Piha Beach: Located only 40 kilometres from Auckland is Piha beach — one of New Zealand’s most famous surf spots. Piha is a black-sand beach that is known to be moody, misty and windswept. Popular with seasoned surfers, this beach is uncrowded and is great for swimming in the summer months. If you don’t want to sit on the beach, take the Kitekite track up to a dramatic waterfall.
Hobbiton Movie Set: Take a dive to Middle Earth. Only a two-hour drive away is the Shire, home of the Hobbits. The Hobbiton Movie Set was used in Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. On your visit, you can take a look at Bag End (the home of Frodo and Bilbo Baggins) and visit the likes of the Green Dragon Inn and The Mill.
Ambury Farm: Head over to Ambury Farm in Ambury Regional Park for a great family day out. Spend the day at this working farm and help feed the lambs. You can also get up close to pigs, cows, peacocks and chickens (or chooks as they are known in New Zealand).