We first visited Auckland in 2012 on our own as it was the end point of the organized tour we took in New Zealand.   We spent the first day just roaming around downtown Auckland and then on the second day we took an all day paid tour by car, which really gave us a feel for the entire Auckland area and the black sand beaches north of the city.   It is a hilly city and with it being on a bay it reminded us very much of San Francisco.

The second time was in March of 2025 when we flew into Auckland for one day before catching the Norwegian Sun on a cruise to Bali, Indonesia.   The only sightseeing we did was to go up in the Sky Tower located in the center of the city to get some great views of the surrounding area.   We also got some great views of the harbor as we set sail.   The cruise port in right downtown at the base of the city so it affords plenty to see.