Enjoy West Coast Beaches
Pack up your togs, towel and picnic rug and head out on SH16.
Gather some picnic items on your way, gourmet goods, cheeses, bread, cured meats, delicatessen items and produce from Boric Food Market [A]; wine from one of the areas top vinyards Soljans, Kumeu River, Coopers Creek, The Hunting Lodge, or Westbrook Winery in Huapai [C]; or fantastic pies, baked on site The Pie Shop in Kumeu [B] or The Food Vault in Huapai [C].
Now you have a choice. Head out to Muriwai Beach Regional Park [10] on the west coast, or to sheltered Shelly Beach [D] on the Kaipara Habour.
The turn off to Muriwai at Waimauku. The Regional Park has picnic spots under the trees off the beach. After lunch, you can walk up to the Gannet Colony or along the back sand beach.
If you decide to visit Shelly Beach, head up State Highway 16 to the roundabout before Helensville, turn left and then keep going until you see the turnoff to Shelly Beach [B] on the right. Work up an appetite with a beach walk or swim before your picnic with a view of the mighty Kaipara harbour. Laze as long as the day takes you, time goes slow in these parts (approx 35 minutes from Huapai).
Meander back through to the Coatesville-Riverhead highway to Riverhead [8] for a craft beer tasting paddle at Hallertau Brewery & Biergarten [E]. Smaller samplers of all their current brews will help you decide which one you fancy as you settle in for some serious relaxation (around 40 mins from Shelly Beach).
