Discover the best close-to-home travel experiences with us on Stuff Travel.
There’s nothing like a cheeky weekend away to lift your spirits after an energy-sapping week. Whether you’re returning to a place of happy memories, revisiting somewhere you haven’t had the chance to explore fully, or venturing into the great unknown, short breaks are all about squeezing as much pleasure as possible into every waking hour.
Auckland getaway: Mangawhai
Denise Piper/Stuff
Mangawhai Heads used to be a small community but the scenic beach and estuary attracts plenty of Aucklanders. A walker, foodie, swimmer and surfer’s paradise less than two hours from Auckland, “magical Mangawhai” offers similar hedonistic treasures to nearby Matakana – with thinner crowds and largely lower price tags.
Tekapo Springs general manager Jenny Koberstein said the event was a way to give back to the community that stood by the business through Covid-19. “Despite all the adversity, Kiwis have picked themselves up and shown tremendous support towards tourism businesses such as Tekapo Springs. “This support has ultimately allowed our business to continue to operate and we are just so thrilled that we have been able to retain all our team members,” Koberstein said.
Kevin Bowie/Stuff
Children run through the Jumpernaught, a giant inflatable obstacle course at Tekapo Springs. Aotearoa New Zealand Canterbury Foodbank spokesperson Lisa Bragg said the 800 food cans donated “was an outstanding effort and will most certainly help an organisation that is under extreme pressure at this time of the year”.