The Seven Best Staycations in Auckland

Sometimes you just need to escape from it all - without the price tag of a full-blown holiday and within reasonable driving distance from the comforts of home. Staycations became popular around the global recession when the dollar was weak and taking a holiday was a risky and pricey decision.

With Christmas behind us and plans for 2015 taking shape on the calendar, we outline some of the top staycations in and around Auckland, including the country's original marine reserve, a place for thinkers and drinkers, an adventure seekers paradise and the ideal cardboard box sliding spot.

Goat Island/Leigh

Only just over an hour's drive from Auckland, New Zealand's original marine reserve, Goat Island, and the salty seaside township of Leigh, make an amazing spot for a day spent exploring sea life and a night spent downing craft beers and catching some of New Zealand's best live musicians in their natural habitat.

Where to sleep: Goat Island Camping

Where to eat: Leigh Sawmill Cafe

What to do:

Snorkel. Gear can be rented from Goat Island Snorkel at $25 for a full set up. They also offer dive courses and dive trips. For those with experience and a surfboard there is a reef break (which may take sweet talking some locals to get directions to). Follow this up with some locally brewed craft beers, handmade pizzas, and live music at Leigh Sawmill Cafe. The Sawmill is one of New Zealand's most cherished live venues and over the summer it attracts some amazing acts. Third3ye, Manual Bundy, and Three Houses Down are already on the cards for summer.

Waiheke Island

A place for thinkers and drinkers, Waiheke is a mecca of fine wine and alternative lifestyle. It is home to both world renowned vineyards and some of the countries best writers, painters, and creators. Only a thirty minute ferry ride from the CBD, get there before gentrification turns it into another Ponsonby.

Where to sleep: Fossil Bay Lodge

Where to eat: Poderi Crisci. Plus heaps of others.

What to do:

Option 1: Hire a bike or scooter to cruise around on. Check out the art gallery as well as the many inlets, bays and shortwalks. Waiheke has a micro climate and tends to get a slightly better deal on weather than us in the big smoke.

Option 2: Do a winery tour. This relatively small island has over twenty wineries including Mudbrick, Cable Bay, and Passage Rock. Drink up my friend.

Piha

Rugged, wild, and perfectly imperfect, Piha is one of the most well known of all New Zealand's surf beaches. Whether it was playing cricket in the campground or tip toeing across scorching black sand, everyone's got a Piha story. And if you don't, you should probably get one.

Where to sleep: Keep it authentic and stay in the campground, unless you have a mate who owns a mansion on the cliff. Then stay there.

Where to eat: The RSA, the surf life saving club or the fish and chip shop. Choose one. Also the bowls club is open for dinner most Sundays.

What to do:

Surf, swim, don't get caught in a rip. Walk along the beach to North Piha, hike up lion rock, play some barefoot bowls, kick back, have a few beers and enjoy some chats with your campground neighbours, and listen to that German backpacker across the way spin some tunes on his guitar.

Matakana

I'm not sure if foodies have wet dreams, but if they do they're probably about Matakana. Vineyards, restaurants, boutique food stores and one of the best farmers markets in the country make up this sometimes bustling and sometimes quaint country precinct. 45 minutes drive from the harbour bridge.

Where to sleep: Camp at Tawharanui Regional Park, or sleep like a king at the Matakana Castle.

Where to eat: Too many places to list, but The Matakana is a good place to start.

What to do:

Come up early on a Saturday with an empty tummy. Begin at the farmers market and sample the lovingly picked, baked, and brewed goodness from local artisans. It's a wonder so many producers with such a focus on quality can come from one region.  Check out one of the cafes for lunch, cruise into a vineyard on the way to Tawharanui Beach (10 minutes drive) where you can nurse your food baby in the afternoon sun.

Awhitu

A little lesser known and a little more off the beaten track but still only 45 minutes from the CBD. Awhitu Peninsula, perched at the furthest point of the Manukau heads is tailor made for adventure seekers.

Where to sleep: Orua Bay

Where to eat: BYO and make use of the public BBQs.

What to do:

Take a walk along the Heritage Trail and read about this area, which is rich in both Maori and early European history. Rent a mountain bike, make use of the several bike tracks in the region and take in the perfectly rugged views of the west coast or rent kayaks and take in the view from the other side.

Devonport

Devonport is on Auckland's North Shore. Apart from a single road in and out, it's pretty much an island in its own right, both geographically and culturally.

Where to stay: Esplanade Hotel 

Where to eat: Calliope Road Cafe, Little and Friday and finish up at Bette's for a drink. 

What to do:

Take a walk up North Head and check the sweet views of the Waitemata and explore the World War 2 tunnels and other war memorabilia. Bring cardboard boxes for sliding if you have kids in tow, or if you feel like getting a little wild. Head down to Cheltenham Beach and jump off the raft. There are plenty of spots for early evening drinks in the village, picnics next to the water, and be sure to catch a movie or theatre performance at The Vic.

Auckland CBD

The big smoke. Well, by New Zealand standards anyway. Roughly 1.5 million of us live here, but in reality the only ones who properly get to experience an inner city weekend are those who live in city apartments and tourists. This is sad really. We should probably change it.

Where to stay: Hotel DeBrett

Where to eat: Tanuki's Cave

What to do: Assuming you live somewhere close-ish to the city you won't have to spend much on transport and so you will be able to afford a swanky room at Hotel DeBrett - or atleast pretend to your new girlfriend that you did. Take an early evening hike up High Street, admire the way people's socks seem to match their shoes and take her for a drink. Head around the corner to Tanuki's Cave and dine in on sake and Japanese food. Conveniently The Classic Comedy Bar is right next door and constantly have decent acts on, so you should probably go there. After the comedy show you will likely be kind of drunk and not want to go home yet. Cassette 9 is a good spot to let your hair down if you're feeling loose, though if you want to pretend that you are classy you should probably go to 1885 Basement.