Fast boats, helicopter views and thundering water - the central plateau provides adrenalin galore, writes Beck Vass.

Staying home is the new going away. Bronwyn Sell looks at how the 'staycation' can be just as fun as a holiday away - and at the same time can save you lots of money.

Saddle up with a friend, your partner, or the kids these holidays. Some of these facilities also offer school holiday camps.

Cape Kidnappers is a rugged, chaotic and whiffy bird-lovers' paradise, writes Paul Rush.

We have a family pass valued at $390 for two adults and two children to venture out to one of the most diverse marine parks in the world - Auckland's own Hauraki Gulf.

Get the kids off the couch these holidays and explore Auckland's west coast on foot. Diana Clement checks out the tracks around Karekare.

A weekend visit to a farm can be an educational experience for the kids, writes Diana Clement.

You don't have to be rich or famous to enjoy the lifestyle on offer at Omaha. And the beach settlement just north of Auckland will please all the family, writes Bronwyn Sell.

Get your blood pumping with these adventurous activities in and around Auckland.

Ten dollars to make camp for the night at an Auckland Regional Council park - what a bargain!

Take a drive to Clevedon and Whitford and you're likely to leave with a full stomach.

City dweller Janna Hamilton gets out of her comfort zone, spending a weekend getting wild in Poronui - albeit with a large dose of luxury.

Qantas-owned budget airline Jetstar is expanding in the New Zealand domestic market by offering 39 extra flights from February.

For a compact round of golf with the kids, complete with novelty fun factor.

Some NZ regions have been singled out as overpriced, overhyped or just plain boring.

Canterbury tourism officials say the best way people can help is to keep bookings they have made and continue visiting the region.

Oamaru's red waterfront sheds have a story to tell, writes Don Donovan.

If you need a break, don't discount a weekend "away" enjoying parts of Auckland you may have lost touch with. Cate Foster reconnected with the city.

Visiting Invercargill for the week-long Burt Munro Challenge offers more than just an adrenalin rush, writes Jacqui Madelin.

The rural town of Gore has turned itself into a creative hub, writes Anna Hart.

Travellers between Tauranga and Christchurch, and Invercargill and Wellington, are the big winners in Air New Zealand's latest boost to domestic capacity.

In the shadow of snow-capped peaks and dark, massive humps, Pamela Wade stands among giants.

Joelle Thomson has a day of adventure in Auckland's west - all the while managing to stay clean and dry, despite the dreary weather.

The pretty township of Matakana is heaven for foodies, discovers Catherine Smith.

Shelley Bridgeman sits in on an Auckland tour group to see what visitors learn about our city and to see it through a fresh pair of eyes.

A South Island jaunt for budding photographers is almost too good to be true, writes Jim Eagles.