AndyR

OK, after being in Auckland since xmas but without a car we have been limited to short trips to places we could get to on the bus.

BUT, last weekend we picked up our 1st car FREEEEEEDOM!!

So to make the most out of the upcoming Easter weekend we are looking for some suggestions of nice places to visit. We are based in Takapuna for staters but are looking for a couple of places to go out for the day.

Like the idea of the West Coast beaches as they sound nice, but no idea where is a nice place to go. Any good walks around, parks, beaches etc?

Thanks!

Kiwiprincess

Waitakere Ranges. Ark in the Park is brilliant.

JoCo

I have signed up just to answer your question as we have been in Auckland for 6 months (in Takapuna as it happens) and have found loads of great places to visit in the region. Feel I need to defend the place!

Wenderholm Regional Park (just up from Waiwera) is lovely. Good walks and views with a great beach and an old (for NZ) house that you can visit. Further North, Matakana Farmers' market on a Saturday morning is well worth a visit, snorkelling at Leigh (Goat Island) is great too. Whilst in the area do not miss Brick Bay Sculpture trail and Vineyard. Beautiful place to drink, eat and wander. South of Auckland Clevedon Farmers' market on Sundays (I think-check the web) is fab. Waitakere and West coast beaches are also worth a visit. We went on the Waitakere tram ride a few months ago. Great, quirky fun with good views (and refreshingly free of Health and Safety rules! Hope that helps for starters (although feel having read this I am somewhat obsessed with food). One more thing.....if you haven't been already Tiritiri Matangi Island is beautiful.

AndyR

Awesome thanks for those! And Kiwiprincess thanks for the link!

JoCo - Where abouts in Takapuna are you? We're on Anzac Street. Have to say, we are loving Takapuna although we have only been here for just over 2 weeks now. Previous to that we were stuck right in the CBD which was OK to start with, but got old really quick

Takapuna has been a breath of fresh air for us

whitesand

Andy, have you been to the very good fish and chip shop yet? Opposite the newspaper office. Yes, there are loads of great cafes and pubs along the main street where you can sit outside with a glass of wine or a beer. Have you been to the Belgian pub yet?

lapsed kiwi

Another vote for Wenderholm - one of our favourite spots for boating, picnicking etc (best within 3 hours of high tide). Mahurangi park is also great, some nice walks and you can take the dog if you have one on some walks. Further north, Tawharanui is another beautiful regional park, beaches a bit more exposed than the other two. Goat Island marie reserve is well worth a visit before the water gets cold - take your snorkelling gear and spot the snapper. The glass-bottom boat ride is quite good too.
For a good lunch if you're up north, the Saw Mill cafe at Leigh is great.

pricklykina

Just try to avoid the traffic on a public holiday weekend!

West ...there are great walks...the city loop near bethells is an easy trek but there are great ones all over so start at the Arataki visitor centre for Info.
I love bees online cafe at Waimauku then on to Muriwai
Or Karekare
Or Lake waimanu and bethells are really really beautiful and an easier drive in than some of the beaches

JoCo

We are in Eversleigh Road. Home of the best Cafe in the world! (Little and Friday). So, strictly speaking more Hauraki/Belmont than Takapuna central (We are just opposite Takapuna Grammar School). We have been very happy in the area so far. Just goes to show, as when I researched areas prior to arrival I thought we would find Takapuna too hectic-once here we found we much preferred it to Browns Bay, Murrays Bay etc. Keener on the bustle of towns than we realised perhaps? (we came from Brighton)

donki

i'll try and remember the spelling but it will be far out...tawharaunui regional park the beaches are wicked. and a bit further afield Waipu again wicked prob about hour and half to both but excellent beaches. also South Head beaches. Shakespear is good to its and the end of the Whangaparoa peninsula there is walks there we always too in the views from the beach...also drive to gulf harbour and get the ferry to tiri tiri matangi

seriously your in an amazing beautiful country enjoy before your wet winter sets in and you wait till october for good long sun drenched days

donki

a big fave of ours was when we lived in Rothesay bay... walk across the beach to browns bay and go to the french cafe for bereakfast or cake or just coffee you'll find it across from new world

donki

one last one the ginger crunch at the railway station in Helensville if only for the ginger crunch yum yum

Foxesecho

I love Muriwai beach on the west cost. Shakespear park on the Whangaparoa peninsula was nice. Coatsville has its farmers market on easter monday. Goat island was good but the sea was too rough to see anything when we went snorkeling. Was also fairly busy even though it was mid week.

Steve1977

Ambury Park is one of my favourites, not too far away as its next to Mangere Bridge.

It's a working farm so it has loads of different animals and your'e allowed in the pens with most of them, so those animals a little more used to humans will let you go right up to them and stoke them etc.

There's also a nice walkway all the way around the headland with some interesting birds and info signs. They've also got one of those picture frames down there too pointing towards Manukau Heads. Such a great idea they are!