Everyone's favourite season of the year has arrived, and we're here to help you make it your best summer ever.
From weekend escapes with mates to the luxury vacation you’ve been dreaming about, summer brings blissfully warm evenings, packed festive calendars and the promise of a new year.
To celebrate the start of summer, we’ve rounded up enough inspiration and intel to keep you busy from the silly season all the way through to March. BYO sunnies.
Outdoor Adventures
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The Best Summer Day Trips Out of Auckland
Wineries, weekend markets and wild beaches are only a short drive away.
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Five Scenic Spots to Watch the Sun Go Down in Auckland
Head to one of these scenic spots when the forecast promises clear skies and dreamy colours.
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The Five Best Beaches for Learning to Surf Around Auckland
Whether you're a first timer or looking to brush up on the basics, nab a lesson or two at one of these popular surf beaches.
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Ten of the Best Walks You Can Do with Your Dog in and Around Auckland
Whether you're after native bush, off-leash paddocks or urban wetlands, Auckland has plenty of accessible dog-friendly walks to choose from.
CP Trips Getaways
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Bali's Most Romantic Stays When Proposals and Honeymoons Come Calling
Perfect for those looking to honeymoon or just run away with their special someone.
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The Best Adults-Only Hotels and Resorts in The Whitsundays
Kids can be cute — but sometimes we need a holiday without the little ones running around.
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Fiji's Best Islands to Hit up Next Time You're Seeking a Tropical Getaway
From private islands turned into luxury resorts to hidden archipelagos surrounded by coral reefs teeming with turtles and tropical fish.
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Experience the World's First Gin Heli-Tour and an Onsen Retreat in Queenstown
Fly around this alpine region on a helicopter gin tasting tour and spoil yourself rotten at a spa retreat up in the mountains
Escapes Near and Far
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The 13 Best Hotels In Melbourne
Whether you're vacationing or staycationing, this lineup of the best hotels in Melbourne will help you live your best life — fine restaurants, premium spas and pillow menus await.
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Fifteen Unique Stays with Breathtaking Views of New Zealand's South Island
From rugged secluded cottages to luxurious lakeside retreats.
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The Most Luxurious Boutique Hotels In and Around Auckland and Wellington
Whether you're planning an out-of-town jaunt or just a much-needed staycation, these unique spots have something for everyone.
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Your Guide to Exploring Tokyo on Foot If You're Itching for an Adventure
By all accounts, it's the perfect time to travel to Tokyo.
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Seven New Zealand Holiday Homes That Come With Private Beach Access
From exclusive campgrounds to secluded cabins in the winterless north, here's where you can stretch out on your own private beach this summer.
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Five Lesser-Known Wine Regions to Visit in New Zealand
Not mentioned: Central Otago, Marlborough nor Hawke's Bay.
Date and Mate Nights
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The Ten Best Day Spas in Auckland
Treat yourself to a full-body scrub, a coconut milk bath or a luxurious buccal facial that literally fights gravity at these Auckland spas.
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Auckland Bars and Restaurants That Are Undeniably, Unabashedly Romantic
Low lighting, jazz playlists, opulent cocktails — these date spots will help you to start planning the perfect Valentine's Day.
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Hana Has Just Opened a New Extra Large Ice Bath and Sauna Room So You Can Take a Mate (or a Date)
Is hittting the sauna before immersing yourself in ice-cold water your idea of a good time? We have date night sorted.
Summer Eats
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Six Spots to Enjoy Bottomless Boozy Brunch in Auckland for 2024
Start your weekend with unlimited bubbly, beer, vino and cocktails (and ruin all regular brunches forever).
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Where to Find the Best Burgers in Auckland for 2024
From suburban takeaway joints to late-night food trucks, here are eleven spots where you can find quality burgers in Auckland.
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The Best Bars and Pubs Around Auckland for When You Want to Drink Outside
Knock off work early and head to one of these sun-soaked spots for a few afternoon brews.
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Where to Find the Best Late-Night Eats in Auckland
Satisfy those late-night munchies with soul-warming ramen, Korean fried chicken and pelmeni dumplings.
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Eleven Classic Picnic Spots to Try Around Auckland This Summer
Nothing says summer like eating your lunch surrounded by trees.
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Five of the Best Spots to Get Iced Coffee in Auckland
Don't subject your body to an extra-hot flat white when it's 27 degrees outside — instead enjoy one of these frosty concoctions.
The Best Things to Watch This Summer
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Ten Films and TV Shows You Need to Stream This Month
Spend your couch time watching the delicious return of 'The Bear', Glen Powell playing a fake hitman and Lily Gladstone's latest excellent performance.
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Eleven Films and TV Shows You Need to Stream in April
Spend your couch time watching Andrew Scott step into Tom Ripley's shoes, a shattering docuseries about Nickelodeon's kids TV hits and Colin Farrell as a PI.
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Eleven Films and TV Shows You Need to Stream in March
Spend your couch time watching Adam Sandler in space, a stunning Oscar-winning documentary, girl group-fuelled sitcom hilarity and Noel Fielding's latest show.
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Ten Films and TV Shows You Need to Stream in February
Spend your couch time watching the new 'Mr & Mrs Smith', one of this year's Oscar Best Picture nominees and a stellar new space thriller.
The Guest Edit
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The Guest Edit: SWMR's Sophie Wardrop Shares Her Favourite Swimming Spots Around the North Island
Bookmark this guide for your day trips, road trips and out-of-town stints this summer.
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The Guest Edit: Sheet Society Founder Hayley Worley Talks Colour Trends
Owner of Sheet Society and design extraordinaire Hayley Worley chatted to Concrete Playground about all colour trends you need to be across this year.
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The Guest Edit: Sustainable Skincare Innovator Emma Lewisham
The founder of the New Zealand-based luxury skincare line has compiled a lineup of brands that share her company's planet-saving ethos.
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The Guest Edit: 'The Caker' Jordan Rondel Handpicks the Best Spots to Treat Yourself Around Auckland
Here's a hint: You'll find four out of five on Karangahape Road.
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The Guest Edit: New Zealand Designer Juliette Hogan
From all-natural skincare to local wineries lowering their carbon footprint, one of the country's most celebrated designers takes us through her sustainable daily staples.
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The Guest Edit: An Organised Life Founder Beck Wadworth's Must-Have Books
From a Scandinavian interiors tome to a biography of the grand dame of Champagne, bookmark these stellar reads.