If you have come up from Auckland and want to explore parts of Northland from a convenient base, there are several easy one-day trips you can make from Lake House to the following destinations.

The Town Basin in Whangarei for cafes, the Clapham Clock collection, galleries, jewellery and gifts. The Treaty House Waitangi and the incredibly beautiful Bay of Islands, the bustling resort of Paihia from where you can take a ferry to historical Russell, the first capital of New Zealand, once a rough and ready place of disrepute, now serene and welcoming. Kerikeri for vineyards, the Hokianga where time seems to have stood still, stunning and secluded East Coast beaches, the giant Kauri trees of the Waipoua Forest, world-renowned Matakohe Kauri Museum, galleries and stunning scenery.

Should you want to be more active, there are several good golf courses in the area, caves to explore, extensive bush and coastal walks including the Te Ara Roa Walkway, the Twin Coast Cycle Trail which will eventually stretch from Horeke to Opua and is currently open from Okaihau to Kaikohe, kayaking, surfing and big-game fishing accessed from nearby Tutukaka.

Twenty kilometres off Northland’s East Coast the Poor Knights Islands are the jewel in the local crown. A total Marine and Nature Reserve and World Heritage Site, the 11 million year old islands’ volcanic origins provide myriad spectacular drop-offs, walls, caves, arches and tunnels. Above and below water, the Islands are abundantly populated with unique and incredibly varied plant, bird and marine life. Laying claim to the world’s largest sea cave and home to the tuatara, the only remaining dinosaur, the remarkable Poor Knights thoroughly deserve their protected status.

At the top of New Zealand, Cape Reinga is a must-see, but to do that you will need to go further north and break your journey. Consider staying at Ahipara at the southern end of the famous 90 Mile Beach. It is then possible to make a comfortable round trip to the Cape on proper roads. While in the area, the fish & chips at Mangonui Wharf are not to be missed and have to be the best in the world.