Lake Rotoiti is cafe owner Sarah Uhl's haven.

Dionne Christian and her family rummage around in nature's past on a fossil-hunting expedition.

This Waikato town's a treasure hunter's dream, writes Joanna Mathers.

Danielle Wright and family head to the 'Trout Fishing Capital of the World' and manage to catch ... a couple of prawns.

KiwiRail is slashing the number of trips its Overlander train service takes between Auckland and Wellington.

A region's fine food delights MasterChef contestants, writes Joanne Carroll.

Danielle Wright visits the Whittaker's Music Museum and finds a great excuse to day-trip to Waiheke, even on a rainy autumn day.

Andy Kenworthy joins a group of hardy souls to test his survival skills on a wet weekend and comes out alive and kicking.

Golden Bay summers have woven into my memories since I was about 12, when we made our first trip here from Christchurch.

Cate Foster's weekend ramble takes her to a garden gallery that every member of the family will enjoy.

Kirsty Wynn and her family find fun by the bucketful at the lakeside.

DoC has indicated it will approve a concession to build a 43km monorail through conservation land, subject to public submissions.

Jill Worrall continues her journey south through the Catlins, the remote coastal region that straddles Otago and Southland.

Luxury presides at Northland's Carrington Resort, writes Julia Shallcrass.

Susan Edmunds looks past bad weather to see Tutukaka's many away-from-it-all virtues.

Rotorua's geothermal marvels are just as impressive after a long absence.

A day at the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist temple provides much-needed nourishment for the soul, writes Farida Master.

Alex Robertson burns up some energy on a mountain bike at a stag weekend in Rotorua.

The trip to the very tip of New Zealand, where the Tasman Sea meets the mighty Pacific Ocean, is a pilgrimage every Kiwi should make, writes Megan Singleton.

Donna McIntyre discovers the lesser-known charms of Manukau Harbour.

In an area somewhere north of Taranaki James Russell has found a place that stills the heart and mind.

Rotorua's wild rides and lively pubs make for a great hen party.

Fiordland National Park is at risk of being turned into a theme park warn opponents of a proposed monorail.

Danielle Wright takes her train-mad son on the historic Kingston Flyer for a unique history lesson.

Nothing seems to change here, which is how it should be, says Cate Foster.

Danielle Wright finds out how to create Easter holiday memories for the kids, without mountains of chocolate.

Danielle Wright takes the road less travelled around the Waipu Coast.

A quick trip down country allows Alexia Santamaria a break from two little boys and plenty of chances to indulge her feminine side

Murder mysteries, spiders and dinosaurs delight kids out after dark, writes Alex Tully.

Auckland's historic hill-top defences are more accessible than ever, finds Jim Eagles.