If you're staying anywhere around Bream Bay and want an easy, beautiful ride — or walk — the Waipu Cycle & Walkway is the one to do. It's a 7.5km off-road path linking Waipu Village to Waipu Cove, and it's one of the best low-key outings in the area.
The track is mostly flat and wide, so it suits everyone — kids, grandparents, anyone who hasn't been on a bike in years. There are a couple of gentle rises, but nothing that'll slow you down for long.
Heading out from the village, you'll pass through farmland with the estuary and Bream Bay opening up alongside you, and Mt Manaia standing over Whangārei Heads in the distance. Along the way you'll pass native plantings and daffodils put in by local volunteers over the years — it's a community-built trail, and it shows.
Do it one way and grab a coffee or a swim at Waipu Cove before heading back, or make a loop of it and take your time. Either way, allow a couple of hours if you want to stop for photos — and you will want to stop for photos.
Whether you're walking, on your own bike, or hiring one locally, it's an easy way to see a great stretch of Northland coast — no experience needed, no big hills to worry about.