Whangārei Falls located in Whangarei Scenic Reserve on North Island, New Zealand

© Nathan Kavumbura/Getty Image

Pretty as a picnic. Whangārei Falls

This lush, Eden-esque location on New Zealand's North Island has been a popular spot to bring a blanket and basket and lay out lunch since at least the 1890s. Whangārei Falls is part of the Hātea River. At the falls, seen in our photo, the river drops 85 feet over a basalt lava flow. The surrounding park provides a loop trail ideal for a hike along the edge of the river.

English horology enthusiast Archibald Clapham purchased the land here, including the falls, during the 1920s to save the landscape from commercial exploitation. The North Island preserve was later purchased by the Whangārei Businessmen's Association, which turned the space into a public park. Thanks to their preservation work, this island paradise provides respite for visitors from nearby towns and around the globe.