Algies Bay is a lovely quiet neighborhood with families, retired people and quite a few holiday homes. The beach is a great place to walk all year round. For active people, the beach walk can be extended up a series of steps to the donkey sanctuary. Matakana is a short drive away, with its fabulous Saturday morning market, movie theater and range of excellent cafes and restaurants. The famous Morris and James pottery is one side of Matakana and Charlie's ice-cream and pizza parlour the other. Both are highly recommended. Past Matakana is Omaha for a long beach walk, surf or play in the waves plus a bird sanctuary at one end. Tawhahanui Regional Park has magical beaches, snorkelling and the Ecology Walk is a beauty with a high chance of seeing taheke. If snorkelling is one of your favoured activites, Goat Island at Leigh, is superb followed by a pizza and music at The Sawmill. Snells Beach is our nearest shopping and it has The Warehouse, The Village Kitchen for fresh fruit and veg and a few staples plus the cafe called Little and Local which serves excellent coffee and carrot cake. Easily cyclable if you push the bikes up the hill! Warkworth is a 10 to 15 min drive for supermarkets, banks etc. Auckland airport is an hour 20 mins away, while you can easily drive into the city for a day's sightseeing or an evening show. There is a large shopping mall at Albany, 45 mins away.

A car is the best option although there are regular buses to nearby places and to and from Auckland. Car swap negotiable.