From Wikitravel

Long Bay is in North Shore region of Auckland, New Zealand.

[edit] Understand

Long Bay features the Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve, part of which is a 1km swimming beach edging rural surrounds. There has been some controversy with proposals for building on the farmlands near the beach.

It has a primary school and a college and although there are a few scattered shops the nearest group of shops is located in nearby Torbay. As a suburban area, Long Bay is very small and is generally considered by locals as Torbay, with Long Bay specifically referring to the beach and park.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By car

From Auckland, head north on State Highway 1 (Northern Motorway) and take the Oteha Valley Road off-ramp. Turn right and follow Oteha Valley Road to the traffic lights. Go straight ahead into Carlisle Road and follow the AA signs through Torbay to Long Bay. The Park access road leads off Beach Road. Distance from Auckland CBD: 30 km. From north of Auckland, use the same exit on the Northern Motorway continuing onto Oteha Valley Road to your left. From the west, State Highway 18 (Upper Harbour Drive) will connect to the Northern Motorway.

During the summer months of January and February, the beach is very busy and it can be extremely difficult to find parking nearby. It is advisable to arrive early to get parking, or to park further away and finish the journey by bus (see below).

[edit] By bus

Maxx [1] is the local bus operator.

[edit] Get around

There is ample parking in the park if you have a car, otherwise walking is the preferred method. There is a bus stop at the entry to the park, but buses do not operate within.

[edit][add listing] See

• Long Bay Beach and Park, [2]. 6.00 am - 9.00 pm. Long Bay Beach is a marine reserve that provides 1 km of white sand, safe swimming as well as a tree lined park environment which makes it a popular family attraction. Multiple park areas on the verge of the beach provide: playgrounds with equipment suitable for preschoolers and older children; flying fox; miniature ride-on train; restaurant; picnic and BBQ areas (which can also be booked for private functions via the Auckland Regional Council) and walking tracks. The park and beach are monitored by park rangers who enforce park rules including dog exclusion areas, no fishing and no littering.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

Park activities include: Boating, Diving, Dog walking, Kayaking, Orienteering, Paragliding, Picnics, Surfing, Swimming, Walks - nature and coastal.

[edit][add listing] Buy

There are no shops operating in the park, with exception of temporary ice cream stalls that operate in summer. Torbay shops are just up the hill on Beach Road. For retail shopping, Browns Bay or the Albany Westfield are the closest.

[edit][add listing] Eat

• Long Bay Restaurant, ☎ (09) 473 5436, [3]. Long Bay Restaurant is one of Auckland's only beachside dining experiences, sitting in the actual park.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

Long Bay Restaurant offers a nice setting for a coffee or alcoholic drink. There are no other places to drink in the park, the nearest pubs are in Browns Bay.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• Vaughan Park, 1043 Beach Rd, ☎ (09) 473 2600, [4]. There are 18 single and 10 twin share rooms. Rooms are within four lodges and an Thomas Vaughan Lodge accommodation wing. Each opens to a courtyard or garden and provides a desk, comfortable chair, hand basin and wardrobe. The lodges also provide a lounge, kitchenette and quality bathroom facilities. Additional people can be accommodated as day guests.  edit

[edit] Contact

There are no internet facilities available at the park, but there are various scattered phone booths available for personal use (at cost) or for emergency calls (free).

[edit] Get out

If the tide is out, it is possible to walk around the rocks to the south which will end up in Waiake Beach continuing to Browns Bay. Those who are especially keen can take this route all the way to Takapuna.

This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!