14 best day trips from Auckland
Choose from islands, beaches, or glowworm caves
One of my favourite things about Auckland city is that it sits on the narrowest point of New Zealand.
Sandwiched between two harbours, it's within easy reach of both east and west coasts.
No matter which direction you go, in less than two hours — traffic permitting —you can find yourself on a beach, a mountain, or even an island.
It’s also possible to do a lot of exploring without a car. I lived in Auckland for around two years before getting a campervan, so I got used to taking ferries to islands for weekend day trips.
That means you can take some epic day trips from Auckland. These are some of my favourite spots to escape the city.
jump ahead.
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A few quick things:
If you need a car, check prices on Discover Cars
Try to avoid driving back into the city between 3pm and 7pm — traffic can be a nightmare.
If you want snacks for your mini road trip, I recommend stopping by a Daily Bread bakery.
Auckland day trips with no car
If you don’t have a car, you can still do some great day trips from Auckland central — the easiest options are to take a ferry to islands in the Hauraki Gulf.
I like being able to leave my car behind for the weekend, so it’s nice to hop on a ferry and skip off to a pretty island.
Ferries typically leave from downtown Auckland, which makes these trips nice and accessible if you’re staying close to the city centre.
1. Waiheke Island — the island of wine
Location: 40 minute ferry from downtown Auckland
Highlights: Easily visit vineyards and beaches without a car
Take a tour: If you want to make things easy, book a full day tour with wine tastings.
Waiheke Island is an easy day trip from Auckland, being only a 40 minute ferry ride from the central city.
This is one of the best Auckland day trip options if you don’t have a car. The island is easy to navigate via public transport, and there are also the options of hiring e-bikes for the day or taking a wine tour.
If you catch the ferry across to Waiheke mid morning, you can plan to go for a couple of wine tastings and lunch at a vineyard.
Vineyards like Tantalus Estate and Te Motu are right on the bus route, and within walking distance to each other. Alternatively, you can keep things simple by booking a tour. I usually recommend this one as it visits some of my favourite vineyards and includes food, so you can try Waiheke oysters.
Waiheke Island has some great places to eat, where you can sample some of the produce grown and harvested from the island itself — like fresh Waiheke oysters.
Following lunch, you can go for a stroll along one of the island’s beaches (Oneroa, Onetangi, and Palm Beach are all stunning) or walking trails, before getting some Island Gelato in Oneroa village and then making your way back to the city.
Or, if you want to stay for sunset, head to Mudrick for another glass of wine.
2. Tiritiri Matangi Island
Location: 80 minute ferry ride from Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour
Cost: $95 per adult (book via Explore)
Another Auckland day trip you can do without a car is Tiritiri Matangi.
This island sanctuary is home to rare birds like kōkako, takahē, and tīeke.
There are a number of walking trails around the island, which lead to beaches, the lighthouse, and through native bush where you can spot birds.
The tracks range from 10 minutes to 2 hours, so you this day trip is accessible for seniors and families.
There’s also the option of going on a guided walk, which only costs $10. Book guided walks through Explore, when you buy your ferry ticket.
If you want to make this an overnight trip, you can also book a spot in the former lighthouse keeper’s cabin via the DOC website.
3. Rangitoto Summit hike
Location: 25 minute ferry from downtown Auckland
Looking back at Auckland from Rangitoto
Rangitoto Island is a fixture of the Auckland skyline. From almost anywhere in the city, if you look out to sea you’ll see the perfect cone of Rangitoto rising out of the harbour.
Climbing to the summit of Rangitoto is an easy Auckland day walk.
Catch the 25-minute Fullers ferry from Britomart ($53 return for an adult) and step onto the volcanic shores. The scrubby bush and porous black rocks give Rangitoto a wild and remote feel, despite being so close to Auckland.
The climb to the summit is gentle, and from the top you have incredible views across the lava fields and pōhutukawa forest out to the harbour and Auckland skyline.
Because this walk is quick and easy, you can add on a walk around the base of Rangitoto Island, even popping across the causeway to the adjacent Motutapu Island for a longer day out.
Walking around the base of Rangitoto you’ll quickly get away from the crowds headed to the summit, and it will feel much more like a deserted island.
I love the tiny retro baches tucked up against the volcano slopes .
Just make sure you’re back in time for the ferry. The last departure is usually 3.30pm or 4pm.
For something more than a day trip, but a little bit special, you could spend a night on Rangitoto in a historic bach (small holiday home). Check out this stunning listing on VRBO for a truly unique experience.
4. Rotoroa Island
Location: 75 minute ferry from downtown Auckland
Cost: $95 return
Photo via Rotoroa Island Trust
Rotoroa Island in the Waitematā Harbour is one of my favourite day trip destinations from Auckland.
