Hatfield Beach Reserve is a coastal park at 544 Hibiscus Coast Highway in Hatfields Beach, Rodney, north of Auckland, and it carries a 4.5 rating on Google. Good coastal reserves live or die by timing and shade: regulars arrive early on summer weekends, before the car park fills and the shadiest spots under the pōhutukawa are gone. The tide shapes the day too, with high water bringing the sea up towards the grass and low tide exposing extra sand to explore. Council parks vary a lot in what they provide, so it pays to check the council's park page before setting out rather than assuming toilets, picnic tables or a boat ramp. Sitting on the coast road between Orewa and Waiwera, this reserve makes an easy stop for a swim or a picnic on the way up the Hibiscus Coast.