Arriving in New Zealand for the first time and beginning my one-year working holiday in Auckland, I was left with a simple decision: what direction would I go first? I ended up heading north until the road finally ran out. Before I set off around Aotearoa on a motorcycle, Northland was the root of my entire time in New Zealand, full of beaches, regional parks, forests, harbours, and some of the most unforgettable scenery I saw anywhere in the country.
Here are 15 of my personal favorites and highlights from my time north of Auckland City.
1. Shakespear Regional Park
A beautiful start just north of Auckland, with open coastal scenery, rolling green hills, and the kind of easy outdoor access that makes you feel like the journey has properly begun. It was one of those places that reminded me quickly why heading north felt like the right call.
2. Sunrise at Wenderholm Regional Park
There is just something about starting a day in New Zealand with sunrise by the coast. Wenderholm gave me that kind of peaceful early-morning feeling that makes a place stay with you, even without needing anything dramatic.
3. Ocean Dip at Tāwharanui Regional Park
A solid ocean swim always has a way of grounding a place in your memory, and Tāwharanui gave me exactly that. Beautiful coastline, clear water, and a simple reminder that some of the best travel moments are the ones where you just stop and jump in.
4. Whangārei Falls
A classic and easy Northland stop, and one of those places that feels worth it even if it is short. Waterfalls always have a way of breaking up the road nicely, and this one made for a strong pause heading farther north.
5. Whale Bay
Whale Bay was one of those coastal spots that immediately felt like Northland at its best — scenic, quiet, and naturally beautiful without needing much explanation. It carried that kind of coastline energy that makes you want to linger.
6. Whananaki Footbridge
This is one of those simple but memorable Northland stops that sticks because of the setting. The footbridge gives the place a little character, and crossing it adds a nice little sense of movement and place to the coastline around it.
7. Rāwhiti and the Bay of Islands
While I didn’t visit The Bay of Islands per se, I still have to acknowledge them. But Rāwhiti gave me a glimpse into the wider region.
Did not visit these islands due to costs agains my budget but is certainly a must see! Credit: Wikipedia
8. Rainbow Falls
Another waterfall stop, yes, but one that was still worth it. Rainbow Falls added another good break in the drive and gave Kerikeri one more reason to stop rather than just pass through.
9. Hokianga Harbour
Hokianga carried a different feel from some of the other northern stops. Between the harbour itself, the beach, and the wider atmosphere of the area, it felt more spacious and a little more remote in the best way. It was one of those places that made Northland feel broader and more layered than just a string of beach stops.
Martin’s Beach
Beautiful beach sunset at beach near Beautiful Beach Hokianga Harbour.
10. Kauri Trees and Waipoua Forest
Seeing the great kauri trees, especially Tāne Mahuta, is one of those Northland experiences that carries real weight. It is not just about seeing a big tree. It is about presence, age, and the feeling of standing in front of something that has been there far longer than you.
Tane Mahuta, The Lord of the Forest, the largest Kauri tree standing today.
11. Kai Iwi Lakes
Kai Iwi Lakes felt like one of those places that almost changes the definition of what you expect from a lake stop. Beautiful water, calm setting, and another reminder that the north keeps surprising you with different kinds of landscapes.
12. Driving 90 Mile Beach
This is one of those Northland experiences that feels iconic for a reason. Driving 90 Mile Beach adds that sense of freedom and scale that fits so well with travel in New Zealand..
13. Cape Reinga
Cape Reinga carries a different kind of feeling from the rest of the route. It is scenic, of course, but it also has that end-of-the-road energy that makes it feel bigger than just another lookout. Reaching it felt like arriving at a true northern edge.
14. Te Paki Sand Dunes
Te Paki Sand Dunes were the highlight of my time in the north and honestly one of the biggest highlights of my time in New Zealand overall. The scale, the movement of the sand, and the whole surreal feeling of being there made it unforgettable. It was one of those places that instantly separates itself from everything else around it.
The highlight of my time around the north as well as my entire time in New Zealand
15. Going North Is A Feeling
15 is not a place, but the feeling that culminated an entire voyage across Northland.
When I arrived in Auckland to begin a full year in New Zealand, the map gave me options, but my gut already knew. Something in me was pulled north. Not by logic, not by planning, but by instinct. I felt I had to begin this voyage in Aotearoa by following the road upward until it had nowhere else to go, and I’m grateful I listened.
Even beginning that chapter with a cane, going north opened the journey exactly how it was meant to. It brought me into beautiful corners of the country, into the path of a new friend, into life on the road in a van, and eventually into taking on New Zealand on two wheels, to living a life in Picton and the Marlborough Sounds. In that way, Northland became more than a region to me. It became the first pulse of the voyage — the feeling that the road had truly begun.
