Waihi Beach to Snells Beach: Gardens, Auckland & Heading North

Another morning, another change of scenery.

Today we were leaving Waihi Beach and continuing our journey north. We woke to rain, which actually worked quite well for us.

After several days of beaches, swimming and being outdoors, a driving day in the rain wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Although I had originally wanted to head back through the Karangahake Gorge, the route had other ideas. The gorge was closed for maintenance, so we'd have to take a different route via Whangamatā.

And actually, that worked out rather well.

A Rainy Morning In Whangamatā

If we were going to pass through Whangamatā, I wanted the boys to see a little of the area rather than simply drive through.

So I chose two stops:

The beach and the wharf.

The weather wasn't exactly inviting us to spend hours on the sand, but it was still worth getting out of the car and having a wander, while the sun was out.

Albs, as usual, was keen to investigate everything immediately. He's the one who spots something interesting and is off before I've even finished saying, “Come and have a look at this.”

Archie is much more chilled. He'll wander along, take everything in and generally give the impression that nothing particularly surprises him anymore.

They couldn't be more different, but somehow they work well together.

Whangamatā is one of those coastal places that immediately makes you want to come back when the sun is shining.

We had a look around, took in the coastline and let the boys stretch their legs before getting back on the road. Sometimes, particularly when you're travelling with teenagers, a quick stop is enough. You don't have to turn every place into a full day out.

Heading North Again

From Whangamatā we continued north, eventually cutting inland just south of Thames and heading back towards Auckland.

This was another one of those driving days where I had a few stops in mind, rather than one big attraction.

I'd already told the boys that I wanted to visit the Auckland Botanic Gardens (https://www.aucklandbotanicgardens.co.nz)

It had been on my list for ages, and because we'd never quite managed to fit it into previous trips, I wasn't going to miss the opportunity this time.

Albs was enthusiastic about the prospect of a botanical garden. He's very much an “Are we actually doing anything?” sort of traveller.

Archie, on the other hand, is usually happy as long as he has his phone, some food and doesn't have to be told to smile for a photo every five minutes.

Teenagers, eh?

One of the things I really liked about the gardens?

It's free to visit. You can't beat a free attraction on a family road trip.

Auckland Botanic Gardens

By the time we arrived, the weather had thankfully eased enough for us to get out and explore. First, we made a quick stop at the café to refuel.

Road trips require snacks. Lots of them.

Especially with Albs. Then we headed out for a wander.

We explored the African Plants Garden and walked around the lake, taking our time and enjoying the greenery.

Albs was naturally more interested in anything that moved, anything unusual and anything that looked like it might be worth investigating.

Archie was more content just walking around, listening to his music and taking everything at his own pace. Neither of them suddenly developed a burning passion for horticulture but to be honest they both pitch in at home with the polytunnel and chooks.

But they were happy enough. That’s often the win when travelling with teenagers.

After several days of beaches, ocean and coastal scenery, it was actually lovely to have a change of landscape. The gardens are peaceful, spacious and very easy to explore without needing to turn it into a major expedition.

For me, it was another reminder of why I love travelling this way. Not everything needs to be an adrenaline activity. Not everything needs a ticket.

Sometimes it's simply about finding somewhere beautiful, getting out of the car and having a wander.

And actually, I think the boys are learning that too.

Albs doesn’t need alot of persuading to start with, and once he's somewhere, he's usually off exploring.

Archie has become much more independent as he's got older and is perfectly happy wandering alongside us without needing constant entertainment.

The weather held for us, which was a bonus.

And I already knew I'd be back. Next time, I'd like to explore it with Craig.

Auckland And Another Road Trip Decision

Back in the car, we still had some driving ahead of us.

Our destination for the night was Snells Beach, north of Auckland, where I'd booked us somewhere I'd noticed popping up in searches several times over the years.

The Salty Dog Inn (https://saltydog.nz)

It had always caught my attention. Eventually I decided, why not? So I booked it.

Sometimes that's how I choose places to stay.

Not because they're the biggest, newest or most luxurious, but because something about them catches my eye. Plus I wanted to see what this one was like.

