellent)
There are heaps of geocaches around the Shore, if you're into it.
Deep Creek Brewing Company is our local, and Ramen Takara (also in Browns Bay) is excellent, as is Ben Gusto for gelato/cafe lunchy things.
Lollusc, was it Franklin Zoo? It's closed now after a sad Elephant-Related Fatality.
posted by slightlybewildered at 10:08 PM on April 1, 2013 [2 favorites]
If you like hills, old tunnels and gun emplacements - Visit North Head and Fort Takapuna. You can have a nice sedate walk around the Chelsea Sugar Refinery's park, or a longer, muddier walk along the Okura Bush Walkway
In general, poke around the Plan My Play and Department of Conservation sites for places to visit for a bushwalk etc.
Drive out to Riverhead (out west) and have a fantastic coffee and lunch at the Kauri Gum Store and Cafe which is inside a very old store building with a glass panel so you can see the skeleton of one of the old kauri gum miners on the ground underneath. Well, it's not a real skeleton, I hope. There are the ruins of an old flour mill to prowl around too. Alternatively, you can catch a cruise up the river of Riverhead from Auckland and eat at The Riverhead Tavern (haven't done the cruise part yet, but the tavern is excellent)
There are heaps of geocaches around the Shore, if you're into it.
Deep Creek Brewing Company is our local, and Ramen Takara (also in Browns Bay) is excellent, as is Ben Gusto for gelato/cafe lunchy things.
Lollusc, was it Franklin Zoo? It's closed now after a sad Elephant-Related Fatality.
posted by slightlybewildered at 10:08 PM on April 1, 2013 [2 favorites]
I remember that Auckland had restaurants from practically every east Asian country.
posted by brujita at 11:58 PM on April 1, 2013
posted by brujita at 11:58 PM on April 1, 2013
This narrow-gauge train ride through hand-carved tunnels fit the bill for me.
posted by oceanmorning at 1:32 AM on April 2, 2013
posted by oceanmorning at 1:32 AM on April 2, 2013
Speaking of narrow-guage train rides through hand-carved tunnels, Barry Brickell's Driving Creek Railway outside Coromandel is definitely up there on the memorable/quirky scales. It's at the high end of your limit, though, for travel time out of Auckland. Mind you, Coromandel is a beautiful spot; you could stay overnight and enjoy the scenery.
posted by yoink at 10:34 AM on April 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by yoink at 10:34 AM on April 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
The British Israelite book store on Dominion Road (no. 242) is worth a look if you're up that way. Not sure if it's still there but there was a shop on Mt Eden Road that sold replica Moai as garden ornaments. Whatevs. Mt Eden is a nice place to go anyway. There's a park on the AGs side of the hill or head on to One Tree hill for a nice day out. The cafe Fraser's on Mt Eden Rd used to be called Solla Sollew. Go to the toilet there, if nothing else.
The Ambassador Bar in Pt Chev is a tiny venue, nonsensical and loud. You'll see if you go. Ironically there is a huge theatre space out the back used by the owner for random stuff. Go after a day out at Coyle Park. Bring your own barbecue and rugby ball. You won't be out of place.
Pasifika at Western Springs is a great day out. Probs just missed it this year. When it gets too hot get a cool coconut with a straw to sip under a tree somewhere. Excellent food. Not exactly weird, weird but a different experience.
Oh yeah and there's this spot on Bullock Track at the top you can almost see the stage if there's a big concert on. There's always a crowd up there hanging out. One morning jogging through Western Springs I came across a keeper taking one of the elephants for a walk around the perimeter but no guarantees there. The airfield out the back of Motat is weird, but in a sad way.
Further afield, the Waitakeres are if anything, enhanced by the fall of night. Stars, glow worms (Arataki visitors centre follow path past info centre up hill) and the odd kehua make this a special place. During the day go to Corwallis and little Huia where Auckland was supposed to be settled but for that nasty sandbar.
Take the cruise on the Kaipara, find shipwrecks on the sand bar.
That's all I can think of for now though I am sure there is more.
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 2:33 PM on April 2, 2013
The Ambassador Bar in Pt Chev is a tiny venue, nonsensical and loud. You'll see if you go. Ironically there is a huge theatre space out the back used by the owner for random stuff. Go after a day out at Coyle Park. Bring your own barbecue and rugby ball. You won't be out of place.
Pasifika at Western Springs is a great day out. Probs just missed it this year. When it gets too hot get a cool coconut with a straw to sip under a tree somewhere. Excellent food. Not exactly weird, weird but a different experience.
Oh yeah and there's this spot on Bullock Track at the top you can almost see the stage if there's a big concert on. There's always a crowd up there hanging out. One morning jogging through Western Springs I came across a keeper taking one of the elephants for a walk around the perimeter but no guarantees there. The airfield out the back of Motat is weird, but in a sad way.
Further afield, the Waitakeres are if anything, enhanced by the fall of night. Stars, glow worms (Arataki visitors centre follow path past info centre up hill) and the odd kehua make this a special place. During the day go to Corwallis and little Huia where Auckland was supposed to be settled but for that nasty sandbar.
Take the cruise on the Kaipara, find shipwrecks on the sand bar.
That's all I can think of for now though I am sure there is more.
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 2:33 PM on April 2, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
A few of years ago when visiting family on the North Shore, they took me to a place that they described as a "private zoo". It was less than an hour's drive (probably more like 30 minutes), and the entry just looked like someone's drive way, although there were signs up and an unattended ticket booth. We walked in, looking for someone to pay an entry fee to, but the place was deserted, so we wandered around looking at the animals, and then left. It was weird because it seemed so abandoned, but the animals looked healthy and had relatively large enclosures (although not anything like a proper zoo would have). I can't remember what animals they had exactly except that there was at least one type of really exotic/dangerous animal like crocodiles or bears or something.
posted by lollusc at 8:13 PM on April 1, 2013