Driving Te Oneroa a Tohe is one of New Zealand's great road-trip experiences, and one of its more consequential ones. The beach is officially a road, which means you can legally drive it in a rental car — but your insurance almost certainly will not cover you if you get stuck or swept away.
The main access point for tourists is Waipapakauri Ramp, about 18 kilometres north of Kaitaia. From there the beach stretches north to Te Paki Stream. Time your drive to arrive roughly two to three hours after high tide, when the sand is firmest. Stay in the middle zone between the dunes and the water's edge, watch for rogue waves known as sweepers, and give way to anything bigger than your vehicle.
The reward for getting it right is 88 kilometres of open sand with no fences, no signs, and the Tasman Sea to your left. On a clear day the horizon is a perfect straight line and the sky is enormous.