Karangahape Road (K Road)

About

K Road runs along a ridge at the top of the city and has resisted becoming like anywhere else in it. Independent shops, record stores, galleries, vintage clothing, late-opening bars and some of the best cheap eating in Auckland. It's historically been the centre of the city's queer nightlife and still is. The street art is worth walking for on its own, particularly down the side streets and in the laneways off the main strip. St Kevins Arcade at the western end is a small 1920s arcade with cafes and stairs down into Myers Park. It's a place to wander rather than tick off, and it changes character completely between a weekday afternoon and a Saturday night. Free, always open, and a short walk uphill from the central city.