Vern and Karen are delightful hosts. They greeted us with fresh eggs their hens had laid as well as milk and bread. Their place is spacious, comfortable, and beautifully decorated. I recommend an evening (or morning) walk to their beautifully kept coastline. Ocean Beach (20 mins away) is fantastic for swimming, and Whangarei Heads has several trails worth exploring. We also visited Whangarei Falls and Kiwi North, and went spelunking in Abbey Caves. We had no idea there was so much to do in Whangarei!