7 Incredible Day Trips to Take From Whangarei, New Zealand

Day Trips From Whangarei, New Zealand – Top Things to Do in Whangarei

New Zealand is a magical place. Alongside its proud culture and friendly inhabitants, it’s a country that boasts rambling rivers, vast lakes, glorious golden sandy beaches, pristine glaciers, great snow-capped mountains, towering sounds and gorges, lush forest, explosive geysers and ancient volcanoes – all in the same place.

Not bad for a landmass comparable in size to that of the United Kingdom!

New Zealand is truly a land of the sublime and a hugely appealing aspect of traveling around it is just how close you are to everything. Because it is so small and utterly jam-packed with awe-inspiring stuff to see and experience, no matter what you wake up wanting to do, nine times out of ten it’s only a short drive away.

As a result, the ‘land of the long white cloud’ is the holy grail of countries when it comes to taking a day trip somewhere!

An amazing place to do so from is a small city called Whangarei (pronounced ‘fun-guh-ray’). Situated two hours north of Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island, slap bang in the heart of the Northland, Whangarei is a perfect location from where you can explore a multitude of wonders in this part of the country. There are many things to do in Whangarei.

Alongside working there, I spent about three months in this small city doing just that. Now, having scoured my memory, here are 7 of my favorite day trips I can recommend taking from Whangarei! Discover the best things to do in Whangarei here:

Top things to do in Whangarei

1) The beautiful Whangarei Falls In The City Itself

So, technically not a day trip outside of Whangarei, but it would be wrong not to mention some of the amazing main Whangarei attractions that are in the city itself! It’s easy to spend a day here, exploring all there is to see and do. Here are a few suggestions for things to do in Whangarei:

Spend the morning working up a sweat, hiking up the short but steep track on Mount ParaHaki. Your reward for your efforts? The incredible panoramic views of Whangarei and the unbelievable scenery beyond. Look way out to the left on the horizon and observe the Heads, which is next up on this list of day trips from Whangarei.

Down from the hike and all showered up, take a stroll around the Town Basin down in the City Centre. Choose your dream boat from the enviable selection situated in the marina, while sipping a latte from the cafes that run alongside it. There’s a famous clock museum just next door, which is also worth a look inside!

Finally, head to the North of the City and to the spectacular Whangarei Falls. Signs will tell you not to swim in the river above the falls but it doesn’t stop the locals – if you’re brave enough, swing and jump from rope swings into cool waters just like they do!

The waterfall itself is 26 meters high and can be observed from a viewing platform above, or from below after a brief walk through the surrounding forest. You’ll be greeted with an impressive sight, as vast quantities of water careen into a Jurassic-Park-like pool below. It’s like stepping into a lost world.

2) A sunset in Whangarei Heads

A thirty-minute drive south-east from Whangarei City is the glorious Whangarei Heads (top tip: take the road heading north out of Whangarei for long winding roads and scenic views. It takes a little longer but it’s well worth the detour). The Whangarei Heads peninsula is a stunning stretch of land and coastline that makes for a perfect day trip out of the city and should be a must in your list of things to do in Whangarei.

Think beaches, bays, inlets, and isles, not to mention some awesome coastal and overland hiking. Fishing is a popular pastime here too and if you’ve got a boat then this is the perfect place to be, with a number of marinas dotted around allowing you to park up.

Take the time to hike up Mount Manaia, which after a short-medium (but intense) climb leads to awe-inspiring panoramic views over the Heads, as well as to Whangarei in the distance. Make sure to head on over to Ocean Beach on the Western side, for mile upon mile of white sand to meander along, dunes to slide down and ocean to swim in.

You’ll go for the day but will want to stay the week.

3) Enjoying some solitude on a beach along the Tutukaka coastline

A brief 40-minute drive, this time north-east out of Whangarei City, takes you up to the Tutukaka coast and eventually Matapouri. It’s another perfect car journey of a single, quiet road that takes you all the way, skirting lush countryside and clear blue waters the entire time.

Spend the day exploring the multitude of beaches, bays and inlets that attract holiday goers and city-breakers all year-round, and make sure you sample the fish and chips (“fush and chups”, if you’re a kiwi) somewhere too, which I was told are famous in the area! If I remember correctly, Ngunguru (Nun-guh-roo), which is the first town on the coast that you come to as you drive north, was the best place to do so!

If you’re after peace, looking for a quiet dip in the sea, then the Tutukaka coast is well worth heading to for a day trip out of Whangarei.

4) Watching dolphins in the Bay of Islands

A trip to the North Island of New Zealand isn’t complete without a stopover in the Bay of Islands- a collection of 144 isles home to some of the most beautiful scenery and wildlife in the country.

Whangarei is a perfect place from which to access them: just drive north out of the city for a little over an hour and you’ll be at Paihia, one of its main attractions. For a small fee, you could then catch the ferry from Paihia to Russell (or vice-versa, depending on where you start!), and explore another cool little town while you’re there.

Due to its popularity, the Bay of Islands is a little more touristy compared to other parts of the North Island, so in peak times bank on busy beaches and higher prices. However, don’t let it put you off!

