Top Reasons to Go to Auckland

Boating and Sailing: Aucklanders love boating. You can join them on a commuter ferry, a sailboat, or a racing yacht.

Cuisine and Café Culture: You'll find some of the country's finest restaurants, plus bistro bars, noodle houses, and vibrant neighborhood eateries.

Year-Round Golf: Lydia Ko started playing in a town with 20-plus golf courses, from informal to challenging championship level. The Muriwai Golf Club fronts a great surf beach.

Art and Culture: The revamped Auckland Art Gallery, Auckland Museum, theater companies, and live music scene draw crowds.

Gorgeous Beaches: The West Coast's black-sand beaches attract surfers from around the world; the safest swimming is on the East Coast. Takapuna Beach and Mission Bay are good places to swim but are very crowded on a sunny day. Remember to swim between the flags and slather on the sunscreen.