Best day trips from Auckland- Epic Destinations 2022
Auckland Day Trips
Auckland is the biggest city in New Zealand, it might not be my favorite place in New Zealand. But I’m currently living here and working a full-time job, so I gotta make the most out of it while I’m here! So I’ve been taking many day trips from Auckland!!!
When I first moved here, I really didn’t like it. I missed the scenery, mountains, and amazing landscapes on South Island, and really want to go back there badly! However, once I got a chance to explore the surroundings, I started to appreciate more and more living in Auckland 🙂 It still isn’t my favorite place to live, but I can ensure there are many many amazing spots you can check out while you’re here!
So whether you are an international tourist who flew into Auckland, or someone who lives in Auckland. These 8 best day trips from Auckland will definitely be of use for you 🙂 All of the places in this list are under or around a 2-hour drive/ ferry one way from Auckland City.
Save it to read later if you’re in a rush 🙂
Waiheke Island
Ferry: 45 minutes from Auckland Downtown
Highlight: Wineries, Beaches
It is heaven for wine lovers, beach lovers, or nature lovers! Super easy to get to, an amazing spontaneous day trip from Auckland. If you’re a wine lover, dine at one of the amazing wineries, or do some wine tastings! There is a huge range of vineyards for you to choose from, with different styles of cuisines like Spanish or Italian. I really enjoy dining at Casita Miro which is a Spanish cuisine vineyard, they have all sorts of delicious tapas, and larger plates of shared food. And varieties of sherry tastings!
Head on to one of the beautiful white sandy beaches to relax, or swim. Oneroa and Onetangi are two of the most famous beaches on Waiheke Island! You can easily spend a whole day there, walking alongside the beachside with some ice cream on hand. Amazing place to escape the city life 🙂 Waiheke is an awesome day trip destination from Auckland or spends a night or two!!
If you’re a wine lover, but don’t have enough time to fit in Waiheke Island. Then head out to the Villa Maria Auckland for an amazing winery experience!
You can either prebook your ferry ticket or purchase a ticket at the ferry terminal. Please note walk-up prices are a bit more expensive than the pre-book tickets online! There’s no set time for your ticket, just explore at your own pace and hop on the ferry at your chosen time!
Rangitoto Island
Ferry: 25 minutes from downtown Auckland
Highlights: Summit Track, Sunset kayaking tour
Planning day trips from Auckland to the Rangitoto Island, and hike up to the summit- the most popular track on the island. Enjoy a panoramic view of Hauraki Gulf across to Auckland! It’s a fairly easy track with some incline along the way, takes around an hour to reach the top!
If you think hiking is a bit mundane, then you can’t miss this sunset kayaking tour to Rangitoto Island. It is truly an amazing adventure, with knowledgeable guides all the way; with the possibility of seeing wildlife! Even provide full BBQ for dinner on the island, what’s more, to ask for 🙂
You can either prebook your ferry ticket or purchase a ticket at the ferry terminal. Please note walk-up prices are a bit more expensive than the pre-book tickets online!
Matakana
Drive: 1 hour from Auckland City
Highlight: Sculptureum, Famer’s market
With a short drive from Auckland City, Matakana is a small town village that offers a lot of amazing activities, and things to do! From beaches to relax to amazing farmer’s markets to explore, and even a public toilet that is very artistic and instagrammable (You’ll know what I mean when you see it yourself haha).
Visit the Scultureum Galleries and Gardens if you’re a wine lover, art lover, or love to explore new, and unique things 🙂 There are all kinds of artworks, sculptures, and surprises throughout your visit here. And once you’re tired of walking around, there is a vineyard for you to unwind and relax! What a dream escape trip.
And if you’re here on a Saturday, there is the famous Matakana Village Farmer’s market from 8 am-1 pm, with many fresh products, bakeries, coffees, and live music; creating a very vibrant atmosphere 🙂 Don’t worry, if you’re not here on a Saturday. There are still many cute restaurants and cafes around the area for you to explore!!
Tawharanui Regional Park
Drive: 1 hour 15 minutes from Auckland City
Highlight: Kiwi Spotting, Night Sky
One of the most beautiful regional parks near Auckland that I’ve been to (personal opinion). Definitely one of the best day trips from Auckland! The Tawharanui Pennisula is amazingly beautiful during the day, and the night sky is also amazingly beautiful!! You can also spot the national icon flightless bird “Kiwi” in their own habitat at night if you’re lucky 🙂
My first time there was when my friend dragged us to see the kiwi, at first I was a bit bored and out of patience. But once I see the kiwi, OMG it’s so worth it!! I was really lucky as I saw them right in front of me passing the little pathway. My friend has experience with spotting kiwis, so we went individually. But there are also spotting kiwis tours if you’re not familiar!
