The Waitakere ranges was one of the biggest draw cards for my husband and I to settling out West…read morewhen we moved here last year from Australia. The West of Auckland has a hit and miss reputation, but that is ok, so does Tasmania in Aus where we were living for the last five years. We have managed to go camping out in Whatipu, Waitakere Ranges, once so far, visited most of the beaches, and done a couple of tramps around the bush a bit closer to the city side. No major, hard-core tramps/camps for days on end, but more leisurely 'park the car day trips' kind of thing. I would highly recommend going with the kids if you are interested too, there is a variety of walks set out that would suit many levels of fitness. It is also well maintained with conservation awareness well set up, so taking the kids would be educational as well as the many other blessings you get when you go.

This past Easter weekend, my family and I spent two of the four days travelling across the…read moreWaitakere ranges. First visit was to the amazing Bethells Beach to get through the ranges, we had to start our journey at scenic drive, merging with Te Henga road, and then Bethells road which travels up the northern ridge of the ranges. We travelled through the beautiful cascade Kauri zone (where if you're keen for stretching the legs walk the 8 km track to see the biggest Kauri trees in Auckland) and finally arrived at the west coast- Bethells Beach. The drive is purely scenic as its name describes, and nature at its finest. The other journey I took was to Huia and Whatipu Beach, We started at Titirangi, and following signs headed towards the southern part of the ranges, first you past turn off's for Cornwallis, Huia and once in Little Huia, follow the Whatipu road which climbs up into the forest before plunging down towards Whatipu and the beach- this road is gravel and very twisty so be prepared for the drive. I really enjoyed my adventures through the ranges and loved the scenery and beaches I found.

Not a "city" walk at all - this is an incredible rainforest trail about 30 mins away from Auckland…read more The minute you step foot onto the trail, you're immersed in the Waitakere Ranges Jurassic-vibes rainforest full of massive ferns towering over your head, ancient Kauri and Kahikatea trees, and all sorts of exotic birds singing alongside the Waitakere River. The trail is very well maintained and there are even more info signs in some spots telling you a bit about the plants and even the giant Wētā (grasshopper) if you're lucky enough to spot one lol! Parts of the trail are gravel with some sections of dirt and also some wooden boardwalks with benches. The incline on the section we hiked was gentle and very easy but there are sections that get pretty intense if you go further. We saw lots of birds - the ubiquitous New Zealand Tui (they have an amazing song!!), colorful Eastern Rosellas, giant New Zealand Wood Pigeons, Welcome Sparrows, Paradise Ducks, Swamphens, and even a Fantail and Grey Warbler! Epic birding spot! My only regret was not being able to get pics of the Fantail and warbler - they were just too fast lol! We were lucky enough to visit this trail on an eco tour with Bush & Beach (highly recommend). I wasn't comfortable driving it as I'm from the US and they drive on the left in NZ lol - glad we did bc these roads are steep and winding eek!! lol But guides Meredith and Ayla were fantastic drivers and so knowledgeable!! They taught us all about the gorgeous silver ferns and gothic black ferns, the ancient and mystical Kauri trees, and we even found some wild bush asparagus - and so much more! There's a small gravel parking lot at the trailhead but no bathrooms. In order to access the trail you have to pass thru a boot cleaning station to prevent pest and disease from plaguing the pristine forest. There's also some sort of lava rock hand washing fountain. Truly an incredible experience and my fave hike we did in all of our North Island adventures - highly recommend!!

A really nice 1.5km walk in the Cascade area of the Waitakeres. It says it takes an hour but that…read morewould have to be at a pretty leisurely pace, which is actually a nice speed to take in the area. It's a pleasant walk that follows a stream for a ways and also past some impressive kauri trees. It's a flat, easy trail so works well for all ages and is also pram-friendly. There's a toilet at the track start (by the bottom car park) and there are grassy areas at both ends if you fancy coming for a picnic. And for the more adventurous, there's a side trail about 15 minutes from the start which goes to a waterfall that cascades (funny, that) out of a steep rocky nook. It's a quick walk to the waterfall but you'll have to clamber over some large boulders (can be very slippery when wet) and even get into the water to see it properly. There's a great (although small) pool to jump into, but be warned: it is SUPER COLD, even at the height of summer. To get there, drive past the golf club and keep going to the end of Falls Rd (which is off Te Henga Rd).

