Things to do in Russell, North Island: The Best Day Trips from

January 12, 2022 Phylicia Berquist

The seaside town of Russell is one of the most popular destinations in New Zealand’s Bay of Islands. The area teems with a mash-up of indigenous and European history, evident in its architecture and historic sites. Sail around the bay on a chartered yacht or iconic tall ship or explore the multiple personalities of The Gables 1847, which has served as a bakery, bordello and shelter for AWOL sailors on the lam.
Restaurants in Russell

1. Scenic Escape with Winery Lunch and Glow Worm Caves

Bay of Islands i-SITE Visitor Information Centre, The Wharf, 69 Marsden Road, Paihia 0200, New Zealand Rogue Pony Experiences and Private Tours
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5.0 based on 3 reviews

Explore the historic Bay of Islands in a luxury, late model Toyota 4x4 with a maximum of 4 passengers in your group. On your private 6.5-hour guided tour you will see historic locations, spectacular waterfalls, panoramic scenery, subtropical rain forests and rural farming areas away from the crowds. Also included are a winery lunch and a visit to the Kawiti Glow Worm Caves. Your tour is adaptable with no fixed schedule, allowing you to stop for photos, ask questions, take your time or relax and talk with your local driver.

Inclusions: Wine tasting and antipasto platter at one of Northland's award winning vineyards., Air-conditioned vehicle, WiFi on board

Exclusions: Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase during lunch option)

Reviewed By Anderoo69

Mark was an awesome friendly & knowledgeable tour guide. Lots of information, showed us some sites and let us discover others ourselves. Comfy vehicle and good driving skills

2. Scenic Escape with Winery Lunch

Paihia Wharf, Bay Of Islands, Northland 0200, New Zealand Rogue Pony Experiences and Private Tours
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5.0 based on 2 reviews

Explore the historic Bay of Islands in a luxury, late model Toyota 4x4 with a maximum of 4 passengers in your group. On your private 5.5-hour guided tour you will see historic locations, spectacular waterfalls, panoramic scenery, subtropical rain forests and rural farming areas away from the crowds. Included in your tour is a 1-hour winery lunch with wine tasting. Your tour is adaptable with no fixed schedule, allowing you to stop for photos, ask questions, take your time or relax and talk with your local driver.

Inclusions: Wine tasting and antipasto platter at one of Northland's award winning vineyards., Air-conditioned vehicle, WiFi on board

Exclusions: Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase during lunch)

Reviewed By Anderoo69

Mark was an awesome friendly & knowledgeable tour guide. Lots of information, showed us some sites and let us discover others ourselves. Comfy vehicle and good driving skills

3. Scenic Mustang Convertible Tour with Winery Lunch

Rogue Pony Experiences and Private Tours
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5.0 based on 3 reviews

Explore the historic Bay of Islands in a luxury, late model V8 Mustang convertible with a maximum of 3 passengers in your private group. On your 5.5-hour guided tour you will see historic locations, spectacular waterfalls, panoramic scenery, beautiful harbours, beaches and rural farming areas away from the crowds. You also stop at an award winning vineyard for a winery lunch and wine tasting. Your tour is adaptable with no fixed schedule, allowing you to stop for photos, ask questions, take your time or relax and talk with your local driver.

Inclusions: Private tour - only your group in the Mustang, Antipasto platter lucnh and wine tasting at an award winning vineryard.

Exclusions: Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase during lunch)

Reviewed By Anderoo69

Mark was an awesome friendly & knowledgeable tour guide. Lots of information, showed us some sites and let us discover others ourselves. Comfy vehicle and good driving skills

4. Bay of Islands Small Group Tour & Cruise from Auckland

Cheeky Kiwi Travel
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5.0 based on 2 reviews

This small group, fully guided day trip combines the best of both a nature and highlights tour together to form the ultimate Bay of Islands experience. Highlights: • Bay of Islands Cruise • Hole in the Rock • Wildlife spotting • Sites of cultural and historical significance Led by our famously passionate tour guides, notorious for bringing your journey to life by sharing their stories and rich background knowledge, and run in modern, comfortable minibuses packed with extras ensuring your comfort and safety. While the destinations you will be visiting are truly spectacular, we at Cheeky Kiwi Travel believe it is our small groups, our guides, the journey and the little details that set our tours well apart. Secret stops, wildlife viewings, specially designed vehicles, complementary refreshments and many other pleasant surprises ensure our tours are an experience to remember.

