Wellsford is a small yet bustling country town at the northern end of the Auckland region. On weekends and holidays, the town is teeming with travellers filling up with petrol, stocking up at the supermarket and grabbing a bite on the main street.
The Kaipara Harbour is worth a side trip if you want to stretch your legs – Port Albert is only nine minutes away. If you have a tad bit more time, hit the trails within Ātiu Creek Regional Park for a breathtaking angles of the harbour that traverse fields and forest.
Surfers can catch some swells at several beaches to the east of Wellsford, including Te Ārai Regional Park, Mangawhai Heads, Pākiri, Langs Beach and Waipū Cove. Get your swimming fix at any of the beaches, or sweat it out on epic trails such as Mangawhai Cliffs Walk and Waipu Coastal Walkway.
Hikers can also find a natural playground between Warkwarth and Wellsford. Hike through native forest along a high ridge on the Dome Forest Summit Track, a three-hour round trip, or take a short-yet-steep climb up to an epic lookout platform along New Zealand’s famous Te Araroa trail.
If you’re staying a while to enjoy the scenery, there are a number of authentic farmstays and guesthouses where you can experience horticultural hospitality. Stay in a dreamy 100-year-old homestead at Totem Retreat, the secluded Kikitangeo Cabin tucked within rolling hills or one of several unique spaces at Tracy's Boutique Farmstay.
Getting there Te huarahi ki reira
Wellsford is a one-hour drive from the city, and best travelled to by car. You can also trael to Warkworth on the bus route 998, where there are connections to many notable spots in the area including Matakana, Omaha and Auckland
Local tip He tīwhiri mō te rohe
Wellsford swells with queues in peak travel periods. You can avoid long lines by grabbing food outside of standard meal hours, or by hitting the road early.
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