A guide to Auckland's coolest neighbourhoods

Planning a working holiday in New Zealand? Or passing through on your gap year? Christina's city guide covers the best areas in Auckland for beaches, bars, restaurants, coffees and living like a local.

Hey, I'm Christina. After studying for 4 years in college, I came to the realisation that I wanted to travel the world before I 'settled down'. First up, I did a working holiday in Australia but when that year was up I was still chasing adventure. So naturally, I set off for New Zealand to continue the working holiday good times

Why Auckland? It felt like the city had so much to offer. Great work opportunities, seriously tasty seafood and wine (a must), beautiful beaches, islands, and coastal walks plus some pretty epic surrounding areas to explore on the weekends. Not to mention my absolute dream of a spot out west called Waitakere Ranges - lined with black sand beaches, gorgeous coastal walks, and waterfalls. I’d never seen anything like it.

Let’s get stuck into some of the best neighbourhoods to have on your radar when on a working holiday in Auckland.

The ultimate area guide to Auckland

• The CBD: The heart of Auckland
• Mission Bay: Beaches and waterfront living
• Ponsonby: Food, fashion and nightlife
• Mount Eden: Views and village charm
• Devonport: Historic seaside escape
• Kingsland: Live music and laid-back vibes
• Grey Lynn: Café culture and local living
• Karangahape Road (K Road): Arts and alternative culture

CBD: best for jobs and transport connections

• Visit for Sky Tower and Viaduct harbour
• Queen Street shopping and Britomart dining precinct
• Easy access to buses, trains and ferry

The CBD (central business district) of Auckland is one big main road - Queen Street. This is the major street within the city that has all your shopping needs covered, the main bus stops, Britomart-the train station and if you head the whole way down to the end you’ll find the harbour. On a nice day, catch the ferry from the terminal here to Waiheke Island (famous for wine and pristine beaches!) or Rangitoto, a volcanic island with gorgeous walks and a great view of Auckland city.

Weekends in Auckland's CBD

Starting with a stroll along Queen Street, head to the top where you’ll find Karangahape Road, known for trendy thrift stores, quirky cafes and bars, and nightclubs. Grab a coffee and hot cake stack at Bestie Café before hitting the smaller side streets for bookstore and boutique browsing. If you’re looking for a night of fun, head to Family Bar, a 100% New Zealand Gay bar with back-to-back sing-along tunes.

Mission Bay: best for suburban beaches

• Visit for golden beaches and waterfront promenade
• Relaxed, outdoorsy lifestyle
• Short bus ride to the CBD

The most popular neighbourhood on the water. From the city, catch a 10-minute bus ride or take a walk along the shore and reach Mission Bay in approx 30 minutes. On the weekends this place is buzzing with people having picnics, enjoying an ice cream, playing volleyball, or just catching some sun. If you keep walking along the shore, you'll find the other Eastern bays Kohimarama, St Heliers, Orakei and Glendowie. Friendly reminder to pack your sunscreen as the sun is super strong here.

Weekends in Mission Bay

Get on the water and rent paddle boards or relax with a book/ new-found friends on the beautiful beaches. Mission Bay is a personal favourite of the Eastern Bays as there is always something fun going on. Feeling hungry? Go for a walk through the small town where there's lots of cafes and restaurants to choose from, all with a view of the ocean and the big volcanic island of Rangitoto. If you’re venturing here on a Sunday, hit up Good George for live music and home-brewed ciders.

Ponsonby: best for food, shopping and nightlife

• Visit for boutique shopping and vibrant nightlife
• Award-winning cafés and restaurants
• Expensive to live but close to the CBD

If you’re looking for a boujie meal (maybe the parents are visiting?) or want to enjoy a good cocktail, add Ponsonby to your list. This neighbourhood is busting with stylish boutiques, secondhand stores, cool cocktail bars, chic cafes, and gastropubs.

