The city gets a bit of a bad rep around New Zealand, but if you ask me, there are lots of great things to do in Whangarei! My partner’s mum lives around here, so we’ve had tons of time to explore the city and surrounding areas over the past several years. Just 2ish hours from Auckland, this area of Northland has lots to offer and is well worth the visit. Read on for details about activities, restaurants, and even my favourite place to stay.
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My favourite things to do in Whangarei
Here are some of the top things to do in Whangarei (and the surrounding area). So make sure you check out on your next trip to Northland!
Whangarei Falls
This is probably one of the most visited and common things to do in Whangarei. BUT what most people don’t know is that you can walk behind the falls! This requires some confidence traversing rocks in your bare feet, or with maybe rock shoes if you go prepared. And it’s quick — it’ll only take you about 15 minutes. There’s nowhere to actually hang out back there, but you can get a cool, closer vantage point.
Waipu Caves
You can find these stunning caves filled with thousands of glow worms just 40 minutes from the city — and they’re free to visit! For now… I’m a bit devastated to say they’ve recently made a bigger parking lot, added a campground, and started offering guided tours.
You need to wade through some water that’s often deep enough to go just above your knee, and I’m not going to lie to you… there are eels in there. But stick with it! Being brave and getting through the eel-infested waters is well worth it once you’re in the deeper chambers of the cave. Bring rock shoes, tall gumboots/wellies, or you can go barefoot like a true Kiwi.
Also, about half the drive will take you down loose gravel roads. So prepare for your ride to get a little bumpy and dusty!
Heading behind Whangarei Falls
Waipu Caves
Abbey Caves
Important Update: Due to a tragic incident that led to the death of a child last year, the caves are currently closed. They may open again in March 2024. DO NOT enter caves when it’s raining as they’re susceptible to floods. I will check back and update this post when the caves re-open.
The Abbey Caves are the cooler, quieter, and lesser-known glow worm caves in Northland. These are more suitable for the off-the-beaten-path adventurer, as it requires a little more effort to get deep into these caves. But what they have over the Waipu caves is that they’re just an incredibly short eight minute drive from town!
While I kept this a secret for ages, word has gotten out on its own and they’ve built a carpark across the street and have added signage to help tourists find it. So the cat’s out of the bag and I feel less guilty telling people about it. Glow worm caves are a must if you’re visiting New Zealand, and definitely one of the most adventurous things to do in Whangarei.
HeadsUp Adventures
Ready for a little adventure?! These guys offer a unique experience where you can cruise down steep, winding forested hills on electric “monster scooters.” They also have mountain bikes and forest paintball, so there’s no shortage of activities to choose from! The best part about the scooters, is that you really don’t even have to do anything. They cart you and your wheels up to the top of the hill, you whip down, and they pick you up again. You can book here.
Along the path to Abbey Caves
HeadsUp Adventure Park
Ruakaka Beach
With stunning soft white sand with epic views of the Brynderwyn Hills, Ruakaka Beach is the perfect spot to relax on a sunny day. It also boasts some of New Zealand’s best surf, and tends to be relatively quiet (compared to places like Piha). We did see a shark here one day, but no one was attacked or anything, so I still rate it. This beach is also a great spot to pull over when driving from Auckland to Whangarei.
Peach Cove Track
This 3-hour walk involves a lot of steep walking and a little bit of climbing to get to the top, but has some incredible views once you’re up there! I’ve only done the day walk, but there is a hut you can stay in overnight. This is an excellent opportunity to hear some native birds singing when all else is silent — including kiwis, if you’re lucky!
There are only a few bunks available in the hut, so try to book well in advance.
Peach Cove Track
Ruakaka Beach
Hundertwasser Art Centre - One of the newest things to do in Whangarei
Right on the edge of the Town Basin you can explore this almost Gaudi-esque new building in the heart of Whangarei. It’s a bit steep at $25, but you can wander around the outside for free. There’s also a cute cafe/restaurant, but I’d recommend going to one of the cafes nearby as they’re a bit cheaper and you can do more people watching. Make sure you visit the rooftop for some stunning views!
Honourable mention to the Mermaid Pools (now closed)
These were accessible from Matapouri Beach, and visiting used to be one of my favourite things to do in Whangarei. But it had to close because visitors were leaving too much garbage behind. Please don’t be dicks when visiting beautiful places.
Where to Eat in Whangarei
Here are some of the best eats to check out when you’re busy ticking items off the list of things to do in Whangarei:
- Astro Boy: craft beers, cool cocktails, Asian fusion menu, live music, outdoor back garden, a whole futuristic comic book neon space thing goin’ on.
- The Butter Factory: spacious and cozy outdoor dining space, modern pub menu, live music, and soooo many burgers.
- Loco: yummy Latin American food, great location right in the town basin, a bit expensive.
- Braaihut: good for takeaways but there are also some seats inside, perfect for a little peri peri and they’ve got a wonderful variety of spice level.
- No.8: another Asian fusion spot, this one is a little more upscale and offers a patio with a view of the basin.
Where to Stay in Whangarei
We stayed at the cutest little Airbnb in a boathouse, but it’s not listed at the moment. However, I do keep a running list of unique Airbnbs all over the world. So I’ve visited, some I haven’t. Here’s my list for the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand.
View from the boathouse
Live music at the Butter Factory
Good advice to not be “dicks when visiting beautiful spaces”, because then we can’t see nice things!