Where better than the North Shore for a summer staycation? Make the most of early summer to explore local beaches, bush walks, cycleways, pump tracks and more. Add in special events, and activities for those less keen on the outdoors or for those (rare, we hope) wet days over summer, and there’s something for everyone. Christine Young highlights just a selection of events and places to enjoy this summer.

Events and festivals

You need to wait until after the main holiday season for some events, but December/January options include:

·An outdoor movie night in Waiwharariki Anzac Square, Takapuna. Saturday 2 December from 3-10pm.

·A Christmas party, at Spencer on Byron Hotel in Takapuna on Saturday 21 December at 7pm).

·Sunsetter Festival on Saturday 18 January 2025, at Windsor Reserve on the Devonport waterfront, with a feast of music, food and wine. Tickets have already sold out, but you can go on a waiting list; email info@highlife.co.nz with your full name and the number of GA or VIP tickets you require.

·Takapuna Summer Days Festival at Takapuna beach reserve on Saturday 25 January from 10am-7pm. As ever, entertainment and fun for younger family members during the day, with the music ramping up later in the day.

Arts & Culture

• You have to be in early for some Christmas events. Luminata Voices: ‘A Christmas High Tea’, has two High Tea events on 1 December at the Tindall Auditorium, Rosmini College, featuring carols and seasonal music. The perfect opportunity to spend time with friends and family. But this event been a sell-out for the past two years – and this year’s no different. Better luck next year.

• Make sure you book for ‘The Santa Claus Show 2024’, by Tim Bray Theatre Company. It’s the perfect family Christmas tale, best suited to ages 3-8, on at The PumpHouse Theatre from Sunday 1 December – Sunday 22 December, at 10:30 am and 1pm every day except Mondays.

• Also pre-Christmas at The PumpHouse, enjoy a laugh at ‘Late Night Knife Fight’, a comedy/improv event, on 6 December, and ‘Casual First Date’ on 7 December – a “improvised sketch comedy show where the strange and mundane get gleefully close!”

• Cirque Africa performs at the Bruce Mason Centre on 2 December at 7.30pm in just one show. Traditional African culture, circus-style with acrobats and dancers, musicians and contortionists in a two-hour spectacle.

• Also at the Bruce Mason Centre, on 6 December at 7.30pm and 7 December at 2.30pm, is Australian magician Cosentino with his spectacular new show ‘Decenium - The Greatest Hits Tour’. Suitable for ages 5+.

• Aotango Quintet presents an evening of tango and dance on 6 December at Westlake Girls Event Centre

• On 9 December at 11am, The Royal New Zealand Navy Band takes you on a journey through favourite Christmas music, in the last of this year’s ‘Morning Melodies’ concerts at the Bruce Mason Centre.

• Perfectly timed to boost pre-Christmas excitement for young family members are two ‘Tunes for Tamariki Kirihimete’ performances by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra at Bruce Mason Centre on 15 December at 2pm or 3.30pm.  Sing-a-long, dance-a-long, hour-long concerts for your under-sevens, to really get into Christmas – just in case their anticipation levels needed any more elevation.

• With Christmas over, it’s time for something different. Operatunity presents ‘The Thistle & The Shamrock’, a romp through the best of Irish and Scottish ballads, jigs, jokes and patriotic songs with a fiddler, accordionist and singers. Windsor Park Baptist Church, Mairangi Bay, Wednesday 15 January at 11am. 

• From 18 January – 15 February, Shoreside Theatre presents Auckland Shakespeare in the Park, at The PumpHouse amphitheatre. Pick one or both of ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ and ‘Richard III’ to enjoy an all-too-rare outdoor Shakespearean outing.

Walking, cycling and enjoying summer outdoors

Here on the Shore, we’re lucky to have almost unlimited bush walks and beaches to enjoy. With access restored to the Takapuna-Milford coastal walkway, this is sure to be popular (if not over-popular) during the summer months.

If you haven’t already, tick off Fort Takapuna above Narrow Neck. O Peretu (the original name for this headland) was occupied first by Māori and then used by the New Zealand Defence Forces for over a century. It’s now a wonderful open area, great for walks and picnicking, with easy access from Narrow Neck, and a path along the side of the remaining naval facilities offering an easy circular walk back along the road to Narrow Neck, or a short walk to Cheltenham beach.

While you’re at this end of the Devonport peninsula, add in a hike on one (or both) of the two iconic maunga: Takarunga/Mount Victoria and Maungauika/North Head. Absorb some of North Shore’s history, explore the tunnels or just enjoy 360-degree views of the city, harbour and Hauraki Gulf islands.

Inland walks more your thing? Smiths Bush has been re-opened with new boardwalks for an easy circular family walk starting and finishing at Onewa domain.

