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.

Beautiful lush trails along the waterfront, offering tranquil views of the headlands and ocean…read more There are about four or five different trail options. Do not be fooled by the time stamped on the map though. The 1.5 hr trail was a mere 45-50 minutes. I suppose it depends on your hike speed, but it certainly wasn't near 1.5 hours. I suggest the perimeter track (which is listed as a 2.5 hr loop) for some epic views of the Puhoi River, Moturoa Isl. and the ocean. There are rest benches along the ridge, so bring a lunch and enjoy the view above before making the trek down. The only issue I had with this park was the amount of stairs during the ascent. I'd say we came across three sets of stairs with at least 30-40 steps each! We assume it was for the preservation of the roots, or that the terrain was not very stable. Being winter season we caught our fair share of rain. I would absolutely like to return during a full Sun day. Especially since it's less than an hours drive from Auckland!

Here you will find such a beautiful scenic park, with a fantastic beach to swim at in summer…read more I love Wenderholm, there is so much to offer here. Massive old Pohutakawa's line the park and bloom to maximum beauty during the hottest months of the year. I really enjoy taking my son to the beach as its super safe, have nice calm waters, and also close by an estuary which is also brilliant for child play. Stunning views across the sea call for many hours spent lying at the beach, reading that fave book or building sandcastles with the little ones. Super facilities for the public; include lots of space to choose a private spot, birds roaming in their natural habitat, lots of picnic tables to use, and public bathrooms. Be sure to spend a day down at Wenderholm and be at one with nature.

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.

Matakana Country Park is a great place to take the kids; there is SO much for them to do. The…read moreanimal farm is always a winner (and if not an experience at least!). It's free entry and then for $3 you can buy a little bag of nibbles to feed the animals. There are sheep, goats, an emu, a very big pig and even llamas. There are also pony rides (so cute) and train rides. When they tire of the animals there's a large colourful playground complete with a giant Buzzy Bee, Nemo and a pirate ship. It can be pretty hard to pull them away from the playground, but you can always entice them off with a fluffy and piece of cake from the 'Speckled Hen Café' on site also.

People in New Zealand -- the West Pacific -- think that water is "really cold" and requires a…read morewetsuit when it is somewhere in the mid 70s F -- but for me -- that's the perfect temperature. Over here in the East Pacific, we have MUCH chillier water. I brought my own snorkel gear, found a nice family who were not leaving any time soon and deposited my stuff near the non-swimming grandfather to watch, though, being NZ, I had little to worry about. Then - I hopped in the water and swam off to circumnavigate Goat Island, solo and without (gasp!) a PFD or lifeguard. I saw heaps of rays and even some reef sharks. The current between the island and the shore is a bit pushy, so I recommend checking the currents and swimming anticlockwise on an ebbing tide. Total swim was about 2200 meters, and very doable for a strong swimmer. If you're not a strong swimmer - bring a SUP or a kayak and have fun!

One of my favourite daytrips out of the city is a visit to Goat Island, in the small town of Leigh…read more Goat Island offers plenty of fine attractions to keep you entertained for the day, and if the weather plays along, then you can have a great day out. We normally pack the cricket kit, the petanque balls, and our snorkeling gear, plus all the normal beach day stuff. The Goat Island area offers good grass areas, an excellent golden beach and if you're not too scared of cold water, great snorkeling. Now others like to scuba, but I love to snorkel, and the fish offer a display of nature at her best. Blue, yellow or silver, they're all gorgeous, and seeing the big predators is worth freezing your bum off.