Weekends in Ponsonby

From five-star restaurants to Ponsonby Central's pop-up street food stalls - there’s epic food to be enjoyed on every budget so wander around and let your eyes and nose make the decision for you. Shop hop the independent designer stores, perfect for presents to send home or a treat yourself moment for you too. Now to rest those feet and sip on a cocktail – my personal favourite spot is Hoppers. All the drinks are made with fresh and local botanical ingredients, so the drinks always look and taste super fresh!

Mount Eden: best for panoramas and independent cafes

• Visit for Maungawhau summit views
• Independent cafés and farmers' markets
• Easy commute to the CBD

Mount Eden, also known as Maungawhau, is the site of an old volcanic eruption that created a large crater and the surrounding areas. The top of the crater is 643 feet/196 meters above sea level, and it goes 160 feet/50 meters deep into the ground. It’s also an area known for its community of creatives with small local galleries filled with unique modern art.

Weekends in Mount Eden

You can’t visit this area and not take the famous walk up the Mount Eden Summit - the highest point in Auckland. When you reach the top, you can view all of Auckland at a 360 view, across the harbour, Rangitoto island and on a clear day you can even see a glimpse of the Coromandel Peninsula. There is no shortage of views up here.

When you’re done with the walk, grab yourself a well-earned dumpling feast at one of the many Asian eateries on Dominion Road. Finish the afternoon off with a wander along Mount Eden’s streets lined with vintage stores, bookshops, cafes and wine bars. Sports fans – get excited and grab some tickets to Eden Park to see the world-famous All Blacks take to the ground. They’re kind of a big deal so I'd recommend booking in advance.

Devonport: best for beaches and weekend adventures

• Visit for Mount Victoria and North Head viewpoints
• Old village atmosphere
• 12-minute ferry from the CBD

Getting to Devonport is a fun experience, as you can get to take a short ferry across Auckland harbour. Once you reach this neighbourhood, you’ll find Victoria Street with cute old buildings, quaint cafes to hang in and lots of independent restaurants to try. Definitely one of the quieter and more chill spots to explore but it’s great for those leisurely Sundays.

Weekends in Devonport

Head here every second Sunday of the month and get lost in the Devonport Craft and Fine Food Market - where local producers come to sell their tasty products (and yep there’s often free samples). If you feel like going for a short walk you can head up another summit, Mount Victoria, where you’ll get epic views of the Auckland skyline. Cosy up with a pint at Signal Hill located in one of Devonport’s oldest houses before heading to Devon on the Wharf for a pub-style lunch right on the waterfront.

Kingsland: best for live music and craft beers

• Visit for sport and concerts at Eden Park
• Independent cafés and breweries
• Easy train access to the CBD

Music lovers and foodies will get the royal treatment in Kingsland. Neighbourhood bars and craft breweries are busy throughout the week, without feeling hectic. It's also home to New Zealand's largest sports stadium, which can get lively on match days.

Grey Lynn: best for local living and cafe culture

• Visit for Grey Lynn Park and farmers' market
• Residential and relaxed
• Close to Ponsonby and the CBD

Trendy coffee spots and independent shops spill out from neighbouring Ponsonby into Grey Lynn, but the area feels more residential and understated. It's popular with young professionals who are drawn to the green spaces, character homes and slow mornings down the local farmers' market.

Karangahape Road: best for street art and nightlife

• Visit for street art tours and good food
• Vintage shopping and live music venues
• 15-minute walk from CBD

Known simply as K Road to locals, Karangahape Road brings the energy. Popular with night owls, creatives, and the LGBTQI+ community, you'll find colourful street art, vintage stores, late night bars and food spots – there's never a dull moment in K Road.

Thinking about living in Auckland?

Auckland is one of the best places in New Zealand to start your working holiday. With plenty of hospitality, tourism and seasonal jobs, it's a great base for earning money while exploring the North Island. Find out more about our Work New Zealand program.