Walk in the park

For a mix of history and the great outdoors try the coastal walk in Long Bay Regional Park. The trail passes the Vaughan Homestead, a restored example of an early farmhouse, which contains a small museum (open weekends and public holidays 2pm-4pm). The walk encompasses native bush, farmland, dunes, rock pools and an estuary, and has fantastic views of the Hauraki Gulf. It takes around three hours return and is a 45-minute drive from Auckland CBD, via Torbay.

On the web: www.arc.govt.nz (see link below).