The boys weren't particularly bothered where we stayed, as long as there was food involved and they had somewhere clean to collapse at the end of the day. Teenage priorities.

Through Auckland And Heading North

The drive through Auckland gave me another opportunity to show the boys some of the city's landmarks. We crossed the harbour and I pointed out Sky Tower, giving them another little glimpse of Auckland as we continued north.

Albs was interested enough to have a proper look, while Archie gave the sort of response only a teenage boy can give when his mum excitedly points out a landmark.

Something along the lines of, “Yeah, I know.”

Cheers, Arch.

As always, we avoided the tolls. If there's a scenic alternative and we're not in a hurry, we'll generally take it. I'd much rather see a little more of the landscape than pay for a faster route when we don't need to.

We stopped in Warkworth for supplies, topped up what we needed and then continued towards the coast. This is one of the things I actually love about travelling with the boys now.

They're old enough that we don't need to schedule every minute. We can stop for food when we're hungry, pull over when something looks interesting and change plans when the weather dictates it.

It's much more relaxed. Yes, occasionally there is still an argument over who gets the better seat.

They're teenagers. Obviously.

A Night At The Salty Dog Inn

The Salty Dog Inn (https://saltydog.nz) definitely makes itself known. It's right there along the main road, so you certainly won't miss it.

We still had one thing I wanted to do before the evening disappeared.

One Last Beach

Before the sun went down, the boys and I headed down to Snells Beach. What a difference from the previous day's weather. The bay was incredibly calm and still. The sort of sea that makes you want to get in. So, naturally, we did.

Albs was straight into his usual “Why not?” mode.

He's always been the one most likely to suddenly decide that getting in the sea is a brilliant idea, regardless of temperature. Archie is a little more measured. He'll watch, assess and then decide whether he's joining in.

But give him the right conditions and he'll happily get involved too. A quick sea dip. A little exploring.

And some time simply standing beside the water.

After a day spent mostly in the car, it was exactly what we needed.

This is something I've noticed throughout this trip.

Even on the days when we're driving for hours, I still need that connection with the outdoors.

Ideally the sea.

Sometimes a woodland.

Sometimes a lake.

But I need to get outside, breathe and reset before the day is done. Thankfully, the boys rarely need much persuading either.

I think Albs has definitely inherited my “let's just go and see what's there” attitude.

Archie is just happy to take things in his stride and not make a massive fuss.

Between the four of us, including Craig, we'd probably make a pretty decent travelling team.

A Simple Evening

Our room at The Salty Dog Inn was a ground-floor Twin Studio, which worked perfectly for the three of us for one night. It wasn't complicated. It didn't need to be.

We had somewhere comfortable to sleep, we'd had our fish and chips, we'd been down to the beach and we'd squeezed another little adventure into the day.

For this particular night, it was just me and the boys, and we'd already decided we'd keep dinner simple.

So there was no fancy restaurant meal for us.

We grabbed fish and chips and settled in for the evening. Had I been travelling with Craig, I suspect we'd have been much more tempted to eat in the pub restaurant at the inn. But with Albs and Archie, fish and chips was always going to win.

Albs demolished his with the enthusiasm he seems to reserve specifically for food after a day outdoors.

Archie was much more relaxed about it, happily eating away while already thinking about what he was going to do for the rest of the evening.

 Sometimes, especially with teenagers, simple is good.

So we settled in for an evening of food and Netflix in bed. Albs was, unsurprisingly, still full of energy.

Archie had switched firmly into teenage chill mode.

And I was somewhere in between happy, tired and already thinking about tomorrow.

After several busy days of exploring, it was actually rather nice to do very little.

Tomorrow we'd continue north again to Whangarei Heads. We were getting closer to the part of New Zealand I'd been particularly looking forward to sharing with the boys.

That was becoming one of my favourite parts of this whole trip. Not just seeing New Zealand again. But seeing it through their eyes.

Albs with his curiosity, energy and tendency to disappear off investigating something.

Archie with his calmer, more independent way of taking everything in.

They're growing up fast, and travelling with them like this makes me realise just how quickly that is happening.

The journey was becoming less about getting somewhere and more about seeing how many little places we could discover along the way.

As always, I had a few ideas up my sleeve.