Bus & ferry information with clean restrooms & seating while we waited for the next ferry. Lots of…read moreclean pamphlets & maps. Spectacular views of the bay from here. The ferry ride is :40 to Auckland.

What an amazing time! Learn about the Arataki Pathway to learning, take a Bush walk to a…read morewaterfalls, go to Piha beach, and go on the large Kuri walk. What an adventure. Be prepared for all kinds of weather. Stop in at the Piha Store and get a fresh cup of coffee and a pastry treat before adventuring around. It's absolutely beautiful here. The sand is magnetic on Piha so bring a magnet for the kids to experiment. Highly recommend visiting. Our guide was fantastic for bush and beach she was so informative and fun!

Here's what we do with any international visitors who we collect from the airport, an obligatory…read moretrip to Arataki Visitors Centre before we explore the city any further. This is one of Auckland's most scenic visitor centres, perched atop the Waitakere Ranges on Scenic Drive it offers superb views of our twin harbours, the Waitemata and Manukau, from outside decks. Ideal photo opportunity. From here you can see our stunning native bush because you are literally on the treetops. You get a perspective of the city centre with Rangitoto and Skytower your landmarks, and on the other side is the Nihotipu Dam. The visitor centre has great displays of the area, some gorgeous artwork and great Maori carvings. This is also a hub to get information about trekking in the Waitakere Ranges and there is always a ranger or two to discuss your options. Don't head out into the bush unless you are armed with the correct information and are equipped with the correct gear. Speaking of bush walks, there is an easy 40 minute round trip bush walk across the road from the visitor centre which gives you and your visitors a little taste of the areas bush tracks.

Warkworth and the surrounding region have boomed in the last few years. For this reason the…read moreWarkworth Info Centre is usually a pretty happening little place. Despite being busy, the staff love the region and are all too happy to stop for a chat and tell you all about it. You can get all your bookings done here; accommodation, taxi, rental car, bus and advice on all the local attractions. They also usually do tickets for all the local events too (sometimes easier than driving all the way out to the venue to purchase). It's a good place to pop into if you have any questions; they're friendly and it's a good place to get some local inside knowledge if you're a visitor