Elisabeth Easther's love for lighthouses wasn't dimmed after a trip to Tiritiri Matangi's 150-year-old beacon.

At just 47km from central Auckland on the Hibiscus Coast, Waiwera is a doozy of a day trip.

Danielle Wright finds there's more to Omaha than a millionaire's playground.

One person has died after a a car and truck collided north of Auckland. It is the first road death of the long weekend.

Wild beach is a world away from the city, yet just a short drive, says Elisabeth Easther.

Just an hour's drive north of Auckland, 16km from Warkworth, Omaha Beach is home to one of the most beautiful white sand beaches you could ever hope to see.

If you're in a aquatic frame of mind, check out these great on-water excursions.

A desperate man managed to send two text messages to his partner after his boat sank, but they were dismissed as a joke.

A subdivision for 60 houses at Helensville is being criticised by youth lobby group Generation Zero as a bad case of urban sprawl and costly for ratepayers.

Just 45-50 minutes northwest of Auckland, via SH1 and SH16, you'll discover Kaukapakapa on the delightful Kaipara Coast.

There's more to the West Coast than gannets, finds Danielle Wright.

Danielle Wright discovers clubs happy to welcome you in out of the cold.

Labour leader David Cunliffe has defended helping a Chicago-based friend buy a house in Omaha, despite saying overseas investors were hurting the housing market.

Justine Tyerman saves on the international airfares and finds luxury accommodation just 45 minutes' drive from Auckland for a family reunion.

Elisabeth Easter cruises along the cycle trails between Matakana and Omaha.

Our national bird may be shy and retiring, but here's a handful of places where you might be able to get close to them.

Catherine Smith looks at some of the new facilities and activities on offer in Auckland's regional parks.

Hauraki Adventurer and documentary maker Gus Roxburgh shares what he loves about our closest national park, the Hauraki Gulf.

Residents of northern Rodney are making a fresh bid to escape the clutches of the Super City.

Tiritiri Matangi isn't just for the birds, as Elisabeth Easther discovers on a visit to the island's wildlife sanctuary.

Once the kids see Reptile Park's residents, they'll want to stay and stare, writes Dionne Christian.

Danielle Wright takes a sneak peek under water in a glass-bottom boat at New Zealand's first marine reserve, at Leigh.

John Kirikiri tells Elisabeth Easther what he loves about living in Orewa, and how it's a haven for tourists and locals alike