Bay of Island & beyond...
Russell
Russell has a picturesque village atmosphere and is rich in history; it’s like stepping back into a more tranquil, less-traffic laden time.
Many original buildings still stand from the days of whalers and missionaries (the latter trying to keep the former in check!) in the early 1800s. It’s a small town, accessible either by foot ferry from Paihia, by car ferry from Opua or you can always take the back road for the scenic route to this historic spot (while it looks like one of the smaller islands, in fact it’s firmly attached to the bigger North Island!).
The town has many good restaurants, cafe’s, boutique shops and art galleries to while away a pleasant day. You can visit the Russell Museum, Pompallier House and the old church or walk over the hill to Long Beach to look out toward the Pacific Ocean. Flagstaff Hill and Tapeka Point are also great spots for views of the Bay.
There are some beautiful places to stay in Russell where the pace of life is just that bit slower than in Paihia across the water.
