Looking for ideas for things to do in Kumeu and around? Look no further – we’ve got you covered.
Kumeu is home to Auckland’s oldest winery and is located just a short 20-minute drive from our downtown Auckland car hire branch or 45 minutes from our car rental location at Auckland airport.
Kumeu is home to a cool mix of boutique wineries, craft breweries, orchards, and lots of rolling farmland. A lot of Aucklanders have never visited Kumeu and for those that haven’t, you are seriously missing out. There has never been a better time to head out for a day trip to Kumeu where you will discover award-winning restaurants, trendy galleries and some great shops selling lots of local produce.
As well as being an awesome destination, Kumeu is located in close proximity to some of Auckland’s best day trip destinations which means you can make Kumeu part of a bigger day out in Auckland, ensuring you get to see and do a diverse range of things in one day.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at five of the best things to do in Kumeu and five of the best things to do within half an hours’ drive of Kumeu – let’s GO!
5 amazing things to do in Kumeu
As the home to Auckland’s oldest winery, it’s perhaps no surprise to find that wineries and cellar door tours dominate the list of things to do in Kumeu. In fact, Trip Advisor lists just three things to do in Kumeu and they are all wine-related so this seems like the best place to start.
1. Soljans Estate Winery
View this post on Instagram
Soljans Family Winery has been family owned for three generations since 1937, making it the third-oldest family-run winery in the country that is still family-run.
The Estate and Winery is home to the Soljans Café which, in normal times, is the perfect place to enjoy a bite to eat and sample some of their stunning wines. Soljans Café has been named as one of Auckland’s Top 40 Restaurants, by The New Zealand Herald, and one of the world’s Top 20 Winery Restaurants in the World.
In their vineyard, they grow Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinotage, all varieties which excel in the Kumeu region.
2. Kerr Farm Wine
Another of Kumeu’s most popular wineries is Kerr Farm Wine. The vineyard produces around 2,500 cases of locally grown wine each year and they produce boutique estate grown wines including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and their ever-popular Bella Rosa Rosé wine.
Their Sauvignon Blanc is one of the few that is grown in Auckland so if you are a fan of New Zealand Sav, give that a try if you make it out to Kerr Farm and see how it compares to other regions.
Under normal circumstances, the winery opens every weekend from 11 am to 5 pm for wine tasting events and this is an opportunity to sit down with the winemaker to discuss the process, the vines and the wines.
3. Kumeu River Wines
View this post on Instagram
The final vineyard you should swing by is Kumeu River Wines – a place with a lot of history. Owned and run by the Brajkovich family, Kumeu River Wines has international recognition for their award-winning Chardonnays – recently awarded 100/100 on critic James Suckling’s website.
Whilst Kumeu River Wines do produce other varietals, Chardonnay is their primary focus and the wine that they are known for. The estate encompasses 30 hectares and each year, they produce around 250,000 bottles of wine, all locally sourced in Kumeu. One of the distinguishing factors of Kumeu River’s wines is all the grapes are harvested by hand. This allows the opportunity to remove sub-standard grapes by hand; the result is a net yield of purely high-quality grapes.
If Chardonnay is your thing, make sure you swing by and pick up a bottle or two to enjoy on your travels or sitting at home enjoying the summer sun.
4. The Riverhead
Whilst this one is not technically in Kumeu, it’s right on the doorstep and offers a good alternative for those who are not into wines. The Riverhead is New Zealand’s oldest riverside tavern and has been a “house of refreshment and conviviality” for around 160 years.
There are three separate spaces at The Riverhead: The Landing Restaurant, The Portage Bar and The Boat House, all catering to different needs.
Nestled on the shores of the upper Waitemata, The Riverhead is steeped in local history and played a part in the development of early New Zealand, with thousands using the wharf and hotel as the gateway to lands in the north prior to the completion of roads and railway.
If you don’t fancy the drive out there, there is a charter boat that runs from downtown Auckland so grab a group of friends and do something different this summer.
5. Kumeu Showgrounds
View this post on Instagram
The Kumeu Showgrounds are home to some pretty big events throughout the year and this is a great opportunity to get out and explore Kumeu and see something a bit different. In 2022, the showgrounds will host the 100th Kumeu Show on the 12th and 13th of March and it promises to be bigger and better than ever.
The Kumeu Market will also be returning to the showgrounds in 2022 from 17 April and the Classic Car and Hot Rod Festival is also pencilled in for early next year on the 15th and 16th of January.
