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.

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.

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!

We went here on recommendation of a friend and what a discovery. This is one of those reviews I…read morewasn't sure I should write because once the secret is out, some of the magic of this place will be lost in the crowds. There's a few in the know already because we certainly weren't alone but it's absolultely one of the quietest beaches I've been to in a long time. It's calm and safe, albeit a little sharp underfoot and the tide never seems to go out very far. There's a grassy area under the trees if you prefer or a reasonable amount of shade under the rockfaces. It's really beautiful and we spent an afternoon here quietly relaxing with everyone doing their own thing (read boys throwing things around and digging holes, the girl making a beautiful sand sculpture and the parents snoozing and reading). Bliss.

Good beach for swimming when a nor'easterly blows (it's calm then). Also not very tidal, unlike (to…read moremy knowledge) all other Manukau harbour beaches. Been going there for years.

One of the lesser known bays in the Matakana region, Campbell's is a secluded wee spot perfect for…read morethe kids. It's very tidal; at low tide nearly the whole bay empties of water leaving behind a load of mud to frolic in and plenty of crabs to stalk. At high tide it's knee deep for miles, and the water is usually calm; so again good for the little ones. Once you've dragged them from the water there's a great playground to clamber about on and a line of water front trees to picnic under. Campbell's is not just for the tiny members of the family, there's also a good cricket pitch for bat-down or a large area for soccer or touch. Down the estuary end is also a good place to put the kayaks in. At high tide you can paddle quite far up the river for an adventure in the mangroves

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!

The golden beach at Goat Island is the place I completed one of my bucket list items : to skinny…read moredip. It all happened on a sunny afternoon when my boyfriend and I decided to get away from the hustle and bustle of Auckland. We got to Goat Island beach, parked the car and sat on one of the grass patches overlooking the beach and other spectacular views while we munched on some home made goodies. After lunch we decided to walk around, we had no plans to swim as we had dinner plans later on that evening. We walked in the water and soon found ourselves in another area where there is a fountain, I stripped down to my under garments and went in the water. The water was clear, had that green marine colour to it. It wasn't too cold and it felt so good against my skin. Next thing you know I had one less item on my bucket list. Goat island the perfect place to shorten your bucket list, swim, have a picnic and snorkel.

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.

I have the best memories of my first camping holiday with my family as it was my first time camping…read moreas a new mother of a little infant. The calm peace and tranquility that I experienced at this holiday park will stay with me for life. My powered waterfront tent site was pitched perfectly a few steps from the water's edge on the beautiful Whangateau harbor. Allowing our days to be spent, at leisure taking swims in the bay, and watching time slip away. The region is spoilt with amazing places to visit- drive from here to either Goat Island Marine reserve or any of the stunning beaches and bays of the coast. The park offers a few different options too with accommodation, you can choose with the powered sites, the onsite caravans or cabins. The bathrooms, kitchen and BBQ area are all situated in one large block, at opposite sides of each other and closely in zone with accommodation. The shower's cost only a 50 cent coin in the machine which lasts a good few minutes. We didn't need to use the laundry for our short stay; however I admired the cosiness of the dining and TV/games room. I liked that the field adjacent had lots of space for the little ones to run about and of course the close water play kept us all happy!

Auckland is spoilt for choice when it comes to great beaches, but some days you feel like leaving…read morethe city and going on a little adventure. Mangawhai is a great option. Only one hour north of Auckland, it is perfect for a day trip, weekend or long weekend away. From the moment you enter Mangawhai you feel instantly relaxed - the whole place oozes the beach vibe. Mangawhai beach is a very popular beach and for good reason. The sea is a lovely teal colour, there is great surf and the sand is soft and white. It is pretty large too, so there is plenty of space no matter how hot the day is. The sea can get a bit rough but there is generally always a calm spot for the kiddies somewhere. It is a cool place with rocks to explore and whatnot. Parking can be a bit tricky on really busy days, but give the surf club a go because you might get lucky. Even if it is super stormy, it is a cool beach to walk along and watch the crazy people kite surfing of surfing the waves. There is a great fish and chip shop nearby too, so grab some post a beach day out to top off your very Kiwi day. And awesome place to go for the day, and the drive is nice too!