What to Do on Waiheke Island in a Day: My Easy Day Trip Itinerary (in the Winter)
I was really surprised by all the different things to do on Waiheke Island. We thought spending 11am to 5pm (about sunset in the winter), would be a good amount of time to explore a winery or two and walk around town. Nope. There are so many cute shops and restaurants to visit that I would actually recommend leaving at 9am to fully experience the island for the perfect day trip.
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Getting to Waiheke Island
There are two ferry companies that will take you to Waiheke Island. With both, an adult return ticket costs 59 NZD. The first is Fullers, which I chose because it seemed the most popular. With this company, you can book in advance online for a walk-up ticket — which means you just take the next available ferry — or you can book a reserved ticket for a specific date and time.
This is the timetable for Waiheke Island.
I recommend buying a walk-up ticket because the ferry runs often in the morning, usually every one to 1.5 hours. We arrived about 40 minutes before we wanted to leave, bought our tickets at the counter, and then stood in line 30 minutes before boarding.
The line may look long, but don’t worry, the ferry can accommodate everyone.
The second company is Island Direct. If you’re not picky, you can simply show up and see which ferry is leaving next since they both depart from the same dock. One thing about the Fullers ferry: it takes a little longer because it also stops in Devonport. If your accommodation is near Devonport, you could take the ferry from there instead.
Getting Around the Island
There are rental cars, buses, and taxis available, but for a fun day trip, there’s no need for any of those. Walking is perfect.
It’s a pleasant 30-minute walk from the port to Oneroa. We wandered up and down the streets, walked to the beach, and later took another nice 20–30 minute walk up to a winery. Just wear good walking shoes so you stay comfortable throughout the day.
I wore my hiking boots because that’s all I brought, but my sister wore cute booties and was comfortable as well.
Your Simple Waiheke Island Itinerary
- 9am: Take the Fullers or Island Direct ferry from Auckland to Waiheke Island
- 10am: Walk from the ferry terminal to the main town
- 10:30am Have breakfast at a local cafe
- 11am-1:30 Wander through the shops and art galleries (go to the beach if its warm enough)
- 1:30pm-2:30pm: Enjoy lunch with a view
- 2:30pm-5pm Walk to a winery and enjoy for an afternoon tasting with the beginning of sunset
- 5pm (in winter): Walk back to the ferry terminal for your return trip
I hope this gives you a clear idea of what to do on Waiheke Island for a winter day trip. Don’t cut yourself short on time. You really do need the whole day to experience the highlights.
If this sounds like too much for you already, then book an easy winery trip like this one that includes a visit to Mudbrick, which is the winery I recommend going to. Or if you like adventure instead, try this tour with a forest walk and zipline.
To help you plan, I’ve got all the saved Google Maps pins in my Auckland Guide for you to easily add to your map.
What to Do on Waiheke Island
I honestly got so distracted as soon as we arrived in Oneroa, the main touristy town close to the port. The first shop we stopped into was a cute thrift store, and after that… well, my itinerary got totally derailed and we never ended up getting the coffee and pastry I had planned on.
I found a lot of interesting places that are not on Google Maps, which is why I thought like there wasn’t that much to do compared to actually visiting in person. Also, I feel that the Google Maps locations aren’t exactly right for many of the suggestions I have for you. No matter though, because most everything is on Ocean View Road. Just plan to spend an hour walking up and down the street and going into all the shops.
Mural outside of Recycle Boutique
Breakfast
Start walking to Oneroa.
Try not to get distracted as you reach town and head straight for a breakfast coffee and pastry at Akito Eatery (with some nice vegan options) or Havana Coffee Works.
Shopping
Then, wander through the great selection of shops.
Check out Recycle Boutique for some thrifting. As of the time of writing, the Google Maps location is wrong. The boutique is more like here.
At Jones Shop, there’s a great range of New Zealand coin necklaces, greenstone jewelry, and antiques. We spent at least 20 minutes there and even went back a second time.
My mom and I bought a couple of jewerly pieces here and a scarf
And, don’t miss walking into the art galleries like Space.
If you like Indonesian-style homeware and accessories, check out Shambhala for candles, incense, jewelry, and clothing.
There’s Timmy Smith, a shop selling unique sand jewelry made by a local designer. There are also teas, and you may be able to try a sample of the canned tea drink, Pause, which is sooo delish.
Check out Pip + Paora Gallery for beautiful handmade greenstone pieces.
Take a picture with the Waiheke postcard sign here too.
Stop into The Island Grocer for samples and snacks.
Then take a stroll down to the beach. In winter, it’s too cold for swimming — though my brother did spot two girls braving the water!
Lunch
For lunch, visit one of the many restaurants. We chose The Local, a spot with great views and excellent fish and chips, which came out quickly for our group of eight. However, there are so many other spots, so just see what strikes you in the moment.
The fish burger was delish
If you want something chill, Humble Pie Company Village Butchery & Deli looks funky.
Afternoon at the Wineries
If you’re visiting in summer, you might spend some time at the beach before heading to the wineries.
In winter, start your walk to Mudbrick Winery in the afternoon. There are also a couple of other wineries along the way if you want to stop beforehand.
The walk up is charming, with sheep grazing in the vineyards. Even in winter, everything was lush and green.
Mudbrick has fantastic views — you can even see Auckland in the wayyy distance from here.
Our group tried different tastings, and I went with the Waiheke tasting.
Here are the Mudbrick tasting options:
Afterward, order a glass of your favorite wine and watch sunset.
There’s a small gift shop on site, as well as a bistro and restaurant.
Ending the Day
Head back to the boat with about 40 minutes before sunset so you can walk to the dock with some light.
Then get in line and take the ferry back to Auckland Harbor.
By the time we returned, we were exhausted and headed back to our accommodation, though you could also stay for dinner at one of the restaurants I’d saved for backup, like The Shucker Brothers, Off The Hook, or Hello Beasty.
Final thoughts
There’s even more to enjoy, like biking, hiking, and staying overnight at one of the cute accommodations (I passed by Cable Bay Views and it looked nice). If you’re in Auckland and looking for a great day trip, Waiheke Island should be on your list.