Any of these events will give you the opportunity to explore the showgrounds and at the Kumeu Show, you can sample lots of local produce including wine from all the local producers.
5 amazing things to do within 30 minutes’ drive of Kumeu
If you are planning a day trip that takes you out to Kumeu but you don’t want to spend the whole day there, there are plenty of great destinations within a short 30-minute drive. Here are five of our favourites:
1. Muriwai Beach
View this post on Instagram
If you have never been out to the black sand beaches on Auckland’s west coast, then we recommend tagging a trip to one of these amazing beaches to your Kumeu trip. Muriwai beach is just 15 minutes from Kumeu and there is plenty to do when you get out there.
Muriwai is an impressive coastline with cliff-top trails to a huge gannet colony, with easy access and viewing platforms that let you get up close. In the summer months, the black sand beach will be packed with Aucklanders enjoying the sunshine the 60 kms of near uninterrupted beach is perfect for a range of activities including blokarts, horse riding and walking.
Muriwai is also a great destination for surfers although it can get quite rough out here so it is recommended for experienced surfers rather than beginners.
2. Te Henga Walkway
If you are into tramping, then the Te Henga Walkway is one of the most spectacular over on Auckland’s west coast. The trail will take you from Bethells Beach to Muriwai or vice versa and is a spectacular walk that offers up some of the most stunning views of the wild west coast.
The walk is 10.3 km one way and you should allow around 6-7 hours if you plan to go there and back. The track is steep in parts, however, those who take on the challenge are rewarded with spectacular views of lagoons, dunes and hopefully some wildlife as seals and dolphins have been spotted regularly from the trail.
Make sure you check on the DOC website prior to setting off as the trail is subject to landslides and can be closed in parts when it is deemed too dangerous for walkers.
3. Mokoroa Falls
View this post on Instagram
Located just a short 18-minute drive from Kumeu you will find the spectacular Mokoroa Falls. Set in a small basin and surrounded by native bush, the Mokoroa Falls are actually part of two falls in the same area along with the Houheria Stream Falls.
They are at their most spectacular during the rainy season and they can dry up a little during the summer months, however, the tramp to get there is a good one for those looking for something a little less taxing than the Te Henga Walkway. The 1.5 km track will take around 40 minutes one way and you will be rewarded with views of the 11m high falls from a viewing platform.
The falls are not great for swimming so you may want to head onto the beach if you want to cool off during the hot summer months.
4. Coatesville Market
During regular times, the Coatesville Market is one of Auckland’s most popular. Established in 2007, the market typically runs on the first Sunday of every month plus two twilight markets per year and hopefully, these will be back up and running in 2022.
The markets are located a short 15-minute drive from Kumeu and you will find a huge range of stalls at the market including fantastic foods and homemade wares. There is always a buzzing atmosphere at the market so make sure you get there early so you don’t miss out on all the best produce.
It’s well worth the drive out and as well as some awesome stalls, you will also find some great live music with plenty of green space to kick back and chill out. The market and dog friendly so make it a day out for the whole family.
5. Tree Adventures
View this post on Instagram
If you are looking for something family-friendly, then we highly recommend a trip out to Woodhill Forest. Whilst it is a destination that is popular with mountain bikers thanks to the range of trails that run through the forest, one of the biggest attractions out at Woodhill is Tree Adventures – a tree-top challenge course offering an impressive range of suspended obstacles and ziplines.
There are five tree-top courses at Tree Adventures suitable for people of all ages and experience levels. The Tree Huggin’ course is ideal for those aged 5+ and with a minimum height of 1.1m. This course is suspended 2-3 metres above the ground so it’s the perfect introduction. The toughest course is Tarzan’s Test – a course recommended for those aged 14+ and at least 1.5m tall. The course reaches dizzying heights of up to 14 metres and presents a challenge to even the most experienced climbers.
Tree Adventures is a great day out for kids big and small and as part of your day trip to Kumeu and the west coast of Auckland, it’s going to be the perfect way to round out your day.
Summary
Kumeu is one of Auckland’s hidden gems and for anyone visiting Auckland or even those Aucklanders that have yet to venture out there, we hope that this post has given you some ideas of some of the amazing things to do in Kumeu and the surrounding area.
If you are flying into Auckland this summer, make sure you check out our fantastic deals on car rental in Auckland where you will find our amazing fleet of cars that are perfect for exploring Auckland and beyond.
