Your must-visit Whangārei highlights itinerary

Published on 29 April 2025

Welcome to Whangārei! Whether you're just stopping in, or here to stay, these itineraries are jam-packed full of fun ideas, beautiful sites and must-visit attractions.

Half Day

Park at the Town Basin, where there is coach, shuttle, and car parking. From here, visitors can spend several hours exploring:

• The Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Māori Art Gallery
• Claphams National Clock Museum
• Art galleries and local retail stores
• Walk all, or part of, the 4.2km Hātea Loop Walkway, taking in the Sculpture Trail, Camera Obscura, and Te Matau a Pohe Bridge.

Enjoy lunch at one of the many cafes and restaurants, catering to all budgets.

Before departing, visit Otuihau Whangārei Falls, with parking for shuttles, coaches, and campervans. The 20-minute loop walk takes in the towering 26.3m falls from above and below.

One Day

Start your day with breakfast and a walk in the Town Basin, where there is coach, shuttle, and car parking. From here, visitors can spend several hours exploring:

• The Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Māori Art Gallery
• Claphams National Clock Museum
• Art galleries and local retail stores
• Walk all, or part of, the 4.2km Hātea Loop Walkway, taking in the Sculpture Trail, Camera Obscura, and Te Matau a Pohe Bridge.

At 11am, head to Kiwi North for the daily kiwi feeding in their nocturnal kiwi house. While there, meet some of Northland's geckos, wetā, and other native wildlife.

Enjoy lunch at Quail Café at the Whangārei Quarry Gardens, where you can sit down for a lovely meal or grab a takeaway coffee and wander the beautiful subtropical gardens.

In the afternoon, visit A H Reed Memorial Park, where you can walk along the canopy walkway and stand beneath 500-year-old kauri trees. From here, it's a lovely 2.1km, generally flat walk to the base of Otuihau Whangārei Falls. If you're short on time, drive to the falls, where there is parking for shuttles, coaches, and campervans. The 20-minute loop walk takes in the towering 26.3m falls from above and below.

Driving north? Stop for dinner at Schnappa Rock in Tūtūkākā, or enjoy fish and chips on the beach. Heading south? Stop in at Waipū and enjoy a beer tasting and pizza at McLeod's Pizza Barn or a beachside meal at The Cove Cafe, Restaurant and Bar.

Weekend

Friday Afternoon

Start your Whangārei weekend with a visit to Otuihau Whangārei Falls, with parking for shuttles, coaches, and campervans. The 20-minute loop walk takes in the towering 26.3m falls from above and below. You can also visit the Canopy Walkway at A H Reed Memorial Park to see ancient kauri trees by walking the lovely 2.1km section of the Hātea River Walkway or drive to the parking lot on Whareora Road.

Dinner: Enjoy one of Whangārei's vibrant restaurants.

Saturday

Start your day with a visit to the Whangārei Growers Market. This weekly market offers the best local produce and artisan treats - and a cinnamon roll from the Hare Krishna Community Café is a must!

Follow up with a walk in the Town Basin, where there is coach, shuttle, and car parking. From here, visitors can spend several hours exploring:

• The Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Māori Art Gallery 
• Claphams National Clock Museum
• Art galleries and local retail stores
• Walk all, or part of, the 4.2km Hātea Loop Walkway, taking in the Sculpture Trail, Camera Obscura, and Te Matau a Pohe Bridge.

Make your way to the Tūtūkākā Coast by 11am to join the Perfect Day tour of the Poor Knights Islands. Snorkel, kayak, or paddleboard around the famous marine reserve, recognised in National Geographic's ‘Best of the World 2025'.

Dinner: Dine at Schnappa Rock, Te Ākau Roa or Marina Woodfired Dining in Tūtūkākā.

Sunday

Start your day at Quail Café at the Whangārei Quarry Gardens. Sit down for a lovely meal or grab a takeaway coffee and wander the subtropical gardens. From here, choose to explore either:

• Whangārei Heads - explore the Busby Head gun emplacements and stunning Smugglers Cove via the short half-hour return walk. Enjoy beach-hopping around the peninsula, from the quiet harbour bays to the surf of Ocean Beach. Lunch: Stop for a bite at the Parua Bay Tavern. Located right on the waterfront, this gastropub is a local favourite.
• Bream Bay - Drive south to Waipū and explore the village with its vintage shops and cool cafés. Discover Waipū's rich Scottish history at the Waipū Scottish Migration Museum, then discover a glow-worm wonderland at Waipū Caves Farm Park. Lunch: Once your Bream Bay afternoon is complete, stop in at The Cove Cafe, Restaurant and Bar for a fantastic lunch or head back to McLeod's Pizza Barn in Waipū for a pizza and a tasting flight of their award-winning beer.

Depart Whangārei for Auckland or the beautiful Bay of Islands.