Great atmosphere for a casual drink with friends, the selection of beers always makes for an interesting tipple and the food is cheap but delicious.

the courtyard is lovely and the wine list is great, add to this the fantastic service and NSP becomes a great spot for intimate drinks or a large gathering

With a range of seating options meadow allows guests to capitalize from any weather in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. never overcrowded but always busy meadow has a lively feel but still allows for conversation.

When the sun is shining tom toms deck is hard to beat with great seating and a spectacular view. The drinks and food leave nothing to be desired and there is often live music or other entertainment to truly enhance a standard drink.

When out for a big night with friends it's hard not to pay a visit to PSC. The music is always enough to get you dancing and Saturday night sees it packed with interesting people to talk to. Its proximity to decent late night food is also a great feature when the night is over.

The First and Original Night Market - A top destination for locals and tourists! Tasty street food with a huge Asian influence aswell as delectable treats from around the world. Auckland Night Markets are now in 6 different locations across Auckland, along with one in Hamilton. Starting in Pakuranga in 2011, the Night Markets have steadily expanded and become a regular event in the local entertainment calendar. The markets are growing in popularity due to their appeal to all age groups. With plenty of food, fashion, toys and lots of interesting sights and smells to tempt the senses! It’s a great night out for the family, and the undercover location means it’s an all-weather event. The kids can experience food from other cultures, hear live music and watch performances. Buskers, magicians and dance troupes provide additional entertainment at some events. To see our other Auckland Night Market locations please see our website www.aucklandnightmarket.co.nz or call us for more info 0275512797

A top destination for locals and tourists alike the Auckland Night Markets are a must to see! Papatoetoe Night Markets held in the underground car park beneath Hunters Plaza every Friday Night. Tasty street food with a huge Asian influence aswell as delectable treats from around the world. Auckland Night Markets are now in 6 different locations across Auckland, along with one in Hamilton. Starting in Pakuranga in 2011, the Night Markets have steadily expanded and become a regular event in the local entertainment calendar. The markets are growing in popularity due to their appeal to all age groups. With plenty of food, fashion, toys and lots of interesting sights and smells to tempt the senses! It’s a great night out for the family, and the undercover location means it’s an all-weather event. The kids can experience food from other cultures, hear live music and watch performances. Buskers, magicians and dance troupes provide additional entertainment at some events. To see our other Auckland Night Market locations please see our website www.aucklandnightmarket.co.nz or call us for more info 0275512797

A top destination for locals and tourists alike the Auckland Night Markets are a must to see! Glenfield Night Markets held in the underground car park beneath Glenfield Mall every Sunday Night. Tasty street food with a huge Asian influence aswell as delectable treats from around the world. Auckland Night Markets are now in 6 different locations across Auckland, along with one in Hamilton. Starting in Pakuranga in 2011, the Night Markets have steadily expanded and become a regular event in the local entertainment calendar. The markets are growing in popularity due to their appeal to all age groups. With plenty of food, fashion, toys and lots of interesting sights and smells to tempt the senses! It’s a great night out for the family, and the undercover location means it’s an all-weather event. The kids can experience food from other cultures, hear live music and watch performances. Buskers, magicians and dance troupes provide additional entertainment at some events. To see our other Auckland Night Market locations please see our website www.aucklandnightmarket.co.nz or call us for more info 0275512797

A top destination for locals and tourists alike the Auckland Night Markets are a must to see! Botany Night Markets held in the underground car park beneath Hoyts Every Wednesday night 5.30pm - 10.30pm Tasty street food with a huge Asian influence aswell as delectable treats from around the world. Auckland Night Markets are now in 6 different locations across Auckland, along with one in Hamilton. Starting in Pakuranga in 2011, the Night Markets have steadily expanded and become a regular event in the local entertainment calendar. The markets are growing in popularity due to their appeal to all age groups. With plenty of food, fashion, toys and lots of interesting sights and smells to tempt the senses! It’s a great night out for the family, and the undercover location means it’s an all-weather event. The kids can experience food from other cultures, hear live music and watch performances. Buskers, magicians and dance troupes provide additional entertainment at some events. To see our other Auckland Night Market locations please see our website www.aucklandnightmarket.co.nz or call us for more info 0275512797

A fascinating place to visit day or night, prepare to be inspired by the wonders of the stars and space at Stardome. This place is filled with comprehensive information, informative shows and a magnificent telescope that allows even the amateur astronomer to feel like an expert upon viewing the stars up close. It's a wonderful day out for all ages and even better at night. The perfect place to expand your mind and delight your eyes at the same time.

A treasure trove of amazing and often quirky stuff, Junk & Disorderly, is the perfect place to scour for hard-to-find and unusual second-hand items. You'll find everything from furniture to antiques, collectibles to curios and all kinds of other things. It's a clever place to shop for that hard to buy for person who likes rare or vintage things or to buy awesome pieces for your home or flat. Keep coming back regularly as their store is updated continuously with wonderful new stock.

