Auckland

A tower of 328m with glass panels set into the observation floor so the street shows below. Walking the outside rail and a wire assisted jump are both offered separately.

The island came out of an eruption six hundred years ago and lies twenty five minutes away by ferry. An hour of walking over black lava reaches the summit, with almost no shade on the way.

The crater nearest the centre, with a deep bowl scooped out of its top. Going down inside is not permitted, so the walk follows the rim.

The Maori gallery holds a war canoe of 25m and a meeting house brought in whole. A Maori performance goes on three times daily on a separate ticket.

Forty minutes by ferry to an island whose hills carry vineyards and olive groves. A bus ticket circulates between the wineries.

A west coast beach of black sand where rip currents are strong and incidents are frequent. Swimming happens only between the flags that the lifeguards set.

A harbour rebuilt for yacht racing, with restaurants and bridges along the water. When a boat comes through, the footbridge folds sideways to let it pass.

Into the western bush, a fall drops into a pool that stays very cold. Ten minutes on foot gets you there, which is why families come.

Twelve minutes across the water to a village of timber houses under an old fort hill. From the gun emplacements the city skyline stands directly opposite.

A park laid out in a crater holds two glasshouses side by side. One of them is replanted through the year, so it differs on every visit.

The country's largest art collection. The 2011 extension added a roof of kauri timber spread like branches. The rooms of Maori portraits by Goldie and Lindauer are the heart of the place, and the back door opens straight into Albert Park.

A volcanic cone once terraced as a Maori pa, with an obelisk on top. The pine behind the name was attacked by chainsaw in 1994 and 2000 and removed the next year; native trees went in in 2016. Sheep graze Cornwall Park below, so the climb crosses farmland.

A guided climb over the steel arch of the harbour bridge, opened in 1959, clipped to a safety line. In 1969 a Japanese firm added lanes on each side, still called the Nippon clip-ons. The same operator runs a bungy from mid-span towards the sea.

An aquarium opened in 1985 inside disused sewage storage tanks. It pioneered the acrylic tunnel, with rays and sharks gliding overhead. King and gentoo penguins live in the Antarctic section, an ice room kept chilly all year.

A city beach on Tamaki Drive, facing Rangitoto across the water. An art deco fountain fronts the lawn, and cafes and ice cream shops line the road. Many cycle the waterfront path from the city, so it gets crowded on weekend mornings.

An island sanctuary where volunteers spent decades replanting forest and clearing rats until native birds came back. Takahe and kokako, rare on the mainland, wander beside the paths. Check your own bags for rodents and seeds before the ferry leaves the city.

The information centre at the gateway to the Waitakere Ranges, looking out over forest and sea. A soil-borne disease that kills kauri has closed some tracks. Ask here which are open, and at each entrance scrub your boots and spray them before walking.

A road through an old timber-villa suburb, lined with cafes, clothing shops and restaurants. Ponsonby Central, a converted warehouse, gathers small eateries under one roof. Step into the side streets and wooden houses with lacy fretwork make for a good stroll.

A waterfront district built on a former port tank farm. In Silo Park the old cement silos still stand, and on summer nights films are screened on the lawn before them. The harbourside promenade runs on from Viaduct Harbour, so you can walk across.

The Museum of Transport and Technology, split across two sites holding trams, trains and aircraft. A heritage tram runs between them, passing the gate of Auckland Zoo. The aviation hall holds a big Short Solent flying boat you can step inside.

A zoo beside a large park west of the centre, with an area for New Zealand's native wildlife. Inside, a dark room reverses day and night so you can see the nocturnal kiwi in daytime. Give your eyes about 1 minute to adjust and the birds appear.

New Zealand's first marine reserve, declared in 1975, reached by a 90-minute drive north to the village of Leigh. Decades without fishing mean snapper crowd in at knee depth. Snorkel gear is hired on the beach, and feeding the fish is banned.

Every Saturday morning stalls gather by the river in Matakana village to the north. Farm cheese, oysters, fruit and honey come in from nearby, eaten at tables beneath the bridge. Traders pack up after lunch, so plan to be there early.

A precinct of restored warehouses right behind the ferry terminal. Restaurants and fashion boutiques occupy the red-brick street levels, and Takutai Square in the middle hosts events. It suits a lap on foot while you wait for an island ferry.

A broad sandy beach on the North Shore across the bridge, with Rangitoto straight ahead. A Sunday morning flea market fills nearby Anzac Square. From the north end a path crosses hardened lava rock, which you can walk only while the tide is low.

Black sand and heavy surf on the western shore, with far fewer people than Piha. Over the dunes from the car park lies Lake Wainamu, where children slide down the sand slopes into the water. The waves are rough, so swim only between the lifeguard flags.