This has to be one of the busiest beaches during the summer months! And it's pretty obvious why…read more The beach itself is absolutely beautiful. The water is clear and crisp and the sand is squeaky clean... it actually squeaks sometimes when you rub your feet in it! This is a great beach for the family as more often that not there are little waves, which make for some fun boogie boarding or body surfing. As Jacob said it's not often that there's real surf-able waves here but when the east coast swell gets up and hits at the right angle you might be in for a treat. There are some awesome rock pools to explore and a hill to climb which gives you a great look out over the bay. But be careful! I once saw a group of young kids get washed along the rocks as a set wave rolled in. Make sure you accompany your kids and only go exploring if there aren't big waves and the tide's not too high!

Beautiful Anchor Bay is a day trip spent perfectly in one of our regions golden treasures…read more I spent Easter Sunday here with my son and partner, we arrived not too long after lunch, and the car park close by was already packed to maximum capacity. A short walk down to the beach via the beach path and we found a lovely patch of sand with our name on it. I spent my time here swimming in the beautiful clean cool ocean, body surfing waves, and sun tanning. I recommend if you're not too relaxed to take a walk down the beach towards the rock pools which fill up and explore a deep human sized rock pool that you can dive bomb into! Sublime. The little kids will enjoy running about the rock pools and soaking in them, or searching for the little and big crabs that call it their home. The oceans out beyond the bay are protected as a marine reserve so the fish/sea creatures are happy and you won't see a fisherman in this regional park area. I love the peace I feel at Anchor Bay and always cherish my time here.

This is a pretty sweet, secluded fishing spot in Kawakawa Bay. You drive along Clevedon Kawakawa…read moreroad until you come to the point just past the main bay. Park up and walk down the precarious path to the rocks below (actually it's not too bad, just a little steep and slippery in some places). The walk is only a short one, and then you'll find yourself on a large rock with a good radius for casting into the relatively deep water. There are some fish that hang around this area, but the main problem is that there is heaps of kelp around. This can be annoying as it tends to be rather snaggy. Bring plenty of spare hooks and sinkers.

There is a spot situated pretty much right under the harbour bridge where some people come to fish…read more It can be quite tricky to find because you need to drive towards the Harbour Bridge but stay clear of the Northern Motorway or you'll go over it; instead take the back roads (Westhaven Drive) that lead around the water. If you come to a place where there's a whole bunch of campervans and gypsies parked on the side of the road, then you've found the spot. I don't know why they come here, perhaps it's a secret meeting place, but anyway the fishing here is OK. Bear in mind that this is still very much in the city, so don't expect a massive haul of fish, however, you might reel in the occasional snapper or trevally.

Ti Point and Ti Point wharf are a perfect place to take the family and spend the day. The wharf is…read moresmall, but gets busy with fisherman. It's great for fishing with the kids; you can usually pull in a sprat or two with a hand line over the side. If you walk along the coast from the wharf there are some beautiful old trees to set up under for the day. They are great for the kids to climb and some have rope swings or picnic tables. If the tide is out there is a little sandy bay protected by rocks perfect for swimming. There is also a walkign track that awinds aroudn the coast, where rocks can be accessed for heavier duty fishing. Ti Point is a little difficult to get to; you turn off from Leigh road down a winding metal road. Parking is also a little sparse. But once you're there it's a great little place to explore.

We went here during the summer in order to relive my husband's golden memories of his youth but…read morefound it somewhat lacking. Only in New Zealand could you say that about a beach that looks this good but hey, we can't help it, we're spoilt for choice. It's roomy but busy and the shade provided by the overhanging pohutakawas is in hot (literally) demand. Like most of the beaches in this west coast chain, there's a large grassed area as well if you don't want to get down on the sand. We squished in under a spot of shade, a little too close to another family but that was the only protected spot that was left. The kids climbed the tree a bit but the swimming was muddy, slimy and sludgy which was ok but didn't engender repeated dips. I'd say try one of the more quiet ones further down the road.

