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.

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.

Hillsborough Bay is a place of beauty. Just off the top of Hillsborough Road there is also a track…read moreyou can take which is like walking through the jungle to get there. At the bottom lies a green and a picnic table. Carry on across the road down steps to the bay and you will be in awe of the beautiful surroundings. You can see a couple of mountains before you. The setting is tranquil and there are wooden benches to sit on. Take a book and sit under the shade of a tree. There is a children's park at the end, however, it is rarely used. There is also a beach area, however its quite stoney. If you want to meditate or go somewhere peaceful this is your place.

Been coming here to the bach for years now. This beach is awesome!!! Doesn't get packed like all…read morethe popular hangouts. But everyone else will hate it... Don't come. Leave it all for us please... Stay away at all costs!!! Trust me, you won't want to waste your time accidentally bumping into me having fun... It's a horrible sight.

If there was a competition to find the coolest beach swing I would have to say Titirangi would win…read morethe prize. My family, and everyone we bring to this beach-side park, agree that the rope swing which can take multiple swingers is a great ride. The rest of the playground is ok too, lots of equipment for the littlies. There is a wide grassy expanse adjacent to the park and then there is beautiful Titirangi Beach itself. This is a tidal beach so if you want a swim it is best to search out the Manukau Harbour timings. Wear shoes if you are walking the beach at low tide because the oyster shells are really sharp. Speaking of low tide, this is a lovely time to explore the bay and shore line. We bring our dog and can spend hours here. So close to Titirangi village that the takeaways are still nice and hot when you are unpacking them on the picnic blanket. We have also had a great time or two in the Titirangi Beach community hall.

We almost bought a house at Titirangi beach a couple of years ago and when the auction went…read moreanother way I was devastated. Titirangi beach is truly incredible. There are two sections for parking and a nice stretch of grass positioned opposite another separate grass field for sports play. There is also agreat little playground with some awesome swings. The playground is reached by going over top of a little creek that runs past the grass area. The beach itself is really nice too. Although in my opinion it is not a beach for sun-baking, swimming and spending the whole day chilling though. I see it as more of a beach made for a family picnic, a sweet stroll or a walk with the dog. Still it is a lovely beach.

My wife's family have been living in Te Atatu for over thirty years and believe it or not, they…read moredidn't know about this place until recently. I saw an article in the paper about secret beaches in Auckland and this was one of the beaches that was mentioned. The good thing is there is hardly anyone here in weekdays, mind you, you get people walking dogs and jogging on the weekends. It's a sandy beach but the surface is full of shells so you would need footwear to walk along here - well, I wear footwear but some of locals don't. There's a beautiful view of the city from an angle you've probably never encountered before. There is a also a nice walkaway which goes right around the to the next beach. It's a nice place to come for a long walk during summer. A great spot for kids, there is also a playground so plenty to keep them busy.

A great spot for a picnic, this little beach is a great place to bring the kids, go for a swim, or…read morewalk the dogs. My friend and I used to always come here during the week when the sun was out, because there'd be hardly anyone else here. We'd bring a blanket, some food and book, and have a relaxing afternoon in the sun, looking across the harbour at Auckland City. The water itself is harbour water, so it can be a bit muddy, but it's fun for the kids because it's flat as anything, and you always see lots of kids on floaties and people out on their kayaks. There's a playground in the reserve that's pretty decent, with bark as the base for safety. Make sure you bring your dog on a lead though because everyone brings their dogs down here, so if you're dog is the type to take off, it's much safer on a lead. We bring both our dogs down here and one of them loves running into the mud and into the water. The other just likes to roll around in the sand. The sand is quite shelly, actually. It's kind of like a really small Mission Bay, out west, with no shops and of course far less people.

I was truly excited to visit Whatipu Beach because I have been to so many of our West Auckland…read morebeach favourites, but I had not experienced this wonder. Upon arrival I was off with my family to walk the 20 minute/1.5km track to the Whatipu Caves. On the walk to the biggest cave you pass smaller old sea caves along the track, they are really fun to walk into for some exploring. The big cave was very impressive; I really enjoyed walking around and hearing my voice bounce around its walls. I made sure I listened to the department of conservation- and sprayed a disinfectant on the bottoms of my shoes before and after entering the walk; this would help prevent the deadly Kauri collar rot which is easily passed from soiled footwear to trees. After the cave walk, I headed to the beach for a bite of lunch and a chance to soak in the scenery, hardly a sole to see. Picturesque waves rolled in to the shore, while in the distance the Manukau bar dramatically splashed up almost to say check me out I'm dangerous. I will be back Whatipu I promised as I departed this afternoon- you are a mysterious beauty.

