Auckland

Auckland sits on top of 53 volcanoes. The most recent one, Rangitoto Island, erupted just 600 years ago while Māori families watched from the shore. Their footprints, hearths, and food scraps are still preserved under layers of volcanic ash on neighboring Motutapu Island.

Polynesian voyagers first settled this narrow isthmus around 1350, calling it Tāmaki Makaurau, meaning “Tāmaki desired by many.” They weren’t exaggerating.

Two harbors provided easy ocean access on both coasts. Rich volcanic soil grew abundant crops. And those volcanic cones made perfect natural fortresses.

Māori transformed the hills into pā, fortified villages ringed with terraces for housing, storage pits, and gardens. One Tree Hill alone housed about 4,000 warriors under Chief Kiwi Tāmaki in the early 1700s. You can still see the terracing carved into the slopes today.

In 1840, the Ngāti Whātua tribe gifted 3,500 acres to British Governor William Hobson for a new capital. He named it Auckland after his patron, the Earl of Auckland. The city served as New Zealand’s capital until 1865, when the government moved south to Wellington.

The volcanic field still defines Auckland’s landscape. Mount Eden, the highest cone at 196 meters, offers panoramic views and a 50-meter-deep crater sacred to Māori. Visitors can’t walk inside the crater, but the rim trail reveals the terraces Māori carved centuries ago.

Take the 25-minute ferry to Rangitoto Island and hike through lava fields to the summit. Kids love exploring the dark lava caves with flashlights. The island hosts the world’s largest pohutukawa forest, which explodes with red blossoms every December.

The Sky Tower rises 328 meters above downtown, the tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere. Glass-floor panels let you look straight down. The brave can try the SkyWalk around the outside ledge or the SkyJump, a controlled 192-meter plunge.

Grab fish and chips from a local takeaway shop, made with fresh tarakihi or snapper instead of British cod. Try a meat pie from any bakery, preferably steak and cheese. Finish with hokey pokey ice cream, vanilla studded with crunchy honeycomb toffee that’s been a Kiwi favorite for generations.