I woke up this morning thinking that it’s the weekend already… only to realise that I have to wait for a whole ONE more sleep! Sob sob.. As much as we all love a couple of days off, it pays to think and plan ahead to make the most of it. Which brings us to the burning question.. What is there to see and do?

Friday to Sunday

I loooove Waiheke Island. There is something exciting about packing bags in a hurry, jumping on a ferry and in only thirty minutes being what seems like a world away. I don’t need an excuse to go there.. but if you do, Waiheke Jazz Festival is on from Friday, April 3 to Sunday, April 5. Live Jazz music and entertainment.

I have recently re-discovered Auckland’s Westhaven marina. It is gorgeous! Great views, clean, lined with new walkways. It is perfect for walks – you can make the loop as big or as small as you want as it takes you all the way to Ponsonby. If you are there on Thursday, Friday or Saturday nights, until the end of April you can also see the light show on the Harbour Bridge. They say you can even request your favourite song!

 

Easter Show is back for yet another year, starting from Thursday, April 2. It has been around for 160 years, which suggests that they are on to something good? If you’d like to find out for yourself, please make your way to the ASB Showground. Entrance is free, but there is a charge for the rides. Oh and they also promised an ice skating ring this year, which sounds pretty cool.

If you’ve missed  Whittaker’s Easter Egg, Auckland War Memorial is hosting its own Easter Egg Hunt showcasing all eggs that were scattered around Auckland over the last couple of weeks. Everyone, successfully completed the egg trail goes into a draw to win an Easter Hamper full of chocolate!

Saturday

If you want to see the lunar eclipse, Stardome at One Tree Hill Domain is the place to be. Entrance is $5 donation from each person, and they will also have special shows dedicated to eclipse.

For those of you who appreciate British music of the 60s, especially The Beatles, here is a treat for you. The show is on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday this Easter, Here is the link where you can get the tickets from.

Sunday

Have you been to the Viaduct Flower Market yet? It looks pretty cool indeed. Imagine this – you are walking along the beautiful waterfront, with a bunch of fresh flowers and drinking a cup of freshly brewed coffee. At this stage it says that it will be confirmed whether the market will be on this weekend. I would suggest double-checking their website before heading out there to avoid disappointment. The picture is from their promo website. I hope the reality is not too far off.

If you are based on the North Shore, Takapuna markets is also a good choice. It is on from 7 till about 12. Come early and you’ll get the freshest produce and flowers, come later, just before closing – and a lot of food gets reduced to half price. Deals on flowers are exceptionally good.

The weather is looking amazing for the long weekend. If you want to combine working out with pleasure, heading out for a walk is a great idea. Smart folks at about.com put together a list of notable walks around Auckland. If that’s not enough, head to the Waitakere Ranges for a more off road experience.

Cinemas

Last, but not least, long weekend is also a good time to head to the cinema. Don’t forget about the little guys – Broadway Cinema in Northcote, Academy Cinema in town, Lido & Capitol, The Vic at Devonport,, Matakana Cinemas..All are open thorough the weekend service and experience you get there is way and above the mainstream places. Academy cinema is also offering two-for-one tickets for filling out a survey on their website. The deal just got even sweeter.

Plan ahead – Ballet Revolution

I’ve seen this show before, but I just cannot wait to see it again. Get your tickets before they sell out!