Cornwallis seems to be the beach you go to when you cant really be bothered driving all the way out…read moreto Piha or one of the other West Coast beaches. This seems kind of silly, as by the time you have driven out this far, you may as well keep on going. However, Cornwallis has its own charms. If you walk down past the rocks you can get to Cornwallis wharf and do some bombs (try do these at full tide,) or if you bring a rod do a bit of fishing - this seems to be a pretty hot spot for catching the occasional kahawai. There are also heaps of walks around, including one that goes up to the memorial on the hill which is so important it has trees cut out just so you can see it from the beach.

If you enjoy and make the most of outdoors this country can offer, this is the local place to come…read moreand buy all your clothing and equipment. They also cater for the young hunters and adventurers too. Everytime I come in here my wish list gets several items added to it, The staff are very helpful and knowledgeable too, being the nature of some of the kit available it is always worth having a chat with them before making your purchase.

As soon as you enter into this hunting and fishing store, the beautiful fragrance of fresh timber…read moregreets you with its warm embrace. And the store is so massive that it actually does feel like you have wandered into a forest somewhere. It probably needs to be this big because they have heaps of tents and gazebos up on display. If you're going hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, or just like shooting guns (they have a shitload of guns and an air rifle range where you can test them out) then this place has you sorted. I usually come here for fishing equipment because they have a good range of products, plus there are always plenty of bargain bins around which contain some pretty sweet deals in them. So if you think you are Bear Grylls, or want to be, you need some survival supplies.

Great spot to go for a stroll with the pup. Judges Bay backs onto the gorgeous Parnell rose gardens…read moreso plenty of space for an off lead run around. It's definitely not your typical bay with a beach (or any sort of for shore for that matter) but there is a small stretch of sand. Don't know if you'd catch me swimming there though...

I've always taken notice of this little inlet on the way back from Mission Bay along Tamaki Drive,…read morebut have always wondered a) what it was called, (b) how you accessed it and (c) if it was swimmable. Answer to (a) is Judges Bay, (b) the easiest option for access is to hit Judges Bay Road in Parnell or you can wander down through Dove Meyer Robinson Park and (c) I would say by the amount of people I have seen here on different occasions that yes it is swimmable. It even has its own pontoon and jetty. Now that's swimmable! Because its cut off from the the ocean itself by the road and bordered on both sides by developments it does feel like a little hideaway. I'm super duper glad I discovered it!

I am yet to actually catch the ferry from Stanley Bay wharf. That may be a consequence of it being…read morejust that little bit further from home than the Devonport Ferry terminal or it's very specific timetable. Ferries run Monday to Friday to coincide with the 9 - 5 work hours so only run for the peak times of 6.55am to 8.30am and 4.05pm until 7.10pm. The wharf itself is in need of an upgrade, but seems to manage it's relatively minor workload sufficiently. The large shed built half way down it is very effective on a cold winters day, and the lack of fences on one side make it a popular spot for local kids to practice their swan dives and back flips.

This is not a review about the ferry, this is a review about how great this wharf is for jumping…read moreoff. There are a couple of wharves that I really love on the shore and this is one of my favourites. Stanley Bay is a really lovely area - it's right in the heart of Devonport but almost feels like it's own little area. You feel far from all the stresses of daily life. The Wharf is nestled in a little bay surrounded by stunning trees and cliffs. There is also an awesome view of the city. I love jumping off this wharf. There is plenty of room to sunbathe and chill, and a small building to shelter from the sun in, and jump off if you re so inclined. There are stairs which make it easy to get back up. I don't actually know much about the ferry...but it doesn't come often enough to ruin the wharf jumping. Great spot.

In what could be described as the premier location on the Waitemata Harbour, Orakei Marina provides…read morethe most accessible option for boat storage in Auckland's urban environment - accessible, both from the land, and to the sea. The boat ramp is also a great alternative for those that are not lucky enough to own a berth in the Marina. The location of the Marina at the top of the low speed zone in the harbour provides a quick getaway to all your favourite fishing spots and beaches. Orakei Marina offers full vessel services, perfect for the lazy boatie. We took off one Friday afternoon, avoiding the chaos of the inner harbour, returning with a chilly bin full to the brim of snapper, at Spot 'X' of course.