Te Rau Puriri is an Auckland Council regional park at 2911 S Head Rd, South Head, Rodney, on the southern shores of the Kaipara Harbour, rated 4.7 on Google, with gate hours and track updates on the council's website.
Auckland's regional parks are mostly former farmland kept open for walking, picnics and views, which shapes a visit: gates open at daylight and close at dusk, stock graze the paddocks, and there is seldom a shop, so bring water and shoes that cope with grass and mud. On the Kaipara the tide sets the day — broad flats leave the shoreline almost unrecognisable between high and low water, so it pays to check tide times before a walk or a swim. Dogs are usually restricted around grazing stock, so check before you go.
Out on the South Head peninsula, Te Rau Puriri is a quiet, everyday escape of harbour views and open paddocks, an easy trip from Auckland's north-west.