Do you want a guide to day trips from Auckland? Have you dreamed of visiting New Zealand and seeing all the great beaches available, hiking, and natural beauty available? While many people head for the south island, the north Island has a lot to offer! In addition to having the largest airport and biggest city, there is spectacular natural beauty around nearly every corner.
Auckland offers so many incredible day trips that allow you to enjoy the best of the city and the best of the natural beauty in this spectacular country. Here are just a few of the Auckland activities and day trips worth exploring.
Best Day Trips from Auckland, New Zealand (with Photos)
Day Trips from Auckland: Beaches
Muriwai
About 36 minute drive from central Auckland. Located on the west coast.
Muriwai has easy walking trails on boardwalks and staircases with several look out balconies on the cliffs overlooking the ocean give access to the gannett colonies there. It is pretty amazing, like being in a National Geographic special. The gannett colonies attract professional and amateur bird-watchers alike.
There are two beautiful beaches at Muriwai. Maori Bay is to the south of the Gannett colonies. The main Muriwai beach lies to the north of the gannett colonies. Both are black sand beaches.
Maori Bay is very special at low tide when one can see starfish clinging to the many rocks. Muriwai beach is a long, long stretch of beach with an official swimming area in the summer months. This is a perfect first Auckland day trip, and not to be missed!
Bethells Beach
About a 40 minute drive from central Auckland, and just down the coast from Muriwai. Located on the west coast.
Here you can walk along an estuary to reach an expansive beach with some caves accessible at low tide. This makes a fun day trip if you bring a picnic so that you can eat on the beach and play in the caves.
Tawharanui Open Sanctuary
About 1 hour and 15 minutes from central Auckland. Located on the east coast.
Tawharanui has a nice beach with some caves and dunes as well as many different hiking trails. This sanctuary is used to preserve native wildlife and wetlands, and as such is an educational center on New Zealand’s wildlife.
There are also spectacular diving and snorkeling opportunities off the coast.
Shakespear Open Sanctuary
About 45 minute drive from central Auckland. Located on the east coast.
Shakespear Open Sanctuary has four beaches as well as many hiking trails. The verdant green hills overlooking the ocean are a classic New Zealand scene.
If you arrive in spring, you will see many lambs with their mothers in the fields. This is also beautiful in December when the pōhutukawa trees, also called Christmas Tree bloom with brilliant red flowers. A December day trip to Shakespear Sanctuary is not to be missed!
Orewa Beach
About 1 hour drive from central Auckland – 30 minutes without traffic. There is regular bus access, which is often faster than driving. Located on the east coast.
This beautiful, wide-open beach is popular with wind surfers. Because of the protected bay, it is a good beach to bring children and has several playgrounds along the beach. The hard-packed sand is also good for running, biking, or even go-carting!
Wenderholm
About 40 minute drive from central Auckland, with regular bus access. Located on the east coast, just north of Orewa and Hatfields Beach.
Has hiking trails in the hills surrounding the beach, a historic homestead, and a large grove of old Pohutukawa trees. Wenderholm is nice at any time of year, but also fun to go in December when the Pohutukawa trees are blooming.
Mahurangi
About 1 hour drive from central Auckland, with regular bus access. Located on the east coast.
Mahurangi features both the beach and many hiking trails. It is located about an hour north of Auckland. And it known for kayaking, hiking, eco tours, Matakana shopping village, and sheepworld.
Hatfields Beach
About 35 drive from central Auckland, with regular bus access. Located on the east coast, just north of Orewa.
Hatfields Beach features huge cliffs rising up along the beach, along with hiking trails. It has a different quality from Orewa, and both can easily be visited in a day. In fact, and ideal day trip route would take in Orewa Beach, Eve’s Bush, Hatfields Beach, and perhaps even a stop at Wenderholm to view the sunset from the beach.
Piha Beach
About 45 drive from central Auckland. Located on the west coast.
Piha is known as an excellent surf spot. But it is also known for its strong rip currents, so be careful and pay attention to the lifeguards if you are getting into the water! This black sand beach features huge boulders and nature hikes. There is even a waterfall you can hike into.
Day Trips from Auckland: Waterfalls
Waterfalls are especially fun in the rainy season (July – October), because they will be especially full. But New Zealand is a relatively wet climate, and the waterfalls are nice any time of the year.
Kare Kare Falls near Kare Kare Beach
About 45 drive from central Auckland. Located on the west coast.
Kare Kare beach is another spectacular black sand beach just south of Piha. The Kare Kare Falls are located less than a five minute walk from the road, making them easily accessibly to even people who can’t walk much.
The downside of Kare Kare beach is that other than at low tide, you have to wade through up to waist-deep water to reach the beach. The upside is that it is spectacular. If you don’t want to wade, you can check out the Kare Kare Falls and then head to Piha for easier beach access.
Mokoroa Falls
About 35 drive from central Auckland. Located close to the on the western coast.
Mokoroa Falls are near to both Muiwai and Bethells beaches. There is an easy 45 minute easy hike through Goldie Bush to an outlook above the falls. In New Zealand, “Bush” as far as I can tell means nature. It can be grassland or forest, but it is generally a natural, wild area.
Kite Kite Track and Falls
About 45 drive from central Auckland. Located on the west coast.
This waterfall is located near Piha beach, just across the road. In the rainy season the pool at the bottom of the falls is spectacular for a cold swim. For the more adventurous, you can climb to the top of the waterfall to the higher pool. Good for an hour or a day-long outing with a picnic lunch and time on Piha beach.
Day Trips from Auckland: Forests and Hiking
Eve’s Bush
About 1 hour drive from central Auckland. Located on the east coast.
If you are visiting the beach town of Orewa, you can also visit Eve’s Bush. It is located at north end of Orewa beach across the road.
Goldie Bush
See Mokoroa waterfall above.
Goldie Bush offers trails to the waterfall, along streams, and over bridges. For nature lovers, this is a must-see destination.
Cultural Day Trips
Auckland Museum
Auckland Museum is the place to go to learn about the ancient Maori culture of New Zealand. The entry fee is a bit expensive, but it is worth it. There is a very a nice presentation of Maori artifacts as well as performances of Maori dance.
Wrap up
As you can see, you don’t need to go far from Auckland to have many experiences in the beautiful nature of New Zealand. Generally, the west coast beaches are black sand and tend to be a bit rougher with more rip tides, and better surfing. The east coast beaches are usually yellow sand and are windier, so are more popular for wind surfing and kite surfing. The east coast beaches are also usually calmer and more popular for paddleboarding.
There is so much to see and do in nature around Auckland – hiking, biking, swimming, surfing, and visiting waterfalls are just a few of the incredible opportunities!
I’d love to hear: have you been to any of the places in this post? Which did you like best?
Thank you for reading, and cheers!
Kimberly
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