The 2- to 3-hour drive from Auckland to Whangarei is scenic and there’s lots to do along the way to break up the journey. Some are a little off the beaten path and others are considered must-dos by locals. Here are my top rated stops from Auckland to Whangarei (and back). I’m something of a connoisseur, because my partner’s mum lives there and we make the journey regularly.
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Things to do on the way from Auckland to Whangarei
There are so many things to do on the way from Auckland to Whangarei, but in no particular order, here are my top picks!
Waipu Caves
These are worth the slight detour on gravel roads if you want to see an epic display of glowworms! Not too far into the cave, you can stand in the “cathedral” without feeling too claustrophobic, and look up to see hundreds of tiny blue lights. Well, not really lights so much as bugs with glowing butts. But from far away, they’re super pretty.
Prepare to get your feet wet! A bit of wading through cave water is necessary to get to the good stuff. You may even want to consider water shoes, but Kiwis do it barefoot all the time. I think this is one of the best things to do on the way from Auckland to Whangarei because the Waipu Caves have some of the best glowworms in the country!
Peach Cove Track Hike
Accessible from Whangarei Heads, the Peach Cove track takes about 3 hours to complete. It isn’t too challenging, though the track isn’t particularly flat or well-maintained. I came very close to losing my phone over a cliff at the summit, but the views are worth it!
Goat Island
Stop here to experience some of the best snorkelling on the North Island!
Just a 30-minute detour from the road from Auckland to Whangarei, you can check out this stunning marine reserve. Bring your own gear or go on a guided snorkelling tour to find rays, trigger fish, squid, and starfish. We also saw some gigantic fish that were like, basically human-sized.
Even if you’re not keen to go for a swim, it’s worth pulling off to get some views of the crystal clear waters surrounding the island. You can also rent clear kayaks! There’s a lot to do, so you could also make this a full day trip from Auckland.
8Wired Barrelworks Brewery
Full disclosure, my partner is a sales rep for this brewery. BUT its excellence is legit — I wouldn’t lead you astray. Aside from award-winning craft beer, they also have food trucks slingin’ great pizza and even doughnuts. It’s a quick detour from the main road, so even if you don’t have time to sit down, stop in to grab a few cans to drink at your destination!
Sawmill Brewery
Is there anything better than enjoying a local, preservative-free craft beer on an outdoor patio with views of rolling hills? I didn’t think so. Sawmill is pretty much on the way to Goat Island, so the perfect place to stop before or after a swim.
Mangawhai Heads Beach & Cliff Walk
This is a great spot for swimming with a fun little rock feature you can climb out to if you’re sure-footed and the tide is reasonably low. You could also check out the cliff walk if you’re looking for something more adventurous than lounging on the beach.
Ruakaka Beach
A little further up towards Whangarei, you can get to Ruakaka Beach easily from the main highway. It’s also a reasonable stop if you’re feeling claustrophobic after the Waipu caves and want to look out into the expanse of the ocean.
FYI: We have seen sharks here, and the waves are a little choppy, so I wouldn’t necessarily recommend swimming here. But people do, and I’ve never seen anyone get eaten. It has a really nice view of the Brynderwyn Hills in the distance!
Pigeon Cafe
Ok so this is actually called Eutopia, but I’m pretty sure everyone just knows it as “that pigeon cafe” on the way to Northland. This is the perfect spot to stop and stretch your legs, get a cute Instagram photo, and grab a coffee for the road.
Kaiwaka Cheese Shop
The “Last Cheese for Miles!” which doesn’t make sense in New Zealand, because we use the metric system. But hey I guess, “Last Cheese for Kilometres” doesn’t have the same ring to it. It’s right next to Eutopia (The Pigeon Cafe) so you can get your coffee fix then peruse fancy cheeses before you have to drive through *gasps* miles and miles of road without a cheese shop in sight.
You’ll see the sign outside, so they’re pretty hard to miss.
The South African Store (Biltong Plus)
This is a must-stop for us every time we make this trip, because Chesney and his family are South African. It’s almost exactly half-way from Auckland to Whangarei, which is the perfect time to stop and stock up on biltong, chili sticks, koeksisters, and other snacks for the drive.
You’ll be able to spot the flag and life-sized zebra from the road.
HeadsUp Adventures
For something a little more thrilling, you can stop at HeadsUp adventures and go full throttle down a forest track on a scooter. It’s a unique activity and exceeded my expectations! Both in level of fun and level of difficulty. You can set your own speed, but you’ll get the hang of it after a couple runs and feel more comfortable going fast and furious. It’s kind of like riding a bike.
They also have mountain biking and forest paintball if scooters aren’t your thing, and a café with a gorgeous view.
Stopover guide for the drive from Auckland to Whangarei
Here’s a map to help you visualize where you can find the best stops along the route from Auckland to Whangarei.
The 2 routes from Auckland to Whangarei
There are two main roads that can get you out of the city on the way from Auckland to Whangarei and back. If all things are equal, following Highway 1 up the whole way is likely the fastest. BUT if you’re leaving Auckland on a Friday afternoon… good luck with that. It may be sneakier to take Highway 16 to get out of Auckland on the windier back roads and then merge with Highway 1 in Wellsford.
I feel like such a boomer writing out these directions. What am I doing? You’ll just follow Google. So would I.
But for real, keep Highway 16 in the back pocket if there’s a lot of traffic. It’s more windy, and you’ll miss out on a couple of hot stops like Goat Island and 8Wired Barrelworks, but you can still catch most of the good stuff past Wellsford.