The Best Weekend Road Trips from Auckland

Auckland is a better base than it gets credit for. Inside a morning's drive you can be at a black sand surf beach, a boutique wine village, a beach you dig your own hot pool in, or standing under a tree that was already old when the Roman Empire fell.

Four weekends, then, in order of how far you have to commit. What each one is actually like, how long it really takes, and the detail that catches people out, because three of these four have one. All you need is a car and a free Saturday.

Matakana, about an hour north

The easiest of the four, and the one that works as a single night away. Matakana is a small wine region in its own right, boutique rather than industrial, with the coast and the regional parks sitting just beyond it.

Time it for a Saturday morning. The Matakana Village Farmers Market runs every Saturday from eight until one at 2 Matakana Valley Road, in any weather, and it is the reason to leave Auckland early rather than after a lie in. Arrive at half past twelve and you are shopping in a car park.

Raglan, about two hours south

A surf town that never got polished, which is the entire appeal. Manu Bay is the reason surfers know the name, and it holds what is generally reckoned to be the longest left hand break in the world. Ngarunui is the black sand beach you actually swim at, and the town itself runs on cafes and creative types rather than resorts.

Do not skip Bridal Veil Falls on the way in or out. It is signposted off State Highway 23 between Te Uku and Raglan, about fifteen minutes from the town, and the walk in through native bush takes ten minutes on the flat to two viewing platforms. The falls drop 55 metres into a pool the water has carved out of soft sandstone. There is a steep staircase down to the base if you want to see it from underneath, and the track is no longer suitable for wheelchairs after storm damage.

The Coromandel, about two and a half hours east

The classic, and the one with the most ways to get the timing wrong. Base yourself at Whitianga or Whangamata and work outwards. It is the most complete weekend of the four, with beaches, bush walks and a coastline that earns the drive.

Hot Water Beach runs on the tide, not on your plans. You can only dig for roughly two hours either side of low tide, so about a four hour window in the day, and outside it the hot spot is underwater and you are standing on a beach with a spade for no reason. Check the tide before you book anything else around it. Spades can be hired there. The water coming up through the sand reaches serious temperatures, so test your pool and let the sea cool it before anybody sits down in it.

The other thing about that beach is the rip. It is strong, particularly around the rocks, and people have drowned there. Swim between the flags when the lifeguards are out and stay well clear of the rocks. Said once, and it is worth saying.

Mautohe Cathedral Cove is open for walking, but check it the morning you go. The area is naturally unstable and has taken repeated storm damage, and the Department of Conservation closes the track immediately if an orange or red weather warning is issued for Hahei. That is a decision made on the day, not a seasonal thing, so a track that was fine last week tells you nothing about this morning.

The Kauri Coast and Waipoua, the long one

This is the one that genuinely needs a night away rather than a heroic day. Head north and west, up State Highway 12 past Dargaville, and the roads empty out as you go. It is the least visited of the four and the one people come back talking about.

Tane Mahuta is the reason. The largest kauri in the country, 51 metres tall, close to two thousand years old, and about a five minute walk from the road. The trailhead is 65 kilometres north of Dargaville, roughly an hour past the town, which is what makes this a weekend rather than an afternoon.

The detail nobody mentions: the track is gated, and the hours change through the year. The gate is locked when the track is shut, and the toilets go with it. Check the current hours with the Department of Conservation before you drive up, because arriving at a locked gate after three hours in the car is a particular kind of misery.

There is a wash station at the entrance and using it is not optional. Kauri dieback is what closed half of these forests, the roots sit just under the surface, and the whole reason the tree is still standing is that people stay on the track and clean their boots. It takes a minute.

Which one should you pick?

One night and you want it easy: Matakana. Leave Friday evening or early Saturday and you are at the market by nine.

Beaches and a bit of everything: the Coromandel. Just build the weekend around the tide rather than the other way round.

Surf, coffee and no schedule: Raglan. It is the least demanding weekend of the four and the easiest to extend by a day.

You want the drive to be part of it: the Kauri Coast. Two nights if you can, one if you must, and check that gate.

If a weekend is more than you have, the shorter drives out of Auckland cover the day trip versions, and our favourite Auckland food stops will sort out the part of any of these that actually gets remembered.

Getting the car sorted

Mileage is unlimited on every rental, so none of these need adding up before you commit, and extra drivers are free when they go on the check in form alongside the main driver, which matters on a two hour each way weekend. You collect in the central city rather than out at the airport, and we have written up how that works if you have not hired from us in Auckland before.

Book a car with Evolve Rentals and tell us which of the four you are doing. We have opinions about all of them and at least one strong one about the tide.

FAQs

What is the best weekend road trip from Auckland?
Matakana is about an hour north and the easiest single night away. The Coromandel at about two and a half hours is the most complete weekend, Raglan at about two hours is the most relaxed, and the Kauri Coast is the longest drive and the quietest roads.

When can you dig at Hot Water Beach?
Roughly two hours either side of low tide, so about a four hour window each day. Outside that the hot spot is under water. Check the tide times before you plan the rest of the day around it.

Is Cathedral Cove open?
It is open for walking access, but the area is unstable and the Department of Conservation closes the track immediately when an orange or red weather warning is issued for Hahei. Check on the morning you intend to go rather than the week before.

How long is the walk to Tane Mahuta?
About five minutes each way from the car park on State Highway 12. The track is gated with hours that change through the year, and there is a compulsory wash station at the entrance to protect the kauri from dieback.

How far is Raglan from Auckland?
About two hours by car, or around 45 minutes if you are coming from Hamilton. Bridal Veil Falls is signposted off State Highway 23 on the way in, about fifteen minutes short of the town.