The gorgeous little island feels like magical escapism. There are takahe, one of New Zealand’s rarest birds, wandering around, gorgeous island walks, and one of Auckland’s best beaches.
The island is a wildlife sanctuary, and it’s a beautiful place to connect with nature.
As well as the walking trails, Rotoroa has some lovely beaches which are perfect for swimming.
Ladies Bay is a quiet, golden bay with calm and flat water. A gentle walking track leads from the wharf to Ladies Bay. Carry on and you can also visit Mens Bay, then Cable Bay on your return.
Explore Group runs a ferry from the Auckland central ferry terminal to Rotoroa Island. It takes around 75 minutes and costs $95 per adult return. Check out the timetable on the Explore website.
Day trip destinations within 1 hour of Auckland
If you do have a car at your disposal, there are plenty of wonderful beaches and walks you can reach within an hour of Auckland.
That’s without traffic though — just keep in mind that on weekends you might have to contend with some traffic, especially coming back into the city, and even more so on a Sunday evening.
5. Piha
Location: 45 minutes west of Auckland
Highlights: The wild black sand beach and bush walks
No car? Take a stunning rainforest and beach tour with Bush and Beach
Piha Beach, on Auckland's rugged west coast, is easily one of the best beaches in the Auckland region.
Piha is located a 45 minute drive west of Auckland's city centre. The road winds through the lush forest of the Waitakere Ranges, climaxing in a view of Piha framed by bush-clad hills.
The Kitekite Falls walk is a gorgeous 1 hour walk, the perfect way to explore the bush around Piha.
Piha’s powerful waves are a magnet for surfers, so the area has the laid back, salt sprayed feel of a classic small surf town. There are lots of small holiday homes tucked into the bush, as well as classic Kiwi cottages.
For those less drawn to the wild waves, you can take long beach walks and sink your toes into the black sand, or spread out a picnic blanket and stay into the evening to admire the sunset.
I love stopping by the Piha Store for coffee and baked goodies, to take down to the beach.
6. Brick Bay Wines and Sculpture Trail
Location: 1 hour north of Auckland
Brick Bay is a boutique vineyard and restaurant, set in a lush landscape in the Matakana Wine Region.
On the 200 acre property is a gorgeous sculpture trail which weaves through native bush.
Head to Brick Bay for wine tasting, lunch, and a walk around the sculpture trail.
The Glass House restaurant is cantilevered over a pretty lake, serving food that highlights the freshest seasonal produce. On weekends, make sure you book a lunch table in advance, as it’s a popular weekend destination from Auckland.
Diners get a discount on the Sculpture Trail — it’s $15 if you eat in the restaurant, or $18 per adult if you just want to go for the walk.
The Sculpture Trail takes around one hour to walk.
Brick Bay is open Monday to Friday 10am–4pm and Saturday to Sunday 10am–5pm.
Brick Bay produces Pinot Gris, Rose, Chardonnay, and a few other wines. A tasting is $8, including olive and oil and honey. If you buy a bottle of wine, the tasting fee is waived.
6. Puhoi
Location: 50 minutes north of Auckland.
Puhoi is a small village located on the banks of the Puhoi River.
The village centre is home to a gorgeous little library, a historic pub, and the Puhoi Cottage Tearooms, where you can enjoy classic scones with cream and jam in an idyllic setting.
Everything in Puhoi is quaint and adorable.
If you want to add more action to your day, you can rent kayaks and paddle down to the estuary at Wenderholm Regional Park.
Day trip destinations within 2 hours of Auckland
These self drive day trips from Auckland are a little further afield, but well worth the extra time on the road.
Within two hours, you can feel like you have truly escaped the city.
I personally think that 2 hours is about the maximum you want to drive from Auckland for a one day trip. And that’s already pushing it — these destinations would also make great weekend or overnight trips, to give you more time.
7. Waipū
Location: 1 hour 50 minutes north of Auckland
Highlights: Free glowworm caves and beautiful beaches
Waipū is a small town just over 90 minutes north of Auckland. The surrounding area is great fun to explore on a day trip, with a mix of bush and beach.
The Waipū Caves are an awesome place to visit, and if you have a campervan you can even camp overnight here.
If you venture into the cave system you can see glowworms, as well as stalactites and stalagmites in impressive caverns.
The Waipū Caves Track, which starts close to the cave entrance, is a great short walk. It takes roughly 90 minutes to walk the four kilometre return track, through unique limestone rock formations and regenerating bush.
Head to Waipū Cove for a beautiful beach with stunning blue water.
