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C_Wheel
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The City Symbol

  • June 6, 2009
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Red Mezz from Inverness, Scotland
The City Symbol



More than just the most picturesque and well known image in Auckland – the SkyTower and adjoining 'SkyCity' offer a lot for those visiting the city.

Apart from the accommodation and shopping of the CDB, SkyCity offers a good selection of options for the visitor, all in one place.

The Sky Tower itself is impressive, and does leave the impression of having 'arrived' in the city the moment you catch sight of it, much as does the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Space needle in Seattle.

The feeling of having landed somewhere new and seeing the symbol it's so well known for is always a pleasant and exillerating moment in any journey.

But this Sky Tower has more to offer than just nostalgic moments in travel or great photo opportunities.
The Sky Tower itself is a hot spot for those who have come to New Zealand craving a bit of it's renowned love of Xtreme sports. You can actually jump from the Sky Tower in a slow moving, wire maneuvered descent to the bottom. Bungee jumping from the top is also an option, and something you will almost certainly experience when you pass by on your way to it. The distant sound of excited screams can almost always be heard around the base of the Sky Tower.

Do be aware though that these activities are very expensive. Worth doing if you have travelled around the globe to do so, but you will pay well for it. The slow descent jump is also, in my opinion, a great way to break yourself in if you're not quite ready yet for the full on bungee or sky dive experience. Not to mention it's a little bit different.

But if you're not interested in actually jumping off of it – feel free to catch in amazing views of the city and go up it.

Inside the Sky Tower is SkyCity. It offers many options for the Auckland visitor in anything from an I-site downstairs (tourist information Info) to a fine dining area near the top with amazing views and wonderful food.
As well as everything in between.

There are a number of cafes and restaurants throughout the tower. There are also a number of bars, clubs, and casinos for the visitors to take part in.

All of this is somewhat costly – and you will need a pass to go up the Sky Tower at all.

Whatever you decide you want to make of your stay in Auckland – it is worth a visit to the Sky Tower, if for no other reason than to use it as a starting point, get a good look at the city and decide where and how you want to proceed from there.

From journal Auckland - where all the people are....

Sky Tower

  • August 13, 2007
  • Rated 2 of 5 by Guanilo from Mclean, Virginia
Sky Tower

The Sky Tower rises some three hundred meters from the center of Auckland (which I believe makes it the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere). There is a restaurant or two at the top, as well as an observation deck. Throw in a way up and down the tower on the outside, and you've got an interesting experience.

Outside? Yes, you can climb the outside of the tower (the Vertigo Climb) and then do a wire guided base jump/controlled fall from about halfway up the tower. Neither of us were either brave or drunk enough to try, though.

In any case, if you've got the extra change on hand ($20 US per adult), the views are rather commanding.

www.skycityauckland.co.nz/skycity/auckland/sky-tower/sky-tower_home.cfm

From journal 2005 Trip to New Zealand

Editor Pick

Sky Tower, Auckland's Icon

  • June 10, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by UK Flower Girl from Market Weighton, England
Sky Tower, Auckland's Icon

Family $44
Students/backpackers $15
Sun and Stars (day and night entry) $26
Adults $21 (both viewing decks)
Child $8
Phone: +64 9 363 6000

Sky Tower, Auckland’s icon, is the tallest freestanding structure in the Southern Hemisphere. At 328m it is taller than the 300m Eiffel Tower. Sky Tower is part of SKYCITY, New Zealand’s largest casino, as well as a hotel, theatre, restaurants, and a convention centre.

Besides a tourist attraction, the tower is also used for broadcasting and telecommunications. Not only can you ride up to the top to take a look at Auckland, but you can also do the Sky Jump, a cable-controlled Base jump of 192m, or the Vertigo climb that takes you up the Sky Tower mast and a 15-minute climb from the upper observation deck to the first crow’s nest on the mast.

We started our tour by going right to the Sky Deck at the top (extra $3NZ). Seamless glass set at an angle gives you outstanding 360º views over Auckland. There were very few people up here with us—all the better—we didn’t have to fight for glass space.

An older guidebook I read mentioned an outdoor observation deck. According to the guide I asked, "…too many people tried or actually did jump so they had to make some changes."

The Main Observation Deck, below the Sky Deck, has all sorts of information concerning weather, construction, and other features to keep you busy for some time. It is also on this level that you will find the glass floor panels where you can look down to street level.

There are never-ending facts and figures about this tower. Here are a few since they go on and on:

It took 2 years and 9 months to build the tower
The main structure of the tower is a reinforced concrete shaft measuring 12m in diameter.
The tower was built to withstand winds up to 200kmh (125mph)
There are 1267 steps from the base to the Sky Deck.
You can travel up Sky Tower by lift in 40 seconds

Orbit, a revolving restaurant, and The Observatory are located at the top of Sky Tower if you want to pay for the pleasure of dining in the sky.

The area around Sky Tower seemed a bit dodgy at night. There seemed to be plenty of people just sort of milling about on the side streets and there were a few moments when we felt quite uncomfortable.

Overall, this was a fun activity to do in Auckland. I would recommend it, especially if you have kids. Going up the tower at night was great because everything was lit so brilliantly, but if I did it again I would go for the "Sun and Stars admission" so I could see Auckland during the day as well. It is an impressive tower, but it wasn’t as exciting as I thought it would be considering it is visited by so many thousands of people every year.

Sky Tower

From journal New Zealand's City of Sails

Sky Tower

  • May 1, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by b.e.g28 from lincoln, United Kingdom
Sky Tower

Sky Tower dominates Auckland’s skyline whether you enter by road or sea. New Zealand’s tallest man-made structure at 328m, the views from the two viewing centres are both stunning and panoramic.

The bottom three floors accommodate shops, banks, and a casino, which are free to enter. An escalator will take you down to the Sky Tower ticket booth for a $15 ticket to the lower viewing platform (an extra $3 will take you to the second viewing platform).

The view from either platform demonstrates the urban sprawl that is Auckland, low rise and vast. The views of the harbour front, Devonport, Bayswater, the 46 (count them) volcanoes, and Auckland’s parks are incredible and worth the visit.

Should anyone feel suitably insane, you can hurl yourself off a higher outside platform in a freefall adrenaline rush before your descent is suddenly halted about 10m above the ground. Cost is $99, but only for the decidedly mad.

A visit here is a must whether you're passing through or staying a few days

From journal New Zealand- a holiday made in heaven

The Sky Tower

  • July 15, 2002
  • Rated 3 of 5 by C_Wheel from Auckland, United Kingdom
The most obvious sight, in fact you can't miss it, is the Sky Tower. The tallest building in the southern hemisphere as all the tourist guides mention. It costs about $10 to get up to the observation deck (tip check out the free tourist brochures for a discount voucher) and the view is damn impressive. It gives you a good idea of the scale of Auckland and basic orientation.

Once you're done wandering around and daring each other to step on the glass floor panels you have a couple of choices. If you need that adrenaline buzz, climp on up the spike of the Sky Tower, get that extra few hundred metres above the rest and pray its not a windy day. Or you do the Sky Jump for $200. Its actually a controlled descent but for a very long way down. Be warned every so often the ropes stick for a minute or so and you could be left hanging. Literally.

If you fancy something a bit more civilised or at least not so energetic, there's a cafe and revolving restaurant. And Skycity casino where you can get a whole different kind of adrenalin kick. Its free entry to all of these by the way, but take id if you want to go to the casino. Check the paper as well for nightly free entertainment at Skycity.

From journal Auckland - the sights, the shops and the bars

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