When the summer sun is beating down, the North Island is a fantastic place to enjoy outdoor fun, with cities and towns across the island offering a wealth of relevant activities. Auckland, the biggest city, is home to one of the best selections and includes the awesome Kelly Tarlton’s as well as an impressive zoo. The beaches are perhaps the best destinations in terms of scope of appeal, offering lazy hours on the golden sands or watery fun in the warm sea.

Auckland Zoo
This small but well-presented zoo provides a good destination for a family day out and houses a collection of animals assembled from around the globe. Highlights of the zoo include the Kiwi & Tuatara House and the Lion and Penguin Shores. 
Phone: +64 9 360 3819; www.aucklandzoo.co.nz

Beaches
North Island has some excellent beaches where both relaxation for families and activities for outdoor enthusiasts are on offer. Buffalo Beach, Hahei Beach, and Whangamata Harbour are among the most popular and picturesque coastal locations. Cathedral Cove is also a good spot and famed for its excellent kayaking conditions.

Golf
The North Island has some 20 golf courses available and with the warm, wet climate that presides. Fans of the game can be sure of some lush fairways and well-carpeted putting greens. Tauranga has five courses, while Auckland and Rotorua have four courses each. The remainder can be found in Te Awamutu, Palmerston North and Lower Hutt.

Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World
One of New Zealand’s greatest attractions, Kelly Tarlton’s is a marine theme park located in the city of Auckland. Visitors young and old will be fascinated by the various aquatic attractions, among which is a large aquarium featuring sharks, giant eels, stingrays and a wealth of other sea creatures. The Antarctic Encounter attraction, with its simulated sub-zero environment, is always popular with the little ones. 
Phone: +64 9 528 0603; www.kellytarltons.co.nz/

Lake Taupo
Located in the centre of the island, Lake Taupo is the result of volcanic activity in the region nearly two thousand years ago. The massive volcanic crater is today a popular location for trout fishing, boating and other water activities. 
Phone: +64 7 376 0400; www.laketauponz.com/

Surfing
There are numerous water sports that can be pursued on the beaches of North Island; however, surfing is arguably the most fun-packed and thrill-centred. The Mahia Peninsula on the east coast of the island is hailed as the area offering the best waves. Favourite spots with the locals in this area include Mahanga, Last Chance, The Spit and Opoutama.

Waipa Delta Cruise
A good option for families visiting the Hamilton area is to take the popular Waipa Delta Cruise down the Waikato River. The cruises are provided by local company MV Waipa Delta and are operated at midday and evening times, with meals provided for visitors in both instances. 
Phone: +64 7 854 7813; www.waipadelta.co.nz

With a large number of major cities located within the region, it’s not surprising that New Zealand’s North Island has such an excellent selection of cultural attractions. Those on offer cover a broad selection of themes and topics and its safe to say that there’s something to appeal to visitors of all backgrounds. The highlights of the selection would have to be the Museum of New Zealand and Tamaki Maori Village, both offering interesting insights into unique facets of the country’s pre and post-colonial culture and history.

Auckland Art Gallery
Home to the country’s largest collection of artworks from domestic and international artists, the Auckland Art Gallery is a highly impressive public art facility spread across two main buildings. The gallery’s collection spans over five centuries, features over 12,500 pieces and covers media such as paint, sculpture and print, among others. 
Phone: +64 9 307 7700; www.aucklandartgallery.govt.nz/

Claphams Clock Museum
This impressively large museum requires its extensive floor space in order to accommodate what is one of the southern hemisphere’s largest collections of clocks and timepieces. The collection features both historic and contemporary pieces and highlights include the Hunters Cuckoo Clock, Italian Pedestal, Komet Music Box, Speakers Clock and Big Ben. 
Phone: +64 9 438 3993; www.claphamsclocks.co.nz/

Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongarewa)
Popularly considered the country’s finest museums, Te Papa Tongarewa is a modern, high-tech facility with a huge collection of exhibits spread across a five-storey building. Maori culture is given close attention and related exhibits occupy several fascinating sections. The natural environment of the country is also focused on at length and provides some of the most interesting viewing material. 
Phone: +64 4 381 7000; www.tepapa.govt.nz/Tepapa/English/

Tamaki Maori Village
Located in Rotorua, the Tamaki Maori Village is one of the North Island’s most popular attractions for visitors wanting to experience something of the Maori people and their colourful culture. Tours of the village begin with a traditional Maori welcoming ceremony, after which, visitors are taken around the recreated pre-colonial village. Maori cuisine accompanied by dancing, singing and storytelling, can be enjoyed at the end of the tour. 
Phone: +64 7 349 2999; www.maoriculture.co.nz/Maori%20Village/Home

Waikato Museum
The Waikato Museum is a facility dedicated to offering visitors interesting and educational insights into aspects of the art and culture of New Zealand and international destinations also. Located in the city of Hamilton, the museum features a permanent collection as well as regularly changing visiting exhibitions. 
Phone: +64 7 838 6606; www.waikatomuseum.org.nz/

Wine Tours
The microclimate of Hawke's Bay in Napier has been likened to that of Bordeaux in France and consequently its weather conditions are entirely perfect for vineyard cultivation. The city has a reputation for its excellent red wines but produces whites as well. Visitors wanting to sample some excellent chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and syrah vintages should take the popular Grape Escape tour operated by the company of the same name. 
Phone: +64 21 2277 211; www.grapeescapenz.co.nz/

The cuisine of the North Island is typical of New Zealand, meaning it’s something of a hotchpotch of styles and influences adapted to make use of abundant fresh produce. As the sea is never especially far away, you can be sure that fish and seafood are prevalent features on many restaurant menus and as the climate is known to produce some of the finest tasting lamb on the planet, you can be sure again that this tasty meat is in frequent use.

Across the island, it’s the big cities such as Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, Tauranga and Rotorua that are home to the greatest selections of eateries. Here you’ll find not only great-tasting national cuisine but also an abundance of establishments offering international fare. Some of the smaller coastal towns are home to some great fish restaurants, so on days when you are seeking out the tranquillity of more secluded beaches, be sure to dine locally for a real treat.

With regards to shopping, again it’s the big cities offering the greatest selection of retail outlets. Auckland is brimming with good shopping areas, among which are Anzac Street, Queen Street, Wynyard Street and High Street. In Wellington, you’ll find some great malls such as the BNZ Centre, Capital on the Quay and the Old Bank Arcade, as well a range of bohemian retailers along the popular Cuba Street.

Tutanekai and Hinemoa are among the best places for shopping in Rotorua, although for souvenir shopping, there are outlets located across the city. For visitors looking to take home something typical of North Island, the many handmade timber products available are a good option. Wine lovers will find some excellent vintages available and may wish to make use of their duty-free allowances to stock up on a few quality bottles.