12 Hours Northland

Start your day in Warkworth at Pete & Mary's Eatery, a charming café run by brother-sister duo Tim and Suz, who have more than 25 years in the local hospitality scene between them. Named in honour of their late grandparents, it blends small-town warmth with a touch of modern polish. Grab a table in the sun, order a proper brunch and a flat white, and fuel up for the road ahead. Open Monday to Saturday.

Ten minutes up the road, Matakana village is a must for anyone who loves good bread. Ringawera Baker brings French baking tradition with a Kiwi personality, turning out some of the best loaves and pastries in the region alongside Ozone coffee. Pick up a croissant for now and a baguette for later. If you have room for more, family-run Goose Bakery on Leigh Road (open Wednesday to Sunday) adds Polish custard buns and traditional cakes to the mix. Visiting on a Saturday? The Matakana Village Farmers' Market is right on your doorstep.

Before leaving town, make time for Hub Matakana, part café, part reading room and part bookshop, set in a leafy garden that was once a run-down shed. Guided by permaculture principles, it's a calm, low-waste space where you can flick through a new read, pick up a gift or linger over a hot chocolate in the garden.

Head east to Leigh and on to Goat Island (Te Hāwere-a-Maki), part of New Zealand's first marine reserve. Pack your togs and a snorkel: the clear, protected water is full of fish, and you don't need to swim far from the beach to see them. Once you've dried off, head back into the village for lunch at Leigh Eats, a local institution with more than 50 years of history. Hot, crispy fish and chips by the sea is the order of the day. Leigh Eats is closed on Mondays.

From Leigh it's just under an hour's drive north to Mangawhai Heads, home to one of Northland's best coastal walks. The Mangawhai Cliffs Walkway climbs from the surf beach along farmland and cliff tops, with sweeping views out to the Hen and Chicken Islands. At low tide you can loop back along the rocks and beach. Check the tide times before you set out, and allow a couple of hours for the full loop.

Finish your day at Brewed As in Mangawhai Heads, a humble café that has grown into a sprawling eatery set in a courtyard just off the main street. The menu is built on fresh Northland produce with bold, Asian-inspired flavours, and there's a cocktail list to match. Dinner service runs Wednesday to Saturday, so book ahead in summer.

Prefer to stay closer to Matakana? The Farmers Daughter at Point Wells serves a seasonal farm-to-fork menu with views across the Whangateau Harbour, and is open for dinner every night.