Getting back to nature in Auckland

City breaks are all about shopping, nightlife and packed tourist hotspots, right? Not necessarily. In Auckland, you can find all of that, but there’s another side to New Zealand’s biggest city. Auckland is also the place where you can throw off your city suit and swap it for shorts and a beach towel, where you can sail to islands, walk to beaches, explore villages, stroll through parks and tramp amongst native bush.

Devonport

Just north of the famous Harbour Bridge, historic Devonport is a favoured spot for Aucklanders to chill out at the weekends. The village is known for its beautiful colonial-style villas and offers a treasure trove of art and craft shops, galleries and vintage bookshops, as well as an array of restaurants and cafes.

Take the scenic route to Devonport and travel by ferry ($10 adult return from Auckland). Services leave regularly from the downtown terminal and take about 10 minutes to cross the harbour. Devonport Beach is only a minute or two by foot from the ferry terminal on the wharf. Further afield, the bigger and more beautiful Cheltenham Beach is a mile from the ferry terminal along King Edward Parade. Climb North Head, a small inactive volcano, for stunning views over Cheltenham Beach, the outlying islands and Auckland city itself.

For accommodation, the Esplanade Hotel, opposite the harbour and ferry terminal, is worth splashing out on. A landmark since 1903, the boutique hotel has 15 ensuite rooms, including a luxury suite and a penthouse apartment. Rates are seasonal, beginning at $200 per night (with breakfast) in the off-season.

Long Bay

Auckland’s North Shore boasts many beaches and bays, but Long Bay, further north from Takapuna, is the pick of them. As well as a stretch of golden sand and surf, the marine reserve also features a park area with native bush, including pohutukawa, puriri and taraire trees.

Orewa/Waiwera/Wenderholme

These resorts lie to the north of Auckland, about a 25-minute drive away. The glorious stretch of beach at Orewa may tempt you to stay. If so, book into the Edgewater Motel and be sure to nab one of the six beachfront units, a stone’s throw from the sand. Prices range from $95 to $350. Further north, Waiwera is a popular destination for the hot mineral pools and water slides at the Waiwera Thermal Spa Resort, and the Wenderholme Regional Park is the perfect spot for a day out, offering parklands, picnic areas and a beach.

Mission Bay

Back in the central city, follow the contours of the harbour along Tamaki Drive - about 10 minutes’ drive away is Mission Bay, which has a tantalising range of bars, restaurants and cafes. Enjoy a dinner-time picnic in the beachside park, fringed with pohutukawa trees, and look out over the water to Rangitoto Island. The Fish Pot Café (99B Tamaki Drive) is the place to go for takeaways, and also has seating for 50. You might have to queue out of the door for your portion of snapper and kumara chips, but wait it out – they’re that good (although, at $7 for a piece of snapper, it’s not cheap).

Waitemata Harbour

Don’t just admire the harbour from the shore – be sure to get out on the water yourself. The cheapest way to do this is by ferry; see www.fullers.co.nz. For a more expensive day out, you can try America’s Cup sailing, where, for $150 per person, you can crew on an America’s Cup grand prix racer. Or take a range of cruises and sailing trips with the Pride of Auckland company.

Cornwall Park

You’ll find it all here – landscaped parklands, a wide variety of trees, gardens, picnic areas, grazing farm animals, and one of Auckland’s best views. From the park, you can visit One Tree Hill, a dormant volcano that was once the site of a single pine tree, since cut down by a political activist. There are 360-degree views from the top; further below, Cornwall Park is a much-loved spot for picnics, jogging, sport and bird watching.

Waitakere Ranges

To the west, the Waitakeres offer 250km of walking and hiking tracks, taking in spectacular native bush (including giant kauri trees), on paths punctuated by streams and waterfalls. Titirangi village, with its art galleries, craft shops and cafes, is in the area, as are several vineyards and the black-sand surf beaches of Piha and Bethells. Auckland's Waitakere Estate is a four-star boutique hotel set atop a ridge amongst virgin forest. There are 14 hotel suites and three garden suites; rates start at $170.

Muriwai

Muriwai, one of Auckland’s rugged western beaches, is also home to a sprawling gannet colony. Follow the bush-lined paths to the cliff-top viewing platform and watch the birds swoop in and out on the coastal air currents, tending to the myriad nests packed in, only inches apart, on the treacherous rocky outcrops.

Island-hopping

Consider a trip to Rangitoto, Waiheke or Great Barrier Islands. Several ferry companies operate in the area, including Fuller’s, Sealink and 360 Discovery. Waiheke Island, about 35 minutes from Auckland by ferry, is likely to tempt you into a longer stay. If so, take your car over on the vehicle ferry that leaves from the Half Moon Bay terminal, 20 minutes south of the central city (about $80 return for a car and one passenger). Across the water, you’ll find that Waiheke, which has a thriving artistic community, offers everything from craft shops and cafes to winery tours, beaches, olive groves, farmland and bush walks. For holiday home rentals, visit www.holidayhomes.co.nz, www.holidayhouses.co.nz or www.bookabach.co.nz.

Where to stay in Auckland

Look beyond the bland exterior of the Barrycourt Hotel (10-20 Gladstone Road, Parnell); the hotel’s secret weapon lies in its panoramic views. Make sure you get a harbour view room, looking across to Devonport and Rangitoto Island. From the hotel, it’s an easy stroll to Parnell village, with its colonial architecture, cafes, restaurants and independent shops.