Omaha Beach is the poster boy for east coast beaches. The sand is white, the water is clear and the…read morewaves are mellow. The beach spreads along the coast for a fair distance and in summer, most of it is packed. Lifeguards patrol in the summer months meaning it's the perfect spot for the family to park up. Just back from the beach is a big grassy area perfect for picnics if you want to avoid getting the sand in your sandwiches! Recent developments at Omaha have also seen some shops pop up right at the beach. This adds some serious convenience. Hot coffees or cold ice-creams are at the ready for after your beach day. If you're in for a bit of an adventure head up towards the groynes at the northern end of the beach. These fascinating rock structures have been put in place to stop the natural elements eating away at the beautiful beach and to encourage sediment to be deposited on the beach. (I studied these groynes for a whole term at high school and that is the only information I remember about them). Worth having a gander at for sure though!

I'd been in Auckland for precisely two weeks when my friends insisted one hot hungover Sunday that…read morethey were going to drive me to Tawharanui beach for a day of sunbathing. Sit in a car for over an hour? On a boiling hot day? With a hangover? I still can't believe they managed to talk me into it...But I'm oh so glad they did. Tawharanui is without a doubt my favourite out of Auckland day trip. The beach is just gorgeous with perfect white sand, big crashing waves and lots of caves at the side you can explore. It literally makes the inner city beaches pale in comparison. Stop in Matakana for ice-cream or a meal on the way there or back. Load up a cool box with beer and sit and take in the amazing view. Tip: it gets really packed on sunny days so head there early to secure a good spot. Also, not drinking the night before will help to uphold your enthusiasm for the journey.

If I had to pick a favourite day trip out of Auckland there's a high chance that Tawharanui would…read morebe it. It has the most beautiful beach, large enough for everyone to spread out over busy summer weekends but small enough to still feel intimate and easy enough to find friends who've had the same idea as you! You can walk out past the first bay and there is a huge stretch of beach - more popular with the surfers as the break is bigger on this side. If sunbathing and lazing isn't your thing, there are plenty of walks and wildlife in the regional park, and you can even camp here (something I've never done but is on my bucket list). Looking forward to plenty of day trips next summer already!

Pretty cool park with a neat little road track with stop signs and stuff for kids (and some adults)…read moreto learn the road rules, and a funky swing that looks like something out of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. And... A ridiculously steep slide!!! Check out my pics and read the tip on this one, you're gonna need it... I can hear you shiver with antici - - - - pation!

Huge area to take kids for a play, Has alot of land and most…read moreof it has a path. Can get abit muddy in places but still avoidable. Has a duck pond for tots and a playground for primary kids and forts for older kids.

Sir Barry Curtis Park in Flatbush was opened in 2009. Today was our first visit. The walkways are…read moreextensive but many of them come to a sudden dead-end. Random hills with no paths. And extremely muddy after rain (today we got mud splashed to above our knees!). As it is a new park, there is a lack of mature trees. It appears that a great deal of ratepayers money has been spent on this park, and apart from the children's playground and skateboard park, there is nothing to attract walkers. We would have liked to have seen gardens and a cafe for starters. And an off leash dog exercise area. However it looks as though is a fun place for children to ride bikes and scooters.

Located around an hours drive from Auckland you will arrive at this beautiful and peaceful bay…read more Discovered in the 1800's by a ship maker from the UK, which the bay was then aptly named after. Just this past weekend, I went for a family outing with my husband and the children and whilst out in the area, it was decided our packed picnic would be glorious down at the bay with the sun out in full happiness. This is one of the best picks you can take for the family. There is a playground for the little ones right above the beach, and a bit of grass to lay about and have food or relax. I even saw a father with his little ones playing a game of soccer, which was right behind the coffee caravan! Yes for all those caffeine addicts, I was very happy to find that there was a coffee cart here dishing up some delicious beverages. Not only do you have the benefits of the facilities of the bay but the true treasure is the beautiful deep bay, where you can swim out to a floating platform, if your a keen water enthusiast perhaps bring your paddle board or waka down for a go. People of all ages appreciate the rock pools at low tide, as you can walk out amongst the rocks and peer into pools of seaweed, starfish and crabs- just wonderful stuff for the little people who find it a thrill! Places like Mathesons, make me truly appreciate our city and how much beauty she beholds.