Danielle Wright discovers the dramatic drive to Manukau Heads Lighthouse along a winding road through Awhitu Peninsula.

Efforts are rewarded on a group kayaking trip by gorgeous sights and a hearty lunch. Andy Kenworthy joins in.

Danielle Wright finds the blustery conditions and loudness of the ocean strangely soothing on a weekend break at Bethells Beach Cottages.

NZ tourism operators are concerned about the effect Kiwis' overseas holidays are having at home.

Hot springs at Lake Tarawera are a reminder of the area's volcanic history, writes Alex Robertson.

A bill aimed at changing the nasty habits of some freedom campers passed its first reading in Parliament today.

Viva experiences the very best of Wellington in the VIP style we could easily become accustomed to.

As NZ skifields delay opening because of unseasonably warm weather, some Aussie resorts are blanketed...

Mangawhai has always been beautiful. Now, with fine food and art, it's cultivated too, finds Liz Light.

There's more to Karangahake Gorge than the view from SH2, as Danielle Wright discovers on a weekend break from Auckland.

Paparoa has had a makeover and offers plenty for visitors, writes Susan Edmunds.

Australia's "silver nomads" holidaying in New Zealand will enjoy discounts on goods and services under a new reciprocal arrangement for SuperGold Card holders.

Vicky Jayne finds plenty to see on Route 35 - and all at an enjoyable pace.

New Zealand and overseas guests spent 165,000 fewer guest nights in Canterbury during March.

Eat, drink - and learn to cook - aboard the Pacific Pearl, writes Kerri Jackson.

It may not be the first place that springs to mind when you're after an art fix, but Waikato is home to two exhibition spaces that will have culture seekers revelling, writes Libby Nicholson-Moon.

Despite a fruitless search for great coffee, Diana Clement finds plenty to do and see in the warm and welcoming Bay of Islands.

The Foveaux Strait ferry is not for the faint-hearted, says Chris Samsara.

Danielle Wright discovers a day at the races, wild west-coast style.

Easing his bones in natural hot springs and filling up with a hearty meal in an old colonial hotel is Phil Parker's idea of a great weekend in Waikato.

Pictures speak a thousand words, but for rookies the first word is "m for moron", finds Kate Roff.

From plains to peaks to rainforest, the TranzAlpine offers a taster of the striking south.

A trip with her 10-year-old to wildlife-packed and tranquil Tiritiri Matangi island proves to Sarah Lawrence that fun can be had far from the reaches of modern razzle dazzle.

There's plenty to see and do - and eat - in nearby Mangawhai, discovers Graham Hepburn.

This water park is a scream for young and old, finds Alex Tully.

An expanded, updated and improved new edition of the book which won deserved acclaim - and an award - when it was first published 11 years ago.

If you're keen for a spot of luxury and pampering, Rotorua's Peppers on the Point may be just the place, says Diana Balham.

Cate Foster gets on her bike and enjoys the trails of Woodhill Forest - and the refreshment waiting at the end of her journey.

No time for a full game of golf? Practise your swing at one of these spots.

So close to Auckland, and yet a world away, is a hotel tucked into an area of unsurpassed beauty. Nikki Birrell heads into the heart of the Waitakeres.