One of the North Shore's true gems, the Bridgeway is a beautiful old cinema which shows a great selection of mainstream and independent films. The staff are a delight and service is a priority here, make sure to check out the treats on offer to munch on while you're there. If you're after a meal before or after your movie, Sausalito, is located right next-door and features delicious wood-fired pizzas on it's tempting menu. Definitely a worthwhile trip across the bridge.

This wonderful bookstore is a Mount Eden institution and has a brilliant selection of fascinating books, aided by super helpful and knowledgeable staff. Definitely bring the kids as their childrens book room is fantastic and will definitely keep the little ones entertained while you discover new literary loves. It's also open late which means you can make a pitstop at one of Mt Eden's great cafes before or after your visit. This place is a bookworm's paradise.

Lots of fun and good exercise, ice-skating is a great way to spend an afternoon and Paradice is the perfect place to do it. This rink has been a local favourite for years and is used for ice-skating, ice-hockey and has even hosted parties on the ice. A public session is skated to pop music, which makes for some amusing sing-a-longs sometimes and the team at Paradice will make sure you have a great time.

A North Shore treasure. The passion of owner, Maria, has inspired many children to read for a lifetime, including my own. Just walk in and brief her on the child you are buying for and she will surprise and delight you with many informative, new books suggestions. She takes time, and she is always spot on.

Named after the Lewis Carroll book - this has got to be one of the best business names in Auckland. Great suburban bookshop with a very convenient kids corner complete with toys - fantastic when your chlldren aren't in a book browsing mood and you are.

An Auckland institution. The place I always head to when I need a birthday party gift fast - extensive, high quality preschool, primary school and young adult book ranges as well as audio books and a select range of quality toys. The gift wrapping is a lifesaver.

Not technically a pure chidlren’s bookshop but this legendary independent bookstore is worth mentioning due to the quaint dedicated room for children at the back, the quality of its slection and the fact it is open until 9pm every night. Buy your books then head out for coffee. Cafes stay open late in Mt Eden Village too. Very European, only local.

Not a pure children’s bookshop but worth mentioning for books that help children overcoming personal issues. From bullying and body image, to puberty and grieving, The Women’s Bookshop has quality selection of books dealing with harder topics in clever creative ways for children and youth. Just what you’d expect from founder, feminist and fab content finder Carol Beau.

A great place to start a night out, in the afternoon with fries, mussels and more than a little bit of great beer.

Shown in the photo Tuatara Black Light, a fine tipple if ever there was.

Meat, meat and more meat. What more could you ask for?

Excellent selection of beer and a good size snugs.

Beer from milk bottles, 80s memorabilia everywhere plus great gastro pub food what more could you ask for? How about 80s spacies games!

We love dinning out and being entertained at our doorstep in the sunny whakatane got to love it

Locals supporting locals They buy our truffles

Love the atmosphere great entertainment creates a good night out got to love it

an oldie but a goodie got to love it

The French Cafe, loves using local products supporting local people and using truffles from Truffiere Croix du Sud from the Bay of Plenty. The French Cafe, beautiful cuisine

They have the $20 deal with a choice of 1 of 3 pies or a roast with a glass of tap beer! I love the atmosphere and layout of the place, with TVs situated all around the place, you won't miss a minute of the action especially when the All Blacks are on!

Taste of high society! With grass patches and fancy chairs, this place is perfect for socialising!

There are seats outside for those who want to socialise and for the empty stomachs head on inside where there is an amazing bar lit with bright lights and an open bar that serves my favourite beef salad!

With the upstairs lounge for people ready to get their groove on and a quieter set up downstairs for diners to mingle!

A club located in the basement with a stylish bar and a rocking DJ at the end of the dance floor makes this club exquisite! 

Wednesdays and Saturdays are always well worth it at the Classic. Grab a jug at the bar and prepare to be entertained. There may be the occasional awkward moment on a Wednesday, when new performers take to the stage, but for the most part they’re pretty good. And at 10 acts for $15 you really can’t complain. Saturdays feature more seasoned comedians, and you’re guaranteed to laugh out loud.

Naming three ingredients and having the bartender whip up a custom cocktail especially for you beats ordering a drink off a menu any day. Atticus has really cool décor, the atmosphere is awesome and the bar staff are highly entertaining. If you’re a cocktail fan it’s a must on a night out.

I love the inside of this place. It’s almost like being in a crazy library, with the bookshelves, and the lamps hanging upside down from the ceiling. If you love Mac’s like I do, this is the perfect place to have a few drinks. Best to eat first though, as the food’s a bit pricy.

The best way to end a night out is with a giant burger. And no one does giant burgers better than Velvet Burger. The Squawk Dawg is a favourite of mine – simple but delicious – and the kumara fries are super tasty. And for people with smaller tummies, they offer mini burgers too.

Tanuki is a great little restaurant with delicious food and fantastic atmosphere. I’m a big fan of the terriyaki chicken and the sushi. If you’re dining with someone who’s not exactly a pro with chopsticks the very friendly staff will happily go find a fork with no discernible judgement. It’s perfect for a quiet dinner for two or for a big group.

