Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city. Along with big city fun, there are plenty of outdoor activities and countryside adventures you can have during Auckland shore excursions. It is New Zealand, after all, nicknamed “middle earth” due to its lush terrain made famous in the Lord of the Rings movies.  

Speaking of Middle Earth, a visit to Hobbiton is one of the top Auckland shore excursions. Hobbiton is the land where the main character of the Lord of the Rings trilogy is from, and for the filming of the movies, an entire life-sized depiction of Hobbiton was created. Today, it is open to visitors who get to walk through it and pretend they’re Frodo or Bilbo Baggins.  

Auckland shore excursions will also take you to see even more notable scenery in the region, including vineyards (where you can do some wine tasting), deep lakes, towering mountains, and even New Zealand’s youngest volcano.  

When it comes to tours that showcase the city itself, popular things to do in Auckland from a cruise include going up to the top of the Sky Tower (the tallest building in Auckland), doing a food tour, visiting the shops, and walking along the picturesque harbor. If you’re a thrill-seeker, sign up for a sky-high bridge climb along the Auckland Harbor Bridge.

Auckland is a departure port for many cruises to Australia and New Zealand. After you disembark from your cruise to Auckland, you can do even more sightseeing and enjoy experiences like visiting the glow worm caves, learning about local Maori culture, visiting an aquarium based on Antarctica, traveling to a historic Victorian town, along with other fun options, before you are dropped off at the airport to start your travels home.