Inclusions: Small Group and Fully Guided Tour, Cruise Tickets, Bottled water, Snacks, Optional extra - One-way option from Auckland to Paihia available

Exclusions: Gratuities

Reviewed By M6828DUlisao

We enjoyed this tour from start to finish. It was a fantastic day out. Our tour guide Mani was amazing. He had such a wealth of knowledge and was so friendly and involved in our whole experience. I would have to say he has been the best tour guide we have ever had. The highlight of the day was our visit to Cathedral Cove ( such a breathtaking place) and Hot Water Beach. A very different experience for us

5. Small Group, Day Bay of Islands Sailing Cruise, Aboard Vigilant

Russell Booking and Information, The Strand, Russell 0202, New Zealand Vigilant Yacht Charters
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4.9 based on 150 reviews

Hop aboard Vigilant and enjoy a beautiful day sailing in the Bay of Islands. We only take 10 passengers, the small group allows you to lounge on the yacht comfortably and enjoy the islands privately. Our skipper lives here in Russell and knows plenty about it's history which they will be happy to share with you. Vigilant is a beautiful traditional 42 ft Cutter rig yacht with a wineglass transom, teak decks, and a swamp kauri wooden interior. Enjoy an adventure away from the crowds of sightseers. Here, you can steer your own experience by helping the skipper at the helm, hoisting the sails or, if you prefer, just relaxing on deck while you journey from island to island. If you wish, you can swim on one of the beaches, snorkel and kayak. Comb the shores and walk around to see some great lookouts with panoramic views of the islands.

Inclusions: Lunch, Coffee & Tea, Kayaks, Snorkeling gear, Local guide, Port pickup and drop-off, Sightseeing, Hiking, Private transportation

Exclusions: Alcoholic drinks, Gratuities

Reviewed By putnamnz

Awesome day out with Ntalie onboard Vigilant. Weather was a bit rough so she kept checking that everyong was ok. Also knows the area very well so we ended up in the right spot for some swimming without the big waves. Highly recommend going with Vigilant.

6. Bay of Islands Tall Ship Sailing on 'R. Tucker Thompson' Including BBQ Lunch

Russell Booking and Information, The Strand, Russell 0202, New Zealand R. Tucker Thompson
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4.9 based on 203 reviews

What better way to explore the peaceful waters of the Bay of Islands than by the "R. Tucker Thompson" tall ship. This replica of a 100 year old schooner looks just like a working ship of the 18th century and you can spend the day on board exploring the bays and beaches of this beautiful Maritime Park. Operated by a charitable trust, funds raised from our sailing goes to support our youth development voyages over winter.

Inclusions: Cruise on board the "R. Tucker Thompson" tall ship, Coffee and/or Tea, BBQ lunch, Wet weather gear (if required), New Zealand's Goods and Services Tax (GST)

Exclusions: Hotel pick up and drop off

Reviewed By LandC46

Everything was great! We considered ourselves fortunate that there were only 13 passengers (4 crew) on our two hour Sundowner sail since that perhaps made it more intimate. The best fun was in climbing up the rigging and helping with the sails, encouraged by enthusiastic crew. So nice to be out on the water on such a splendid, beautiful and historic vessel.

7. Historic Northland Private Tour

Paihia Wharf, Bay Of Islands, Northland 0200, New Zealand Rogue Pony Experiences and Private Tours
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4.9 based on 8 reviews

With a focus on the 1845 Northland Wars, this private guided tour is an excellent choice for those interested in the missionary history of the area. Explore the back country roads of the Bay of Islands in a luxury, late model Toyota SUV with a maximum of 4 passengers in your group included in the price. Your tour is adaptable with no fixed schedule, allowing you to stop for photos, ask questions, take your time or relax and talk with your local driver.

Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, WiFi on board

Exclusions: Food and drinks (available to purchase at stops along the way)

Reviewed By Anderoo69

Mark was an awesome friendly & knowledgeable tour guide. Lots of information, showed us some sites and let us discover others ourselves. Comfy vehicle and good driving skills

8. Scenic Escape with Glow Worm Caves

InterCity Paihia Bus Stop, Marsden Road, Paihia 0200, New Zealand Rogue Pony Experiences and Private Tours
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4.0 based on 1 reviews

Explore the historic Bay of Islands in a luxury, late model Toyota 4x4 SUV with a maximum of 4 passengers in your group. On your private 5.5-hour guided tour you will see historic locations, spectacular waterfalls, panoramic scenery, subtropical rain forests, tiny glow worms in their natural habitat and rural farming areas away from the crowds. Your tour is adaptable with no fixed schedule, allowing you to stop for photos, ask questions, take your time or relax and talk with your local driver.

Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, Private Tour in 4x4 (If there are 4 in your group, 3 will be friendly across the back seat), WiFi on board

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Reviewed By Anderoo69

Mark was an awesome friendly & knowledgeable tour guide. Lots of information, showed us some sites and let us discover others ourselves. Comfy vehicle and good driving skills

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