As well as various walks and waterfalls, you can chill out on a beach, hire a kayak and get up close with some of the nearby islands, or go on a dolphin and whale watching tour for the afternoon. Come back and eat fresh fish at one of the many restaurants, or grab a drink at the bars and cafes that line the sand.

While you’re there, take the time to visit Waitangi and the Waitangi Treaty Ground. This is a site of extreme historic significance in NZ, where the British Crown and native Maori came together in 1840 to sign an accord known as the Treaty of Waitangi- NZ’s founding document.

In the Bay of Islands, there’s definitely enough to keep you busy for the day!

5)  Kawakawa

So, if you find yourself in Paihia (further North in the Bay of Islands), turn around and drive 15 minutes back the way you just came! You just went past the next place that’s worth taking a trip out of Whangarei to visit: Kawakawa (Cow-uh-cow-uh).

Would you believe me if I told you people come from all over the world to see this little town’s public toilets? I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t but, well, they do (…I was one of those people). Though you may not want to spend the entire day inside, they’re definitely worth driving the 45 minutes out of Whangarei to visit!

The Hundertwasser toilets, as they’re called, are named after the famous Austrian artist who designed them. Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s lived in Kawakawa for 25 years until his death in 2000 and the town toilets were his final project. It’s another popular (and nicely functional) tourist stop which needs to be added to your things to do in Whangarei list.

Again, it’s up to you whether you spend the day in Kawakawa, which is a lovely but small artsy town in its own right, but it’s definitely worth stopping into on your way further North!

When I passed through I also heard about a famous tattoo parlor situated here, but I’m afraid that’s as much as I know about it! If you’re in NZ and after a tattoo though, maybe Kawakawa is exactly the place to go for a day trip out of Whangarei!

6) Leaving tyre marks in the sand along 90 Mile Beach

At over a three-hour drive north-west of Whangarei, this one’s a little further afield, but still absolutely possible for a day trip out of the City. If you’re okay with the journey, 90 Mile beach is an expanse of sand like none other I’ve ever been on and well worth the effort of getting there and should be high on your list of things to do in Whangarei.

The name’s a bit deceptive- it’s not actually 90 miles long. It feels it though.

Imagine sand and sea as far as your eyes can see! With the right set of wheels, you can actually drive out onto the beach, heading into the sunset along open planes of golden sandy goodness for mile upon mile upon mile, usually without another soul in sight. Wonderful!

Awesome, yes, but not without its perils: inappropriate vehicles get stuck in the sand almost daily and without someone to tow you out, things could get a little hairy. Get it right though and it is well worth it. Don’t fancy the risk? Don’t bother. Spending the day swimming, running, building sand castles and enjoying the stunning vistas and open space that surrounds you is just as glorious.

As though driving along seemingly endless sand isn’t cool enough, heading inland from the beach along a (dry-ish) stream bed (or, depending on where you arrive from, down the more traditional route from the road above) gets you to a popular little spot where it’s possible to hire toboggans and sledge down the gigantic dunes that skirt the beach. It’s a huff and a puff of a climb to the top, but well worth the effort as you glide at incredible speeds back to the bottom. It can keep you occupied for hours!

7) Watching the sunset at Cape Reinga

So, the last on this list of day trips from Whangarei – things to do in Whangarei is the northernmost part of New Zealand (that’s open to the public) and a place of huge spiritual significance in Maori culture. It is definitely a long way away and would be a really long way to go for a day trip. But, but! If you’re as far north as a 90-Mile beach, you may as well head on up the last 30 minutes to Cape Reinga too.

Taking the walkway down from the car park to the lighthouse, reading the Maori explanations inscribed on plaques as you go, all the while looking out at an endless expanse of ocean- Cape Reinga is a unique place that has a tangible power to it. It’s easy to spend an hour or so just looking out and taking it all in.

Standing on the viewing terrace, beneath the lighthouse, you watch as the Tasman Sea meets and clashes with the Pacific Ocean, creating cacophonous unsettled waters below. If you fancy stretching your legs, or in the unlikely event that you tire of the view, you could navigate the coastline on a short or long walk, heading downhill to the turbulent waters you just observed from above.

If you’re happy driving home in the dark, wait a while to watch the sun go down. It’s the perfect place to do so!

How To Get To Whangarei, New Zealand

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Where to stay in Whangarei, New Zealand

If you are looking for best accommodation in Whangarei, New Zealand, we recommend HotelsCombined or Agoda or Booking.com to save huge and get best deals on booking your stay.

Tours/Activities available in Whangarei, New Zealand

Whangarei attractions pass are available for the best Whangarei tours. Book tours and activities in and around Whangarei.

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Bay of Islands Tours

Bay of Islands tours and excursions. Check out Viator’s reviews and photos of Bay of Islands tours

And there you have it: 7 of my top day trips to take from the great City of Whangarei, New Zealand! This pretty much covers the things to do in Whangarei. But if I have missed out on anything interesting, do let me know in the comments below the top things to do in Whangarei. Happy travels everyone!

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