Beaches are a go-to romantic spot, their beauty and openness tantalising lovers around the world. Piha, on the other hand, reveals itself as the beach-made-for-singles. It’s busy come weekends, to the point where you’d be lucky to find a private nook at South. The sun shines so bright that couples-selfies are a no go. You’ll always get sand in your packed sandwich, no matter what you try, so a cute picnic would be tragic. Finally, it’s packed with fit surfers and stunning sunbathers, a vision you wouldn’t want your beau to be distracted by whilst you’re lugging around your beach chairs. So get your togs ready, alert your fellow singletons and grab a few gold coins for a sand-free snack from Blair’s on the Beach and you’ll be sorted come Valentines day.

You cannot be cute at Ponsonby International Food Court. You just can’t. Whether you’re chowing down on ramen noodles or demolishing a pad thai, you’re guaranteed to get sauce on your face, coriander in your teeth, and yes, you will start heaving from an overzealous chilli courtesy of the friendly Malaysian. And let’s be honest, no one orders a curry and stays cute throughout a date night and gets away with it. This is why the food-court can be declared a Valentines Day free zone. Come Saturday afternoon and you’re starving from dodging the all-day couple brunches at local cafes, head to the food court for some seriously good kai and a breath of valentines-day-free-air.

Whether (most) people like to admit it or not, they often work out to impress other people. If they are willing, this ‘impressing’ usually lands them a Valentines date. This means that on Valentines Day the gym can be considered a lovers free zone. You can work on your abs, glutes, and other body bits and bobs with ease, no fear of stumbling across a loved up pair hovering by the treadmill. Les Mills will be a top pick for you come the 14th, with plenty of training sessions and dance classes on offer, which you can top of with a sauna or a deep tissue massage. Who says you need a spouse to pamper yourself, Less Mills will do it for you.

There’s nothing like good food, good people and a great local vibe to distract you from Valentines Day. The Pakuranga Night Markets brings all of this and then some to you, making it the ideal escape on that particularly soppy Saturday. Couples will be lost amongst the crowd and there will be little time for romance as the vendors hustle and bustle between hungry customers. You can wander around without a care in the world, with not a single trace of Valentines Day paraphernalia catching your eye. Visit your favourite stalls, try a little something out of your comfort zone, perhaps the grilled octopus skewers, who’s stopping you?

If we ignore the people who try to earn some chivalry points by taking their date volunteering on Valentines Day, we can declare the activity a Valentines Day free event. Volunteering in your community is a great way to support the locals, help out a charity and allow yourself to step outside of the me-me-me-bubble we’re so accustomed to. This Saturday February 14th you can volunteer your time to the NZ Heart Foundation by helping out as a collector in your local neighbourhood, raising money and awareness for a cause close to Kiwi hearts. Pun intended.

It’s such a cool place, a fun day out in the sunshine and the animal enclosures are really well done

This place is awesome in the summer, especially with the silo cinema on - so many food stalls and shopping options

I love taking the nature trails up to the museum - and in the museum there is something to interest everyone

This place is really cool - find your way out of puzzle rooms to get to the end

I can’t go past piha for a beautiful day out - climbing lion rock and just wandering up the beach - so picturesque

Everything at Milse looks and tastes dreamy. It’s super busy, often with a long waiting list (for good reason) but you can get the gelato sticks and some other treats to go - a perfect accompaniment to wandering around Britomart’s twinkly fairy lights if you’re there at night. My pick is the salted caramel gelato, so nomm! The perfect mouthwatering balance of sweet and salty. If you do get to sit in you can choose from the amazing a la carte menu, with some quite adventurous flavours, and an open view to the kitchen which makes for a really fun atmosphere.

The red velvet cupcakes are totally scrumptious - the perfect treat if you need a sugar fix. Petal’s presentation is half its charm, with each cupcake lavishly iced in pretty poppy colours in yummy flavours. Getting or giving a box of these as a present is always fun!

This place is suave and you definitely feel like you’ve been transported out of Auckland the minute you get in the door. I’ve always had excellent service here and it’s always buzzing with people. Try the oreo doughboys (deep fried oreos) with a side of vanilla shake. Makes for a super fun night when paired with an alcoholic vanilla or chocolate shake!

There is no better way to spend a weekend morning than wandering La Cigale with a coffee in hand deciding which fresh out of the oven pastry to try. I can never seem to go past the delicious almond croissants, they are so light and happy-making. Yummy juices, paella, crepes, vege market - there really is something for everyone. A perfect way to wile away a lazy morning.

A local institution, this place is fitted out diner styles and has a really fun atmosphere. Great for a classic ice cream sundae or shake - especially if you want a late night sugar fix!

Buzzing atmosphere with an alfresco setting. Even has a mini putt! Lots of seating for groups. Great place to start your Saturday night drinks.

Hidden down Fort Street, this is a bar not to be missed. Sophisticated but relaxed atmosphere. Attracts a range of age groups. Gets busy after 11pm, with a good space for dancing.

Great bar along the viaduct, always buzzing with a balcony area overlooking the harbour.

This is the place to go for a good dance later in the night (after 11pm). Good music (often different DJs each week). Attracts a younger crowd.

Great place to have a bite to eat and drinks. Nice outside area with outside heaters for those colder nights. Range of age groups.