This Vineyard takes you to somewhere in Europe, maybe Italy, Spain or France with its European…read morestyle building. I had thought this place might be a bit posh, but its not really, its very relaxing and casual. The food is very delicious and lots of lovely places to sit with different views of the vineyard, they also have a child's play area which is great for us with little ones. And of course what we came here for, the wine, I loved the Ascension Methode Traditionnelle, now I don't know all that wine talk but it has some lovely flavours and was just delicious on a summer's day. This is also a beautiful location for a wedding with the vineyards at the back, you could really get some stunning photos that you would cherish for ever (and maybe say you got married in Europe).

Have been here a couple of times for a work functions. The staff were very efficient and helpful…read more Food was very good and the wine was flowing of course. Took a wine tour including the vines was very informative and loved trying the various samples. Would love to visit during one of the concerts.

All the hype in Matakana is over the Farmers Market, but to be honest my favourite place to go on a…read moreSaturday morning is the Cream of Matakana. It's just down the road, still in the village, in what used to be a dairy factory. Today it's a gift store, and one of my favourites! They do unique art, jewellery, home wares, clothing and a great range of wooden toys. Its like ferreting in a treasure trove; I always end up leaving with something. On Saturdays they have a market outside; a selection of brick-a-brac, food, sunglasses and clothing. The quality of the stalls can vary, and there is a lot of junk but its fun looking through the antiques and scoring a bargain. If you haven't filled up at the farmers market, there is also DELICIOUS Hungarian style bread for sale. The hot cinnamon kind cooked on the rotisserie; scrummo.

This place is just beautiful sitting up there on the hill, you really could be forgiven for…read morethinking you were in Italy somewhere when you come to Mahurangi River Winery. It just lovely on a nice sunny day to sit up there and sip away at some of the lovely wine and food chatting with friends and family. The owner is also so friendly and comes out and has chats with his clients, if you are interested in wine and the history of the place its great. For me this winery is a must if you are coming to visit the Wineries in the Warkworth area. You really don't need to go all the way to Italy when you have places like these.

My wife planned our New Zealand vacation and this was our first stop as she loves Alpacas. Valerie…read morewas a great host and very informative. It was so fun feeding the Alpacas and taking pictures for our memories. The views up here were incredible as well. Price was very affordable. Also, we were able to buy some items (two scarfs and a pair of gloves) made with Alpaca fur that were so incredible.

The Warkworth museum is a charming little pioneer museum with a focus on Warkworth and the…read moresurrounding region. Like Warkworth itself, it's not very big, but dare I say it; has a lot of character. The old black and white photos are my favourite. It's fascinating to see how much the town has changed in the last 100 years, and even more fascinating to see what still remains here! Many kind people have donated to the clothing section over the years, and it's been very well preserved. There's also a great selection of pioneer tools, particularly those used in Kauri milling. The volunteers are brilliant and very willing to show you through. When you've finished taking a look through the museum (which probably won't take too long) there's the Parry Kauri Park walk. Take a pleasant amble along mostly boardwalk through the big old Kauris and native forest.

Impressive theater in a village setting with friendly service. We went during the daytime on a week…read moreday, so it wasn't too busy. Everything was clean and orderly.

This is one of the nicest cinemas I've ever visited -- it's part of a small mini-mall that's wide…read moreopen and spacious. There's a wine bar attached to the restaurant and you can bring your wine in with you. Seats are super comfortable - screens are pretty good. Felt very comfortable and enjoyed my evening there. Everyone was super friendly.

ACCOMMODATION REVIEW ONLY…read more Since there's no separate listing for the hostel, I'll review it here. It was a decent dorm room for one night, mainly to snorkel Goat Island early the next morning. Check-in service at the bar / reception was unremarkably adequate. Price point was right. PROs: + reasonable price + Soap and towel provided + heater in room could be positioned near the bed + functional kitchen CONs: - only linens provided are the bottom sheet, pillow, and pillowcase, so bring your own sleeping bag / liner. - only two outlets in the room for six people. - When it gets busy, there's only two showers, two toilets, and three sinks for sixteen people.

Good food with good ambience. Nice size portions and good selection of beers. Outdoor or indoor…read moredining.