Auckland has plenty of activities to take part in, but to experience a unique location when down under, just look up. The Sky Tower at SKYCITY boasts a full trip’s worth of daredevil feats such as leaping from the top of the tower, dining options in the clouds and spa treatments to channel a little New Zealand serenity. Here are our top picks to eat, play and stay in the SKYCITY.
Eat
The SKYCITY boasts plenty of eating options, but there are three to definitely hit. Depot is an award winning, fast paced, hip bistro that is well worth waiting for a seat at (busy nights can have up to a 35-minute wait). If you’re into seafood, sample the oysters from the raw bar. The snapper sliders and smoked brisket are also winners. For something a little more intimate, cozy up in a booth at the Spanish tapas bar, Bellota. Letting the friendly wait staff bring samples of their favorite plates is a great option, but you can’t go wrong with the grilled prawns and fried calamari. If you want to experience something a bit different and dine with a view, book a table for lunch or dinner at the Orbit Revolving Restaurant. Set almost 624 feet off the ground, the room rotates every hour, providing 360-degree views of the city and for NZ$69 (around $54 USD), you can enjoy a three-course dinner menu with dishes such as caprese salad with fresh Malborough figs, Akaroa salmon and a cheese board with Whitestone Brie and Windsor Blue varieties, dried fruits, and more for dessert.
Play
If you’re a thrill seeker, head to the top of the Sky Tower for the SkyJump. With your heart pounding, leap from the highest platform in New Zealand (NZ$225/around $178 USD for adults). Alternatively, there’s the SkyWalk (NZ$145/around $115 USD), which is a walkway barely four feet wide and almost 630 feet above the ground. If you can brave it, you’ll be treated to the very best vistas of the Auckland, learning all about city’s layout and a bit of history from the accompanying SkyWalk guide. For those who prefer fun without the adrenaline rush, check out the live entertainment listings in the theater, try your hand in the casino or relax with a service such as an aroma body massage and East Signature body scrub (withthink coconut cream and raw sugar scrub with a sandalwood oil drench) from the East Day Spa.
Stay
The SKYCITY Grand Hotel stands right in the center of town, so it’s an ideal place to stay if you want to be in the middle of the action. Bus stops right at your door give you easy, affordable access out of The Big Smoke and in to some of the cooler parts of Auckland such as Ponsonby and Grey Lynn areas. SKYCITY Grand Hotel has amenities such as a heated indoor lap pool, access to personal trainers, babysitting services, a pillow menu and a fleet of limousines to carry you in style to destinations like the upscale Viaduct Harbour.
