eRide Waiheke

Waiheke is a hilly island, and that is the thing that stops most families cycling it. Electric bikes answer the problem plainly: the motor does the climbing, and the riding becomes a matter of choosing which bay to stop at. eRide hires from the ferry terminal, so there is no transfer to arrange and no car to bring across the water. The family walks off the boat, is fitted with helmets and given a route, and rides away.

The bikes are set up for visitors rather than enthusiasts, with panniers for togs and towels and a holder for the phone doing the navigating. Staff will talk through a route to suit how far the children can realistically go, which is worth taking them up on. The loop north from Matiatia is the usual choice, taking in Oneroa, Little Oneroa and Palm Beach with swimming stops along the way.