Get a dose of culture by checking out the art gallery, which houses an extensive collection of national and international art. You can often catch travelling international exhibitions too, and it’s a great way to get your creative juices flowing. Even if you don’t know anything about art, you’ll still be able to appreciate the talent and hard work that goes into some of the pieces.

After a visit to the Art Gallery, you might be in a creative mood and want to try your hand at some art yourself. Being a crafty person, I love these ceramic painting studios. You can choose your ceramic piece and decorate it however you like, then the studio will glaze it for you. It’s fun to do at any age, but especially if you have kids.

When I first heard about Kelly Tarlton’s when I moved to Auckland in 2010, I didn’t get what the big deal was. It’s just an aquarium? But after checking it out for myself to see what all the hype was about, I have to admit that it’s actually pretty cool. It’s a huge aquarium with all kinds of crazy creatures. You can also do shark cage diving or an on-the-ice penguin experience.

It might sound old-school, but visiting the library is one of my favourite ways to spend a rainy day. I love to read, and you can spend all day here just browsing through the books and then curl up in a comfy chair and read the day away. Best of all, it’s free!

Okay, so it might not be the most original idea in the world. But who doesn’t love to spend a rainy day catching up with friends over a hot drink and a tasty treat (or five). It doesn’t necessarily have to be Starbucks, I’m just a sucker for their yummy flavoured lattés and cozy armchairs.

The Poi Room is a pretty glorious place to visit, packed with contemporary New Zealand art and design from the well known to the recently discovered. It is a hot spot for gifts for friends overseas, and usually has something that perfectly fits the brief no matter what your budget or size constraints. The retail staff are super helpful as well, which makes the whole experience that much sweeter.

I’m famous for more often than not gifting books on all manner of special occasions, and one of the places I always hit first is Dear Reader in West Lynn shops. They have an amazing selection of publications for book lovers of all ages and tastes and never fail to gift wrap with panache, and the fact that they are most next to Monterey Cafe means you can pick up a cup to go after a visit. Love this place.

Heading into an Auckland winter means serious prep for ways to fill up rainy days, and one of the best and brightest is a visit to the still sparkling, recently renovated Auckland Art Gallery. They always have something new to look at and ponder thoughtfully, and when the tummy starts to rumble they offer some great food and coffee options. Best of all, the gallery is open seven days a week, so whenever the heavens open it’s ready and waiting for you.

One of the first places I go when I am gift shopping and at a total loss is The Garden Party on Ponsonby Road. They stock super cool locally designed products that fit a variety of budget constraints as well as some pretty quirky goodies from overseas too. It is also a top spot for taking tourists for a little Kiwiana - they definitely won’t leave empty handed.

Pauanesia has been on the High Street strip for as long as I can remember, serving up eclectic Kiwi and Polynesian-themed gift ideas that are most definitely a cut above your average souvenir shop. I always send visitors there to pick up a little something to take home as the edit is always fun and the staff lovely to deal with.

Great time to upskill for the coming winter season.

Let the talented team look after your kids these holidays in Hamilton, North Shore, Auckland and Tauranga

So much to do in and beautiful setting, a holiday programme or afterschool care activity for your child.

Keep your children thinking, active and challenged with the Discovery Labs computer design programmes.

Learn to swim programmes with Northern arena for intensive training, and term lessons. Make sure your children can swim.

I love the French Art Shop. Helpful staff members and amazing stock for the artist (amateur or otherwise) who wants to play with the best materials. Get your fill of 100% cotton paper and European watercolours. 

See a mummy, explore a Pa, check out our pioneering past and best of all see how you compare in height to an emperor penguin (I'm shorter). So much to see at Auckland Museum, you'll need to set aside a whole day.

Auckland City Library is a haven for fiction, non fiction, DVDs, music, graphic novels and more! Pore over some books in their comfortable premises and expand your mind in peace.

My boyfriend and I went to Butterfly Creek over the weekend and it was awesome - age be damned. HUGE crocodiles, monkeys, tropical butterflies and creepy crawlies combined to create the perfect date spot for a Saturday afternoon. The petting zoo is out of this world. I loved cuddling the bunnies and patting the pigs and feeding the grumpy donkey! I don't even care that my boyfriend and I were the only people there with no children. 

So, who wants to see some penguins? Kelly's have penguins, but that's only the beginning. Learn about our national arctic heroes, walk beneath the sharks and if you book in for an overnight holiday programme you can even sleep with the fishes - literally!

The classic and iconic nerdestination is EB Games! A true mainstay of the NZ gaming community and hub of geekery brings you everything you need to keep your finger on the pulse, and your hand on the controller.

