Auckland Shopping

As New Zealand’s largest urban centre, not to mention the world’s third most liveable city, it perhaps comes as little surprise that Auckland’s retail offerings are second-to-none. It doesn’t matter whether you’re organising a girls’ weekend away or are planning for the lads; Auckland’s great variety of hole-in-the-wall stores and larger shopping centres is sure to fit the bill. Just make sure your Auckland rental car has a big boot!

You can’t possibly get the full Auckland shopping experience if you don’t factor Queen Street into your plans. There’s a reason Queen Street enjoys the most foot traffic of any thoroughfare in New Zealand: it’s lined with a multiplicity of restaurants and other attractions, and its shops comprise an intriguing mix of chain brand stores and eccentric boutiques. If luxury shopping is your bag, then set your sights on lower Queen Street, where you’ll find high-end labels like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Chanel, as well as established New Zealand brands like Trelise Cooper. Auckland’s biggest and best department store, Smith and Caughey’s, is also on Queen Street, stocked to the brim with top-quality women's and menswear, foodstuffs, and homeware. Better yet, late-night shopping’s on every Friday down the length of Queen Street so you can shop out your heart’s desires well into the night. Also near the heart of the city is High Street, a renowned Auckland precinct with a real cosmopolitan shopping vibe.

 Image: Google

But Queen Street and High Street by no means exhaust Auckland’s shopping options. Head to Newmarket area for all of your shopping needs: clustered around Nuffield and Teed Streets, Newmarket boasts numerous individual stores – think Andrea Moore, Barkers, Birkenstock – as well as a Westfield centre, so men, women, and kids alike are catered to. What’s more, Newmarket is undergoing further upgrades all the time, which means there’ll be a new store or pop-up to explore near every time you return to Auckland. If you like the sound of Newmarket, then you’ll love Britomart, another up-and-coming shopping hub which brings together cutting-edge shops, heritage buildings, and hard-to-beat coffee all in one compact space.

And if you’re shopping a bit further out of the city centre, check out Auckland’s so-called “hippest strip”, Ponsonby Road, which offers a range of hipster-appropriate shops (think white spaces, wooden floors, and linen clothing). Parnell Village, located in Auckland’s oldest suburb, is another essential checkpoint for any avid shopper, and the perfect place to find that perfect New Zealand gift.

To get the most from your Auckland shopping spree, hire a rental car from Omega’s Auckland Airport or CBD branches for unlimited kilometre rates at affordable prices.