Over Christmas my husband and I knew we wanted to go camping but also wanted some quietude, so we…read morelooked somewhere close to home, the Waitakere ranges were it, and Whatipu Lodge camp grounds looked quite remote but interesting. It took quite a windy drive to get to, passing very close to the oceans edge and down some narrow curly passes but with just a mild case of nausea (for me) we eventually got there. The space was very open and had one other camper nearby, a family tenting. We have a van decked out, which was ideal as the place was very windy and wet. It rained the whole time, but I liked it none the less, it wasn't cold and a bit of rain is no drama in my world. The hike up the big hill was easy and gave amazing views of the coast that we had walked along earlier in the day. The wind up on the cliffs did mean we had to keep our wits about us, and no rock climbing. We tried to get to the caves but it wasn't really possible without more serious wet weather gear, we got soggy shoes and socks even through the mere attempt to get at them. I recently read about all the ghost sightings in this place, we saw, nor felt, none, but it did give off a rather haunting feel. But that could also be because it felt like such an isolated environment and was so wet and windy. We did, however, see a lot of bird life. Bird watching is not a hobby of mine but it was kind of cool to see so many and all their antics. The lodge caretakers came over to the car and collected the $15 (per night, per car) and had a brief chat soon after we had arrived. Bookings are essential before you arrive.

Commonly know as the 'Secret Beach' this reserve is so awesome. Probably one of my top five spots…read morein Auckland, which is saying a lot. You walk down a set of steps to find the cutest little beach in what seems like the middle of the city. And the best thing is that there is usually no one there! This is unheard of for most Auckland beaches and I love that it's like that. The beach looks out over the harbour and also at the harbour bridge, which makes it the perfect date spot. I've also got friends who've had wedding photos there. But you do need to be aware of when it is low and high tide as it goes out a little way. We like to go get a coffee from Jervois Road and take it down with us. Nature truly provides the best setting to enjoy a good coffee.

Super beach reserve which looks out towards the Chelsea Sugar Factory. There is a toilet and…read moreshower in the reserve which is handy. On the beach there are lovely low hanging Pohutukawa which provide some shade if you want. The best time to come here is a couple of hours either side of high tide.

I absolutely had to see a black sand beach on my trip to New Zealand and on our way to Hamilton we…read moredrove along the coast to Manu Bay. There are several small seaside towns to visit on the drive and though we didn't stay long to look around, it appeared there were some places for tourist shopping and some dining options. This beach was beautiful and I really wish I had more time to spend here. The black sand is striking yet soft on the footsies. There was a great menagerie of shells and rocks washed up along the beach that were fun to pick through. There are a lot of hills around, and there was a short little hike to a lookout point with a great view. Apparently one of the best surf sites on the North Islands west coast, it did have some surfers out there despite the weather being a bit nasty. There were places to rent gear if you're interested in some water activities. We also passed by several nice looking camping and recreation areas. Great stop and very glad I didn't miss it!!

As a recent new pet owner I still find myself constantly on the prowl for dog friendly beaches in…read morethe Auckland area. So far a good rule of thumb is that the Regional Parks are a good bet on being dog friendly, Dept of Conservation tracks/parks are usually a no-go zone, and Council land are 50/50. The Kakamatua inlet is basically a dog's dream and it's actually fun for owners too. There's about a 5-minute bush walk to get to the beach and opens up to an ample off-lead beach with no time-of-day restrictions throughout the year. The beach is super tidal so if you go at low tide the beach about triples in size, but don't worry about high tide as there is still ample beach for your pooch. The waves are gentle and swim-friendly for dogs of all sizes and it's a really good place for dogs to brush up on their social skills. The car park can be quite full as it is a real local favorite (especially on the weekend). There are several rubbish bins at various points of the walk to dispose of your pooch's dirty business and there is even a loo for humans too! If you're looking for an off-lead dog friendly beach especially during summer venturing out West to the Kakamatua Inlet won't disappoint!

I love kakamatua because my dog has an amazing time at this beach! She loves too run around and…read moreplay on the huge massive space! I recommend taking your dog/s to play because there is often many other dogs there too! But just be careful because there are crabs in the water so take your water shoes just incase but besides by that the beach is very fun!