What to do in Auckland this long weekend: Waterfront walks and dining in the dark

Giving yourself over to the Auckland CBD for the weekend might make you fall in love with the centre city. Photo / Getty Images

Strolling Auckland’s centre city is a routine part of my every day – I’ll jump on a bus that powers up Victoria St, wander past the Sky Tower at lunch and hit up inner-city exhibitions and gigs during my evenings off. When you’re navigating town so often during the work week, and spending weekends in the suburban sprawl, the experience of the inner city can start to feel a little ... pedestrian.

Within the heart of the city though, things constantly move and shake and change. Devoting a weekend to the city sights and switching up your usual haunts might allow the city to woo you once again.

Homeland is the prime spot for a cosy brunch on a blustery day in Auckland Harbour. Breakfast includes smoked fish, piles of avocado and crispy polenta chips. Photo / Madeleine Crutchley

Enjoy a new brunch spot

Sitting in a café or restaurant on the waterfront is, obviously, especially gorgeous and scenic in Tāmaki Makaurau when the sun is out. However, now it’s winter, I’d happily become an advocate for rainy seaside brunches too. While dining at Homeland, the café on Westhaven Drive that’s tucked away in a quiet corner of the Auckland harbour, the drizzle made Saturday morning feel unbelievably cosy.

The menu at Homeland itself probably helped to produce that warm feeling – the Peter Gordon café serves dishes comprised of sustainable kai from local producers and doesn’t shy away from strong flavours. We chose a mixture of smoked fish, spicy broccoli and crispy polenta chips, and savoured the Aotearoa and Pacific produce.

If you’re in the mood for some lighter eats, you might also want to check out some other snack spots; The Kimchi Project, Mezze Bar and Federal Delicatessen all serve sumptuous small plates.

Wander the waterfront

A blustery stroll through the marina also presented some lovely surprises. Near Silo Park, one dock of the harbour boasts a collection of refurbed vintage boats, with some short history lessons about their relationship to New Zealand and Tāmaki Makaurau.

Olafur Eliasson, Yellow versus Purple, 2003. The Auckland Art Gallery welcomes works from the Tate Modern in their latest showing, which make for a joyful stroll through the city centre's biggest gallery. Photo / Supplied

Celebrate the arts

Auckland Art Gallery has been a well-frequented sight during my city days. It hosts extravagant exhibitions from overseas galleries and celebrates local artists who depict life in Aotearoa from poignant perspectives.

The latest international offering at Toi o Tāmaki is Light From Tate, a collection of works from Tate London that explore the concept of light. The exhibition moves through different eras, from the 1700s to more contemporary works, and explores representations through paintings, light displays and sculpture from many artistic perspectives. It’s an immersive and awe-inspiring experience (especially the “big blue room”) well worth a slow wander.

It’s also worth touring the smaller galleries in town. Tautai, Gus Fischer Gallery, Melanie Roger and Gow Langsford Gallery often house moving collections from local artists. It’s also an enjoyable avenue for connecting to crucial art collectives who breathe life into the city.

Rediscover the Sky Tower

It had been many years since I had visited the Sky Tower and my return felt surprisingly nostalgic. As the elevator rocketed up to the heights of the observation deck, I felt my stomach do somersaults – something that happened to my nervous child self too.

While the 51st floor was reliably scenic, there was also a new attraction to see. The Skyslide is a 360-degree virtual reality experience that simulates a wild ride in the skies of Auckland city.

The virtual thrills produced some sweaty palms, but it was even more fun to watch aspiring adrenaline junkies pluck up all their courage. It was also delightfully wholesome to see families strap in for the ride and giggle together in the VR experience.

Eat dinner in the dark

I really, really love my local dinner spots and often return to those comforting, familiar flavours. However, the promise of my locals can be so alluring that venturing out leaves me a little apprehensive. The new and mysterious dining experience offered in the Millenium Hotel called Dans Le Noir might have resolved that hesitation.

The experience welcomes guests to enjoy a meal in a pitch-black room, with the contents of the plate remaining a total mystery. The menu plays on this puzzling aspect, testing your taste abilities with some unusual combinations of flavours used to surprise and delight. The reveal of the meal’s content post-dessert was genuinely surprising – there were certainly points where I had no idea what I had been served. The parameters of the experience also create a strange and exciting vibe in the dining room. I’d recommend the puzzling meal for keen foodies (who aren’t afraid of the dark).

Grab a couple of drinks at the scenic Sunset bar atop the Sudima Hotel and enjoy golden hour views of the city. Photo / Supplied

Play tourist

If you’d like to really go all out, treating yourself to a staycation might be a pleasant idea. An overnight hotel stay at the Sudima was relaxing and felt like a real escape from the intensity of the week. There was crisp bedding, scenic drinks at the Sunset Bar and a stacked offering for breakfast at East restaurant (a must-try for vegetarians and vegans). Rejuvenating is not a word you’d expect to be associated with Auckland’s CBD – but the weekend experience put a pep in my pedestrian step.

Light From Tate: 1700s To Now closes June 25.

For more things to see and do in Auckland, go to newzealand.com/nz and aucklandnz.com