My boyfriend and best friend are so lovely: They planned a surprise weekend away for me for my birthday. Lucas had drip-fed me a little information and I knew I was going away but right up until the morning my flight, I didn’t know where to, or who with. I opened a mystery envelope left for me by Lucas on the Friday morning before Queens Birthday weekend and was THRILLED to find that I was heading to Waiheke Island with my best bud Clare, who flew over from Melbourne to surprise me.
Now, some might think Waiheke and winter are not a good combo, but I beg to differ and we had an absolutely amazing long weekend. So here is a little something about our time on Waiheke in Winter and some tips of how you can head to this magical island and make the most of it even when it’s a little more chilly. And in winter there are far fewer tourists so that is a winner already!
How to have a great Weekend on Waiheke in Winter
Taking the Ferry
We took the ferry on a Friday afternoon from the Auckland City Port in the main city. If coming from the airport you can get the Sky Bus to within a 5-minute walk or so to the ferry terminal. We missed a ferry so we had an hour to kill and enjoyed a lush glass of wine outside on the sunny patio of Harbourside City Bar and Grill where you have a full view of the ferries coming in and out.
Note that if you are staying nearer to the Kennedy Point side of Waiheke, you should take the Sealink ferry from Auckland but this is about 2km north of the Auckland City Port.
The ferry over to Waiheke is so beautiful and a big part of the Waiheke experience. I recommend sitting in the seats at the back so you can watch the city drift away from you. The tickets are around $30 return and you can just grab them from the terminal before you get on. Make sure you don’t stand in the local’s line!
Accommodation
Our accommodation on the island, booked by Clare (well done Clare!) was one of the lushest Air BnBs I have ever stayed in. Staying Air BnB anywhere you go is highly recommended, but especially on Waiheke (click here to get $50 off your first Air BnB stay) as there are not a lot of hostels or guest houses on the island and Air BnB allows you to stay in some amazingly unique locations and live like a local.
Our Air BnB was located in the bush between Palm Beach and Ostend which was great as we could walk to the beach as well as the supermarket, both taking about 20 mins. The house was so lush and so zen and SO comfortable. The owner picked us up from the ferry, drove us to the place and showed us around her beautiful home. She usually lives there but lets it out occasionally which is why it was so homely and comfortable with an open fire, a giant couch and two huge bedrooms. If you are interested in staying at particular Air BnB, here is the link: but there are also so so so many more beautiful ones on the island, and don’t forget to use my link here to get $50 off your first stay.
Wineries
If you are going to Waiheke, it goes without saying that you need to go to some wineries. This was actually (for my sins!) the third time I’ve visited the island so I have tried my fair share of Waiheke wine and there are some particularly lovely ones to visit. Near the main ferry port on the island, it is well worth checking out Mudbrick, which has the old Italian vibes about it. We did a wine tasting with some super informative American girls and had a beautiful lunch; cauliflower steak, chorizo and delicious polenta chips. They also have an open fire and some amazing sparkling wine.
After lunch, we headed next door to Jurassic Ridge for a bit more wine tasting. I would really recommend this vineyard if you want to get some real in-depth information from someone who knows his stuff about wine. The tasting is done by the owner and winemaker and he’s not messing around – he thought we were a little bit silly I think, but we learnt a lot!
If you are in this area it’s also worth checking out Cable Bay. This winery was very busy and quite Jujuy, but has an absolutely amazing view and is a really nice place to sit and chat over a couple of reds.
Other wineries I have visited and loved on Waiheke (but not on this particular trip) have been:
– Goldie Estate – Beautiful remote setting – amazing cheese platters
– Kennedy Point Vineyard – Great if you are getting the ferry from Kennedy point – Great cheese and olive oil
– Wild on Waiheke – Lots of activities and often live music. A good one to spend the afternoon chilling.
Things to do
Hey, if a winery hopping isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other chilled things you can do on Waiheke in Winter:
- The Saturday Ostend Market
- Go to the amazing and sweet community cinema – it is so CUTE with rows of real sofas
- Do the activities at Wild on Waiheke
- Walk the trails
- Visit the beaches
- Take the Explorer Hop On, Hop Off bus around the island
- Hit the bar at Smugglers Cove – We ended up having a truly wild night here (god knows how)
- Grab a coffee at The Annex – Voted one of the best cafes in NZ
- Eat at Tapas Casta Miro in Onetangi Beach
- Check out beautiful organic, ethical WeAr Yoga store in Oneroa
- Have low key but delicious fish and chips at The Local
- Oysters at the Oyster Inn
- Check out the events page for whats on while you are there
Getting around
It is super easy to take the bus everywhere on Waiheke and it costs $3 each time, so keep some cash on you. However, if it’s not convenient you can also take taxis around too and they are really easy to call up and take you anywhere, especially in winter because it is much quieter on the island. Out preferred taxi was: Waiheke Five-O because they were super friendly and reasonable.
You can also rent cars reasonably on the island if you want to have a super flexible way of getting around, although if your gonna be at the wineries it might not be the best plan!
What to pack
- A warm coat
- Walking shoes + sports gear
- Nice(ish) but warm clothing for visiting the wineries
- A book
- Music speakers
- Sun cream
- Your slippers and Hygge pants!
That’s it! you are all set for an amazingly easy, cosy and luxurious weekend on Waiheke, it can cost as much or as little as you like and its sure to be nice. It even rained for a whole day straight, like super heavy rain and it didn’t even put a damper on our trip as we were cosied inside with an open fire, Sex and the City and warm food.
Thanks for the lush trip Lucas, Clare and Waiheke a great way to turn 30! (a birthday which you can read my reflections on HERE)
Thanks for reading guys and come back soon.
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Josie x