Stuck for ideas on what to do these school holidays? Why not visit Matakana, the ‘Matakana Coast Wine Country,’ for a day trip or a weekend away with the kids? The area is spoilt with cafes and restaurants, markets, activities for the kids and beautiful clear water beaches. Just an hour north of Auckland city, leave first thing on a Saturday morning and head to the Matakana Village.
Park at the free parking lot just up from the primary school, then walk to the village, making Tramcar your first visit. Grab a takeaway coffee, a milkshake or a quick bite to eat (their burgers are amazing!) and then wander down to the Matakana Farmers Markets where in spring the entrance is filled with cherry blossom trees and fairy lights.
The markets are packed with local produce and yummy treats: cheese, oil, breads and bakery, fruit and veg, free range eggs, fresh flowers, cakes and desserts, crepes, seafood, fresh pasta and more. Each week there is local music playing that you can sit down and listen to along the waterfront. There’s also a kids play area with a cubby house and a small fish pond.
For lunch, the Matakana Market Kitchen is perfectly located on the water. They have a huge selection of food items on their all-day menu and also have a large gluten free menu. Be sure to make a booking though, this place is a great spot! If you fancy a pizza, the Rusty Pelican specialises in just that. They’re big and they’re delicious. Don’t forget the curly fries! In winter, they offer 2 for 1 pizzas on Tuesday and Thursdays, and also have burger and steak nights. All their meals are generously sized.
Or, do you want to sit outside amongst a lush garden for lunch? You can follow the trail along the waterfront until you get to the beautiful waterfall and take the stairs up to Plume Cafe (not many stairs, but steep and it can get muddy when we’ve had rain), otherwise go back out to the main road and you can enter the cafe there. They serve high tea during the week and have a fine dining restaurant, Plume.
Ready for dessert? Join the queue at the yellow caravan on the main street (between Matakana Village Pub and The Bach shop), where they sell real fruit ice creams and frozen yoghurts. They are huge and no trip to Matakana is complete without one! They’re famous and you’ll soon see why.
Getting thirsty? Call into the Matakana Village Pub for a pint from the garden bar and sit in their large outdoor area with picnic tables and day loungers. Listen to the live acoustic music, or on a Sunday the DJ. In winter, the outside fireplace keeps the locals warm.
Wander back to the car then make your way to the Matakana Country Park, the kids will love it. On weekends, or every day in the school holidays, the Country Park Express train runs until late afternoon (weather permitting). You can purchase a bag of food to feed the farm animals from the train staff or the craft shop. There’s a large playground for the kids to run around in too, horse rides, Stables restaurant, Smiths restaurant and bar, a cafe and even a studio to do yoga classes.
You must be ready to relax at the beach by now, so drive on out to Omaha and set yourself up on the white sand for the afternoon. In the summer holidays, the beach is patrolled. Walk along the 3km beach to the far end where you might see fisherman fishing on the rocks, or you can walk along the cement path and admire the beach houses. There is also a dairy that sells everything you need, a gift store and the Omaha Beach Cafe.
Omaha Beach Cafe has a selection of salads, sandwiches, healthy treats and desserts in the front cabinet, or you can order from their menu. The cafe is also licensed and does happy hour every second Saturday from 4pm – 6pm. There is a selection of smoothies you could take away and enjoy in the park. There are picnic tables and BBQ area, a great playground with built in trampolines and plenty of room for the kids to kick the ball around or play some backyard cricket.
If you’re staying the night, perhaps you have booked a beach house in Omaha or a bach looking out over Snells Beach? For a date night, you can get a glass of wine from The Vintry and take it into the Matakana Cinemas, where every theatre room is decorated with either a large chandelier, a wall full of flowers or stunning drapery. In the front row you can take advantage of the lazyboy recliner chairs, they’re comfy as!
For the following morning, start your day fresh and have brekky at Little and Local in Snells Beach. There is a big selection of cabinet food and a large menu you can choose from. The kids can enjoy their fluffys in the kids corner with table and chairs, colouring in, books and toys while the adults admire the local talent that is on display ranging from art work, books, craft items and more.
After breakfast, walk along Snells Beach and enjoy stunning views out to Tawharanui, Kawau Island and Little Barrier Island. There are a few parks along the walk, one with a flying fox and basketball hoop, picnic tables and public toilets. It’s also a hot spot for campervans. And why not, with that gorgeous view.
For lunch, book a table at Brick Bay Wines and Sculpture. Set amongst a vineyard and serving produce from their own veggie garden, you can enjoy coffee and cake on the lounge overlooking the large pond, have a cheese and wine platter outside in their vineyard, have a delicious lunch in the glasshouse restaurant (and yes, they have a kids menu) or walk the 2km sculpture trail into the bush, showcasing NZ artwork and listening to native animals. There is a sandpit and swings for the kids, and you might even see some farm animals.
On your way to Warkworth stop in at Charlies Gelato for a tasty scoop or two. All 40 flavours of gelato and dairy free sorbettos are made on premise, with a flavour of the month always on offer. In summer, the wood fired pizzas are a must, as you sit outside amongst the vineyard.
Just 10 minutes north of Warkworth is Sheep World. You might recognise the pink coloured sheep out front if you’ve driven north before. A great spot for kids to get up close to the farm animals and pat the baby lambs, bunny rabbits, llamas, deer, sheep, ducks, pigs and emus. Enjoy walking the 5-minute eco discovery trail and then watch the 2x daily sheep and dog show with demonstrations of the sheepdogs bringing in the sheep and then the sheep being shorn. You can purchase NZ items in the gift store on your way out. There’s also a small café onsite and a playground.
Still keen to do more in the area? Come see my blog again soon where I will let you in on day trips on boat and land you can do, walking trails, snorkelling and more beaches. Have a safe drive home, see you again soon.