Whangarei dressed to impress. Photo / Whangarei District Council
Whangarei dressed to impress. Photo / Whangarei District Council
In case you missed the memo, from December 15 people will be able to shake off the Auckland shackles.
But with free movement throughout the country, comes great responsibility. Travellers will need to be fully vaccinated or test negative 72 hours before departure. Wisdom will quite literally see you far.
As much as we'd like to see a great unveiling, Wednesday's border opening is unlikely to be on par with the fall of the Berlin Wall. However, it does present the first time in a hundred-and-something day (who else has lost count around 40?) that many of us can enjoy a cross-border day trip or weekend away.
Here are six easy trips to revisit the places we've yearned for the most.
To travel Northland's Kauri Coast is to journey through time and a world of giants.
Starting at the State Highway 12 turn-off at Brynderwyn, the route skirts the Kaipara Harbour's northern reaches and pretty, historic settlements.
The Southern hemisphere's biggest harbour, the Kaipara's saltwater rivers and shores once provided food, transport and warpaths for Māori. In the mid-1800s a wave of newcomers swept in on the "kauri rush".
Hokianga Harbour on the Kauri Coast. Photo / Northland
Off the beaten track in Northland
Approx. 1 hr 41 min, 109km from Central Auckland
Never mind A to B – how about the road less travelled? Post-lockdown, head north from Auckland, avoid the well-worn rut of State Highway 1 and discover what there is to enjoy on a detour to the west.
There are many corners ahead so fortify yourself first with a coffee at the quirky and cute Eutopia Cafe in Kaiwaka, full of birds, patterns and colour; and maybe buy a treat from the Dutch cheese shop opposite.
Please note, Police checkpoints in partnership with Northland Iwi will come into effect from December 15. See police.govt.nz for more info.
Kerikeri stone store building is the oldest stone building in New Zealand, located in Kerikeri, Northland. Photo / 123rf
Family getaways to Raglan
Approx 2 hours, 144km from Central Auckland
A short break in and around Raglan's wet stuff makes a great family getaway. Raglan's beaches make it a surfer's paradise. But if you're not keen on hitting the waves, there are plenty of reasons why Raglan is a great choice for a weekend away – even outside summer, as we recently discovered on a short break with the kids.
Donna Brooke is the owner of Sunlover Retreat in Tairua - and an expert on making the most of a relaxing break.
Tairua – two tides... We will forgive you if you think this is just the seaside town you pass through on the way to somewhere better. Little do you know.
The first giveaway that you have arrived somewhere special is the line-up of kids doing bombs off the one-lane bridge as you come into town. Tairua is a great place for families. Isn't it fantastic how they all come in different shapes and sizes? We've got something for your family here. Bring your boogie boards, land yachts and kayaks, our hard sand estuary is the best playground at low tide as well as high.
When Hamilton and Waikato Tourism launched The Mighty Waikato brand two years ago, it was a genius move. Waikato was often viewed as only Hamilton and surrounding farmland but it extends so much further than that. In fact, the diversity of experiences in this part of the country is incredible - from farmers' markets to waterfalls to surfing to riverside dining, to movie sets, to abseiling underground to cycling adventures and so much more. Mighty indeed.
Hamilton Riverside. Photo / Te Waka Waikato Economic Development Agency
Eight things to explore in Whangārei
Approx 2 hr 20 min, 160km from Central Auckland
Northland's only city, Whangārei, is easy to overlook.
Conveniently located on the route north to the Bay of Islands and other beautiful spots further up the east coast of the peninsula, Whangārei is easy to whizz by but it's so much more than a pass-through destination.