Kiwi Spotting Rules: DO NOT touch the kiwis, and DO NOT use flashlights when taking pictures. Use only red light torch! Be respectful and give them enough space! Understand that you’re visiting them in their habitat!! Be a respectful and responsible tourist 🙂
I came back again for camping and spent the morning exploring the peninsula which I loved. Stunning beach, awesome walking trails, and caves. Also, saw many people surfing here! And I was there on a clear night when the stars were absolutely stunning. Best place to go if you want to see the amazing night sky near Auckland City 🙂
Shakespear Regional Park
Drive: 50 minutes from Auckland City
Highlight: Seclusion, Glowworms
Came here on my first camping trip on North Island, a little secluded, away from the city noise place! You can actually see Auckland City just across the water from this regional park. But it feels completely different, here you don’t have to worry about work, life, or stress. Escape for a day or two, simply relax and enjoy the peacefulness!
There is a trail that leads to the Waterfall Gully, where you can spot some glowworms; not a lot, but it’s a fun little adventure at night. It is a really good waterfall if you visit right after a big rain, or storm. However, when I went it was really dry as there was no rain prior to my visit 🙁 Nevertheless, it is still a good hike to get some exercise in!
If you’re interested in seeing some glowworms at night, remember to bring a torch as you’d be hiking in the dark. Bring a jacket regardless of the time of year, as it will get chilly at night, even in summer!
Te Henga Walkaway
Drive: 40 minutes from Auckland City
Highlight: Overlooking the Auckland’s wild west coast
Amazing hike with stunning viewpoints along the way, if you only want an easy and quick walk. Just take the first part and turn around, you’ll still reach an amazing viewpoint! But if you’re going to take up a bit of a challenge, keep hiking up; it’ll be pretty steep at some point, and along the cliffs can be quite windy!!
Overlooking the west coast, seeing the layers of waves, listening to the sound of waves, and all the other nature sounds, enjoying the breeze up top. It literally feels like you’re at the top of the world 🙂
The hike is quite muddy at some parts on a sunny day, so would not recommend doing this hike after a big rain! Wear good pair of shoes, wear a hat, and bring plenty of water and sunscreen!
The Pinnacles Track (Kauaeranga Kauri Track)
Drive: 1 hour 50 minutes
Highlight: Out of the world sunrise/sunset
I’ve just recently finished The Pinnacles, Coromandel track. and I absolutely loved it! Even though my legs were very sore for a few days after this hike haha. It can be a day hike; or an overnight hike which I highly recommend! I went up at night and stayed at the hut, and woke up the next day for the sunrise. I was a bit disappointed as it was very foggy when I went up, and literally could not see much at the summit due to that 🙁 But I still was lucky enough to see the sun rising, and I have to say it really is the most beautiful sunrise I’ve seen in a while!
The track is intermediate to hard, especially from the Pinnacles hut to the summit. It requires a lot of actual climbing, so you need to have a reasonable fitness level to safely finish this track 🙂 It is around 3-4 hours one way to the summit, with some very steep parts along the track!
Bring a sleeping bag if you’re planning to stay at the hut, and you need to pre-book a bed online! The hut gets fully booked very in advance for the weekends, so plan ahead if you can only visit during the weekend 🙂 It has a cold shower, long drop toilets, mattresses, a kitchen (you need to bring your own utensils, pots, etc..), dining rooms, and a BBQ!
Read More: Ultimate Guide to The Pinnacles, Coromandel- Epic Hike 2022
Hobbiton Movie Set
Drive: 2 hours from Auckland City
Highlights: Famous Movie Set
Many Lord of the Rings, and Hobbit Trilogy fans have gathered here to explore the movie set! Even if you’re not a fan, like me; you will still enjoy this tour very much 🙂 It doesn’t feel like a movie set, it actually feels like a small village where hobbits would live in!
It’s an easy drive from Auckland, where you can also explore the nearby towns like Hamilton, Waikato Caves, Raglan, etc. But if you don’t feel like driving yourself, take a tour from Auckland to Hobbiton, or combine both Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves.
Explore more things to do near Auckland
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New Zealand Travel Guide
Driving a car is the best way to get to those places, and fully enjoy the day trips from Auckland 🙂
So rent a car and begin your journey! Each rental company would have its own rules and regulations, . It is best to research and compare different companies before making a decision. Discovercars is a good website to compare rental companies.
I personally recommend the rental company Snaprental, for really good deals and a quick process when picking up the cars.
One very very important thing to note is to always get the most comprehensive insurance unless you already have travel insurance that would cover rental cars. Otherwise, spend a bit more to get insurance, it’s so much better than stressing later.
Click here for detailed information on traveling in New Zealand.
It certainly took some time for me to appreciate living in Auckland, I still wouldn’t say I love it like I loved the South Island. But I’m happy enough now after explaining those amazing places near/in Auckland.
Hopefully, you enjoy reading this article, and it gives you some ideas of where to go when you’re sick and tired of the city vibe. Drop a comment to let me know where are your go-to places to escape from the city 🙂
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