 There’s a great new section of steps and boardwalk along what used to be a sometimes-muddy section of the Lake Pupuke track near Sylvan Park. Start from Henderson Park to reach Sylvan Park through a bird nesting area (no dogs allowed, and completely closed during the breeding season from September - December), and continue across Sylvan Park and through the new boardwalk section to Milford School. The whole circuit of Lake Pupuke (about 7km) then takes in some of Shakespeare Road before you can reconnect with the lake near the hospital, before heading up Shea Terrace before rejoining the lake via Rangatira Avenue and Lakeside Road and across Killarney Park to The PumpHouse. Complete the circuit along Manurere and Hurstmere Roads.

Or try one (or more) of the many tracks in Le Roys Bush. Some are still closed due to the 2023 slips, but make your way up to Hinemoa Street and down quiet roads and tracks to the Chelsea Sugar factory for a sugar hit (and coffee!), or head north to Onewa Road to link up to the fantastic board walk across Kauri Glen (start at Kauri Glen Road) for spectacular close-ups of the kauri trees in Northcote.

I love Takapuna lists its seven favourite local walks at https://www.ilovetakapuna.co.nz/whats-hot/get-moving-7-of-takapunas-best-local-walks/. For other walks, check out the Auckland Council  map at https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/parks-recreation/get-outdoors/aklpaths/Pages/path-map.aspx.

Cyclists aren’t forgotten on the Shore either, with 139 cycle routes to explore. Be warned, most involve hills – but hey, that’s what e-bikes are for. Try the Devonport–Takapuna shared path, starting in Devonport and skirting the southern coastline though Bayswater and Hauraki to Esmonde Road.

If you’re up for it, continue through Takapuna towards Milford, and along Milford Road, Inga Road and up Beach Road to Aberdeen Road. (Be warned, some of this is steep, and on-road – but no worse than Francis Street on the Devonport – Takapuna route.)  At the top of Aberdeen Road, turn right towards Forrest Hill Road to rejoin the cycle path, and coast downhill to Taharoto Road and back along the cycle path to Takapuna.

Or, from Esmonde Road, bike along Akoranga Drive, turn into left into Northcote Road and follow the shared cycle/walking path to Northcote Point. Park the bikes by the Northcote ferry terminal, and walk up the steps to the lookout underneath the harbour Bridge. After short uphill return, stop for well-earned refreshments at the Northcote Tavern, or one of the cafés on Northcote’s Queen Street near the Bridgeway theatre. Or catch a ferry back to the city from Northcote Point, and then back to Devonport…

Other great rides on the Shore can be found on the Auckland Transport North Shore cycleway map (https://at.govt.nz/media/1977813/cycle-network-map-n1-north-shore.pdf) or the family-friendly blog https://gettinglost.co.nz/blogs/blog/exploring-north-shore-bike.

For runners and swimmers, the Harcourts Cooper & Co Beach Series on Takapuna beach takes a break over December and January – but don’t use that as an excuse not to get into the water, or go for a run along Takapuna or any of the Shore’s other great beaches. Do your training before the series resumes in February.  Beach Series swim and run distances are geared to include the whole family, including a 250m swim for kids, and a 5km run fort non-swimmers. For more info, check out  https://beachseries.co.nz/

 

Sports events

Sports events tend to take a break over summer. But if you need a sports hit, what about:

• The mixed martial arts Shuriken Fight Series, on Saturday 7 December at 4pm at Eventfinda Stadium, and…

• The BNZ Breakers also at Eventfinda Stadium, for one NBL25 game only, on Thursday 12 December. Doors open at 6.30 Tip-off at 7.30pm

Quiet times indoors

Sometimes you just need respite from the pre-Christmas rush, or the weather means indoor activities are called for. And who can beat a good book to read as you relax over summer? Check out:

• Your local library – Devonport, Northcote, Birkenhead, Takapuna, Glenfield, East Coast Bays and Albany. Open right through summer except statutory holidays. Check out your local library for what’s on and the latest great reading material at https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/ .

Retail therapy

Of course you’re shopping. Locally, we hope. Take advantage of these to mix duty with pleasure:

• Local Christmas celebrations and Santa parades

• Buskers in Hurstmere Road on Fridays and Saturdays from 14 November – 21 December (11am-2pm).

• Even better, bring the family to Christmas Music in the Square – Waiwharariki Anzac Square – from 11am-3pm on 14 and 21 December.

• Local markets: the Devonport market at the ferry terminal on Sunday 2 December; the Albany Community or Greenhithe Village markets on Saturday 7 December; the Smales Farm market on Sunday 8 December; the vinyl record sales in Brown’s Bay on Saturday 14 December or Albany on 16 December; and the Long Bay Village Twilight market on 15 December. If you’re a last-minute shopper, head for the Birkenhead RSA market on Sunday 22 December.

Whatever you choose to do, make the most of the North Shore lifestyle and the myriad events and activities on offer.