If you're looking for a bit of a challenge try the Dome Valley Walk. I was once again dragged along…read moreby my overly active younger sister for a 'bit of a walk'. We arrived at the Top of the Dome Café, where the track begins, and I could clearly see on the sign that it took 7 HOURS. Bit of a walk, my ass. The first part was practically all up hill, but it's the fun kind where you have to scramble up parts, clutching at tree roots etc. There's a good lookout on the way up and it didn't take us long to reach the summit. From there it's undulating and goes through some nice areas of bush including some big old daddy Kauri trees. We stopped for lunch at a picturesque waterhole in the gully and then it was uphill (for a few more hours) home. Despite it being a bit difficult in places, I really enjoyed the walk. Don't take it lightly though - pack plenty of water and turbo snacks and wear a decent pair of shoes.

Rangitoto was definitely a highlight of our visit to Auckland. We had a free day and wanted to get…read moresome exploring in, so we took the 10:30 ferry ride on over which was quick and beautiful. The range in microclimate hiking to the summit was fascinating. There were times where it was unbearably hot and then others when it was cool and wet. So interesting! The views, unsurprisingly, were magnificent.

We booked this tour through Fullers/360 Discovery Tours. They made it very simple to find the…read morecorrect dock, pick up our ferry tickets, and hop on board to the island. It was a fun little cruise to Rangitoto and then a very well organized tour and hike once there. We boarded an open-sided cart pulled by a truck/tractor, and it drove us all over the island - with our guide pointing out neat sights along the way, including volcanic fields, old dwellings where the WWII soldiers used to bunk, and some flora and fauna that we passed: birds and pōhutukawa trees (of which Rangitoto is the largest forest in the world). We stopped at the foot of the summit, and those who wanted to venture to the top hopped onto the boardwalk that runs alongside the mountain. It was an easy climb along the flat winding boardwalk, but the views do get a little daunting for those afraid of heights. There is a stop along the way called the crater summit track. Here you can walk around the edge/ring of this very large and very deep volcanic crater. There were lots of beautiful trees and scenic views to stop and see/snap photos of along the way. You can see Motutapu Island from the summit, where it connects to Rangitoto. Our guide said that some people hike from Rangitoto to Motutapu along the causeway connection, but we did not have time for that on this tour. Once we snagged our photos at the top of the summit, we headed back down and then boarded the vehicle again to meander back around the island to the dock and start our journey home. Overall, I would say this island (as part of a tour or a self guided hike with your own ferry pass) is a great way to spend a day. Hiking, beautiful views, and the sights of New Zealand that you don't get from just staying in Auckland!

It's a little treacherous pulling off the highway, but if you manage to survive it, the Moirs Hill…read moreWalkway is a nice place to stop just before Warkworth. It's a 15 min walk to the Pohuehue waterfall; an easy little stroll on a well maintained track. Unfortunately as it was the middle of summer the waterfall was slightly underwhelming; but the surrounding bush is lush and it's a good excuse to stretch the legs. If you're after something more demanding there's also the Beverly Price Looptrack (2hrs). You probably need a general degree of fitness as the first half is pretty steep and the track gets a little rougher, but again it goes through some nice native bush and part of the pine forest. When you're finished, there is often the mobile coffee guy parked in the reserve, waiting with a cold drink.

This is one of my favourite stores, was quite excited when it finally arrived in Pukekohe. The only…read moredisappointment is lack of floor space which prevents them from stock their full range of outdoor equipment & clothing and accessories. I guess they can always arrange for a item to be shipped in if required.

This weekend just gone, my boyfrienda and I got out of Auckland and ehaded up to Sandspit. Mum had…read morebought us a weekend away for Christmas and we were exciiteddd. After grabbing some lunch from the Matakana Markets, we headed up to Goat Island for a day of adventure. It was a scorcher of a day so we were pretty hot before we started. But that didn't distract from the beautiful walk. We left the beach and people behind and headed up over the hill to stunning views of the marine reserve. The path has its ups and downs, like gradient-wise, and while there are patches of shade, a hat and some water are key. Beautiful views of uninterrupted nature accompnay you the whole way. This is the best way to warm yourself up for a dip in the water.

So glad we made the trek to the park during our stay in Auckland. Not too far from the city yet so…read morebeautiful and made for the perfect day. Of course you have to stop for the photo opp with the frame that pretty near to when you enter the park. But even on a busier day than some of the photos depict on this site - it didn't feel crowded. There's a big loop trail that you can traverse. We opted to walk along the beach and find our way to some makeshift ladder that got us up on the trail. Need a bit of flexibility to do this and you must get in the ocean a little to get there. Multiple look-out points on the trail and great views of Auckland. A must do! **If you can get it together to grab some picnic food - this would be a great place for that as well.