Omaha Beach is a gorgeous white sand surf beach at the top of the Auckland region.

I have so many memories of long sunny days spent here, dipping in and out of the water before visiting the little general store for drinks, picnic supplies or ice creams from their freezer. In the summer, the beach is patrolled by lifeguards, which makes it a good place to come if you're travelling with children.

Personal tip: Visit Omaha on a Saturday and stop at the Matakana Farmers Markets on your way up.

How to get here

Omaha is roughly one hour north of Auckland CBD or just 15 minutes east of Warkworth. There's plenty of free parking, toilets, a cafe, and the general store in case you forgot to pack your lunch.