Always a favourite for geeks, gamers and civilians alike, JB Hi-Fi is the destination if your journey involves tech. Great deals and literally everything music, games and pop culture.

Always a favourite of techys, Jaycar has everything electronic covered. From parts to knick-knacks for your smart devices, the cascade of parts is almost overwhelming! Love the advise and passion for tech and nerdery that the staff have!

Eclectic and differnt, Heroes is a truly unique experience! Comics, Anime and Graphic novels from wall to wall with help from people who are as passionate as you are.

The perpetual stop for tech talk and advise, Dicks has always been a part of NZ! Great deals and experts who know their stuff make it an easy choice for your nerd-needs.

This is my favourite Spotlight store.

celebrates the vibrant

Payday loans Auckland can be sourced without much of any hassle. The loans are easy to acquire and do not require any collateral. These loans are open to almost all the applicants. With these loans, the funds can be attained to deal with any of your personal needs and demands.

Ezone is a great store that while being small in size can really cater to some mammoth IT solutions. Have been going to this place for years and have never left dissapointed with the service and product knowledge provided by these guys!

This place has Geek written all over it and trust me thats a good thing! The guys who work here have such a strong passion for what they do it’s almost impossible not to get sucked into the store and hear about whats on offer. EB always has a huge range of games and whats better is they let you do trade-ins for your old ones!

Not being a full fledged Geek at Vagabond would leave you feeling like the odd one out. This place is awesome! The staff live and breathe through the games and collectables they sell and they even welcome people to come along and just hang out! Great place for gamers 10/10 from me.

Descending down the stairs towards King Of Cards always gives me the buzz and excitement of what lies within. This place is central for Geeks within the Auckland CBD area, always competitive gaming and huge card collections on display the best way to describe this place is really summed up in the name!

Through my love for the Vagabond in Takapuna i have naturally discovered the store in the Auckland Central, this place is just as great! The selection for games and collectables here is just as good if not better but the thing i love most is how both stores work in tandem to organise awesome competitions and prizes.

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Accessories Last but not the least; the device are available with almost every necessary accessory required for its better performance. Starting from a camera carrying case, battery to a charger, every essential item is available at the time of purchase.

The Hard to Find Book Shop in Onehunga is my favourite book store in the world. Crammed into the small space is a labrynth of sections spanning from classics to the occult and everything in between. Here you’ll find many treasures and curiosies that will excite even the most jaded of book buyers! If you love books, this is your place.

Conch Records is one of Auckland’s best spots to pick through popular and rare vinyl. It’s also got a great collection of clothes, collectible toys and they make a dam good coffee. Their backyard has recently been opened as Boteco, a South American eatery, that’s on my list to try.

Vector Arena is Auckland’s answer to the Madison Square Gardens. It’s the venue to see world class acts from accross the board. Tonights entertainment is Dizzee Rascal and Azealia Banks, both did not dissapoint. As Dizzee said ”…It’s always love.”

The Auckland Art Gallery is a world class space with a truly enchanting collection. I’m a big fan of the Ralph Hotare work that the gallery houses. It was renovated around two years ago and it has recieved quite a bit of attention for it’s suberb architecture. The cafe is also worth stopping in to if you’re looking for a coffee or some tasty food.

Capitol Cinema is a cinema with character. They play a great, but small, selection of well chosen art house and foreign films. It’s the perfect accompaniment to hitting up one of the dumpling houses on Dominion Road. Well worth checking out.

I found this was the best Auckland gift store Ive visited in New Zealand. I travel quite a bit, so to come into a store where I can see the variety of products all locally made from artists across New Zealand was awesome.

All the things you can appreciate about New Zealand all in one here as a gift. The convenience of the gift store is right inside the Auckland Museum which is very helpful. Quality products.

The Texan Arts School gift store in Syliva Park, Mt Wellington. I love the quality of New Zealand art and design in this store, at affordable prices too.

The quality of New Zealand Art and Design is a must see, well established artists from across the country and handy location central city as well.

This is definitely a place to visit if your looking for a youthful, vibrant, quirky little gift. Awesome work.

They include photographic exhibitions ..opening June 2nd Auckland Kaleidoscope, 19 a Osborne Street.. Monochrome fine art imagery by Lynn Clayton

Exhibition of Impressionism opening 1st June by Heather Saint

Exhibition of Photography by Kate van der Drift opening 7th June

An excellent selection of paperbacks at affordable prices!

A very gentle massage therapist, truly a time of pampering

For all your pharmaceutical needs plus a lovely gift selection for Christmas

One of the last haberdasheries around plus they also sell ready made clothes

The last shop for men locally, has allsorts of really great gift ideas