What to do in Auckland this Labour Day

Discover Ōmanawanui Track in the Waitākere Ranges, easily one of Auckland's most beautiful walks. Photo / Tim Roxborogh

Aucklanders, we know what you might be thinking. Monday 25 October is Labour Day, our first public holiday since June, and here we are, still stuck in lockdown.

By now you may have eaten more picnics than you care to remember and know every 20-minute walk in every direction from your front door. As Monday rolls around, It does beg the question: should I just face the day as normal and fire off a few work emails?

... Step away from the keyboard. Or at least spend your screen time reading our round-up of the best things to do in Auckland this Labour Day.

Weekend walks with spectacular views

For many Aucklanders, "novelty" has become a rare commodity. After months of lockdown walks and now, distanced picnics, the views of our nearby beaches and parks have lost that exciting newness.

So, this Labour Weekend, with regional travel off the cards, it's time to rally your bubble, grab some masks and see Tāmaki Makaurau from a fresh new angle.

Click here to discover 13 Auckland places with knockout views - perfect for a weekend adventure..

Shakespear Regional Park has long attracted Aucklanders to its lush green hills and sparkling beaches. Photo / Natalie Slade

Auckland's ultimate level 3 picnic spots

When Tāmaki Makaurau's new level 3 guidelines were announced, (allowing outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people from two households) a few million people thought the exact same thing: Park picnics.

Now you've chomped through a sarnie or two at your most local green spaces, where are the best spots to park up and picnic from now on?

From gorgeous beaches to lesser-known parks, put on the picnic of a lifetime with these extra-special places, hamper hacks and picnic tricks..

Anchor Bay at Tawharanui Regional Park makes a worthy destination for your next picnic. Photo / Supplied

Auckland's most beautiful nature walk

I'm going cut to the chase: the Ōmanawanui Track in the Waitākere Ranges is Auckland's single greatest walk. That's right, not "one of", not "among", not "up there with", but unimpeachably THE. SINGLE. GREATEST! And yet somehow, I swear most Aucklanders have never heard of it.

The cat is out of the bag - and you can read more about what makes this nature walk so impressive, here..

Top travel shows to stream

And yes, because "a little" rain is forecast...

It's time to travel vicariously through our televisions and laptops once more. Here are the best armchair travel shows to keep our wanderlust alive while we wait for lockdowns to lift, writes Stephanie Holmes.

Whether you subscribe to Neon, Netflix or every streaming channel in between, click here for the best travel shows to holiday through your TV screen..

Take a virtual trip to the Auckland Art Gallery

Forced to close early in response to Auckland's latest coronavirus response, the Auckland Art Gallery's Enchanted Worlds: Hokusai, Hiroshige and the Art of Edo Japan exhibition has opened once more - this time to audiences around the world in both English and Māori.

An immersive experience that includes three tour experiences awaits. Click here to find out more..

While the doors are closed, you can still take a virtual trip to the Auckland Art Gallery this Labour Day. Photo / Supplied

Stay home and get planning

Taking the family on holiday together calls for careful planning — and that's before New Zealand's occasionally unpredictable weather kicks in. Here are our suggestions for whānau fun in the spring sun — and showers — to get the family out and about after lockdown.

Ready to make lists and prep for the best post-lockdown holiday imaginable? Click here for a wealth of ideas and attractions..

Check alert level restrictions and Ministry of Health advice before travel. covid19.govt.nz