Go for lunch at The Cove Cafe, directly opposite the idyllic Waipū Beach, or follow the Waipu Coastal Walkway is a track that traces the coastline around to the neighbouring Langs Beach.
Eutopia Cafe, Kaiwaka
Eutopia Cafe, Kaiwaka
The drive up to Waipu will take you through Kaiwaka — if you want a unique place to stop for lunch, I recommend the Eutopia Cafe. It’s a great cafe with Gaudi-esque decorations.
Worth stopping for a coffee just to experience it!
8. Mangawhai Heads
Location: 1 hour 45 minutes north of Auckland
Highlights: The Mangawhai Cliffs walkway and a white sand beach
Mangawhai Heads is a small coastal town where the main thing to do is hang out at the beach.
The beach is popular for surfing and it’s also a good spot for swimming. The water is bright blue and the sand a powdery white.
The Mangawhai Cliffs Walkway is an epic walk, with stunning views of the coastline. It takes around 2-3 hours and involves a steep climb to a lookout point before a gentler trail along the cliffs.
At low tide, you can walk back along the beach.
9. Goat Island and the Sawmill Brewery
Location: 1 hour 15 minutes north of Auckland
Highlights: A coastal walk, snorkelling, and an epic brewery
Goat Island Marine Reserve offers some of the best snorkelling near Auckland.
There’s also a great short walk, the Goat Island Walkway, which has lovely coastal views.
15 minutes from Goat Island is the Sawmill Brewery + Smoko Room. This independent, New Zealand owned operation is New Zealand's first and only B-Corp certified Brewery.
Stop by for a few beers in the sunshine, try a tasting flight, or just enjoy the cosy vibes of the brewery.
Or make a reservation for lunch or dinner at the Smoko Room restaurant.
The restaurants ingredients are ethically sourced, seasonal and mostly local — the cheeses, olive oil, seafood, beef, bread, olives, fruit and vegetables are largely sourced from the surrounding region.
10. Pakiri Beach
Location: 1 hour 40 minutes north of Auckland
Pakiri Beach is one of the best beaches in the Auckland region, making it a great destination for a day trip from the city.
Pakiri has all the hues typical of the east coast north of Auckland; a broad stripe of white sand in between cerulean water and the muted green of mature pohutukawas.
The gentle waves at Pakiri make this beach perfect for beginner surfers. It’s also a great spot for bird enthusiasts, as a breeding ground for endangered fairy terns and dotterels.
For a different perspective on the beach, you can take in Pakiri from horseback with Pakiri Beach Horse Rides.
11. Port Waikato
Location: 1 hour 10 minutes south of Auckland
Once a fishing port, now a quiet bach town, Port Waikato sits next to the broad delta where the Waikato River pours itself into the Tasman Sea.
Port Waikato is only 70 minutes out of Auckland, but it might as well be years.
Surrounded by acres of dunes and bordered by a vast black sand beach pounded by wild surf, Port Jackson has the windswept, remote feel of a place much further removed from civilization.
The liveliest spot in town is the wharf, which is often lined with people, rods in hand.
If you want to cast a line but forgot your fishing gear, no need to worry; the wharf store, which has been running since 1864, stocks fishing supplies alongside the typical dairy fare.
On clear evenings, take a front row seat at sunset beach and watch the sun drop into the sea before heading back to Auckland.
12. Raglan
Location: 2 hours south of Auckland on the West Coast
Raglan is one of my favourite destinations in the whole North Island.
It’s a little bit of a trek from Auckland, but it’s a great day out if you like surfing.
You can take surf lessons at Ngarunui Beach, or more experienced surfers can head to Manu Bay.
After a surf sesh, I love strolling around the shops in Raglan town, and stopping for a leisurely lunch at one of the local cafes.
You can also drop into a yoga session, get fish and chips from the wharf, or jump off the footbridge into the water at high tide.
13. Kawau Island
Croissant-shaped Kawau is the exotic island escape you’ve been dreaming of.
With no real roads, roaming wallabies and bright peacocks strutting through historic gardens, Kawau feels as if you’ve travelled further than an hour north of Auckland.
To get to Kawau, you need to drive to Sandspit Wharf near Warkworth, then hop on a ferry across to the island.
The main attraction on the island is Governor Grey’s Mansion House and park-like gardens. There are also several walks meandering through the Kawau Island Historic Reserve, including a track to a former Pā site and to the remains of a coppermine engine house built in 1854.
More destinations from Auckland
If you have more time, you might like to check out my recommendations for weekend road trips from Auckland.
Or, if you’re starting a road trip from Auckland, these itineraries might be helpful:
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