This is a great park for anyone looking to take a day trip out of Auckland. It's only 45 minutes by car and is a very pretty and enjoyable drive. Not only is this beautiful national park easy to access, it also has a conveniently free parking lot with maps of the region, public toilets, and a great picnic area. There are so many activities to choose from, with some highlights being you can enjoy wiggling your toes in the black sand of Karekare Beach, take a short and highly rewarding hike to see the 30 M Karekare Falls, or walk one of the hiking trails in the area. We really enjoyed both the falls and the beach on our visit. We were here in winter and the beach was pretty windy and cold, but we don't see a lot of black sand beaches in the states so it was still a worthwhile trip. The falls are impressive and take hardly any time out of your day as it's only about a 10 minute roundtrip walk from the main road. The park is very well kept, clean, and free of any rubbish. The toilets and picnic areas were well maintained as well. This is an awesome example of how impressive NZ national parks are and the diversity of activities they offer. read more

See all