What to do in Whangarei

Activities, attractions and tours

Town Basin Marina featuring a bay or harbour
Town Basin Marina
Town Basin Marina which includes a bay or harbour
Botanica & Cafler Park which includes forest scenes
Whangarei Falls which includes a river or creek and a cascade

Places to Visit in Whangarei

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Let Expedia.co.nz help you find the most exciting and fun things to do in Whangarei, Northland while also allowing you to save a ton on travel arrangements. Regardless of whether you’re an urban explorer or an intrepid outdoor enthusiast, we can help you decide exactly what to do and see during your time in town.

Our thorough travel guides offer you an insider’s perspective on all of the best Whangarei attractions from NZ$25, making it easy for you to decide which places to visit and when. And by using Expedia.co.nz to set your sightseeing schedule, you can take in more of the enchanting attractions this area is famous for.

From group Whangarei tours and must-see landmarks to personal guides who take you off-the-beaten track, Expedia.co.nz offers you over 6 of the most popular events, activities, and attractions in this corner of the world. So whether you’re travelling alone, alongside a loved one, or with the whole family in tow, be sure to browse through our extensive travel guides prior to your plane touching down in this spectacular Whangarei. We even have a massive selection of flights, car hires, and accommodation for you to choose from. So what are you waiting for? Start your search today, and you’ll be having the time of your life before you know it.


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Top places to visit

1. Town Basin Marina

If you love the water and art browsing, make a beeline for the Town Basin Marina when you arrive in Whangarei. Browse the shops, restaurants, cafés and docks of the Whangarei Marina, watch boats come and go, then follow the Town Basin Art Trail along the waterfront to be immersed in creativity and culture.
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Whangarei showing sailing, a bay or harbour and a marina

2. Whangarei Quarry Gardens

Whangarei Quarry Gardens are a community-run project that feature landscaped gardens, a visitor centre and a café. Explore the many gardens that include a collection of camellias and an area with cacti and succulents. Whangarei Quarry Gardens is home to a regenerating forest that is teeming with indigenous plants.
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Whangarei Quarry Gardens which includes a park

3. Botanica & Cafler Park

Visit two of Whangarei’s best green spaces. First, enjoy the landscaped beauty of Cafler Park, then learn about ferns, cacti and other plant species in the green houses and gardens of nearby Botanica Whangarei.
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Botanica & Cafler Park which includes interior views and a park

4. Claphams National Clock Museum

See an enormous collection of historic, artistic and antique clocks at Claphams National Clock Museum in Whangarei. The museum’s collection includes approximately 1,500 clocks that range from Victorian cuckoos to small children’s clocks. Timepieces built by famous clockmakers, including London’s Edward John Dent, also feature in the museum’s displays.
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Take a guided tour of this unique museum to see one of the largest collections of clocks in the Southern Hemisphere.

5. Reyburn House

The Northland Society of Arts (NSA) has been the proud custodian of Reyburn House since 1966. Visit this heritage house in Whangarei’s Town Basin to see an art collection and to enjoy the location of this precious reminder of days gone by. The kids will love the adjacent Town Basin playground.
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Whangarei showing a house, a park and heritage architecture

What to do in Whangarei


Discover the most popular places to visit in Whangarei

Explore areas of Whangarei

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One Tree Point

Though One Tree Point may not have many top sights, you can venture to the surrounding area to see attractions like Mount Manaia and Mcleod Bay.

One Tree Point
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Portland

While there might not be top attractions in Portland, you can explore the larger area and discover places like Whangarei Art Museum and Claphams National Clock Museum.

Portland
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Onerahi

4/5(14 area reviews)

While Onerahi may not have many sights to explore, venturing just a little farther will lead you to top things to see and do like Claphams National Clock Museum and Whangarei Art Museum.

Onerahi
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Parahaki

If you're spending some time in Parahaki, Mair Park and Camera Obscura Timatatanga Hou are top sights worth seeing.

Parahaki
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Marsden Cove

While Marsden Cove isn't home to many top sights, Mount Manaia and Ruakaka Beach are some notable places to visit nearby.

Marsden Cove
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Mata

Plan a visit to nearby attractions like Refining NZ Visitors Centre while you're exploring Mata and the larger area.

Mata

 

Looking for fun things to do nearby? Check things to do near me to find and book the best things to do, fun activities, and top attractions wherever you happen to be.

 


 

Day trip destinations from Whangarei