9 incredible places for a New Zealand North Island holiday

A New Zealand North Island holiday offers vibrant cities and towns and spectacular natural delights.

From walking among the verdant countryside where hobbits once roamed to sailing among glistening bays where dolphins play, road-tripping in New Zealand’s North Island is full of surprises – if you know where to go. Here, we share where to take in the best sights of the North Island.

1. Waikato & Hobbiton

When a film crew knocked on the door of Ian Alexander’s farm in the tiny Waikato town of Matamata, he was so busy watching the rugby he told them to go away. Little did he know that years later his farm would become one of New Zealand’s biggest tourist attractions. This location was the actual film set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Hobbiton, is now home to 44 permanent Hobbit holes and The Green Dragon Inn, the pub Frodo Baggins regularly frequented in the films. Getting there takes about two hours from Auckland and you’ll pass some of the North Island’s most beautiful countryside.

From Middle Earth, head underground to explore the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, where you and the kids can do one of several tours in this subterranean wonderland. These caves don’t just have the usual stalagmites and stalactites. They have beautiful streams that are lit by millions of glowworms. Choose a guided walk, a black water rafting adventure, or float your way through the caves by boat.

While in the Waikato area, take the kids on one of many mountain bike trails, go for a walk in Mt Pirongia Forest Park, surf at Raglan, one of New Zealand’s best surfing beaches. Or make your own spa at the Te Puia hot pools on Ocean Beach, where hot springs bubble to the surface.

Stay

In the riverside city of Hamilton where the kids can run free at the 54-hectare Hamilton Gardens and enjoy their first taste of Māori culture at Te Parapara – a garden filled with plants of cultural significance.

2. Coromandel Peninsula

The Coromandel Peninsula is a favourite holiday spot for locals. Start at the base of the peninsula at Karangahake Gorge. The sharp, winding canyon has a historic railway that is a relic of gold mining times. Book a beachfront bach (holiday house) along the east coast where beaches lie around every bend. Family-favourite Hahei (pronounced Ha-hey) is where you’ll find powdery white-sand beaches with clear, calm waters. A 10-minute drive south is the aptly named Hot Water Beach, where the kids can dig their own hot water pool. Don’t leave without stopping at a dairy (milk bar) to grab a trumpet ice cream, a Lemon & Paeroa soft drink and some jet planes and jaffas – because lollies are a prerequisite on any road trip with kids, right?

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3. Taranaki

Taranaki is a scenic region watched over by the spectacular volcano Mount Taranaki. The region is halfway between Auckland and Wellington. The city of New Plymouth is the heart of the region. It is a vibrant city with a thriving art scene and 12 excellent surf breaks. Visit the 52-hectare Pukekura Park and its fountains, bridges, formal gardens, walking paths and playgrounds.

Do not miss the Coastal Walkway, an easy 13-kilometre path with highlights including the 48-metre-high sculpture Wind Wand, and the breathtaking Te Rewa Rewa Bridge. The twisted spines of the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge frame Mount Taranaki in the distance. Then whizz down the Whanganui River by jet boat.

Take the kids on a hike to the magical Goblin Forest, a thick belt of gnarled bush on the slopes of Mount Taranaki. Or tackle one of the many other hikes around the stratovolcano. The area was the filming location for The Last Samurai due to Mount Taranaki’s resemblance to Mt Fuji.

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4. Bay of Islands

The Bay of Islands is all sparkling coves, ancient rainforest and quaint townships for a New Zealand North Island holiday. Make your base the historic village of Russell. You’ll lodge among pohutukawa trees covered in red flowers, the turquoise bay and bobbing boats on the water. In the pretty main street, 19th-century villas have been converted to shops filled with Kiwi memorabilia. Think wooden Buzzy Bee toys, polished paua shells and rugby paraphernalia. Stop at York Street Cafe – the oldest of its kind in town – for fluffy homemade scones topped with jam and cream. It’ll take you a good 3.5 hours to get here from Auckland by road, but it’s worth every minute.

The Bay of Islands consists of 144 islands scattered in beautiful blue water between Cape Brett and the Purerua Peninsula. Chartering a yacht is a great way to explore. Or join one of many boats going out of Paihia or Russell to go dolphin spotting, sea kayaking or to go through the famous Hole in the Rock. Visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds to learn how New Zealand became a nation. Afterwards join a tour along the Waitangi River or tackle the six-kilometre walk to Haruru Falls through a spectacular forest.

If you’re keen on a one-hour drive, head up to the largest town in Northland, Kerikeri. Art and culture thrive here thanks to year-round exhibitions, craft markets and food festivals. From here, it’s just a 2.5-hour drive to the very top of the North Island, Cape Reinga. Stop on the way at Mangōnui Fish Shop, next to the wharf, where you can watch fishermen bring in the catch of the day. On your way back down, call into the Waipoua Forest to visit New Zealand’s largest known living kauri tree, Tāne Mahuta.

5. Rotorua

You’ll know you’re approaching Rotorua long before you get there. The region is rich with geothermal activity, geysers and bubbling mud pools and there’s a unique smell that comes from the sulphur. Rotorua is a wonderful blend of cultural, natural and adrenaline-boosting attractions. There is the geothermal wonders of the mud pools and hot springs, as well as Kakahi Falls at Hell’s Gate, the largest hot waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere.

Enjoy a feast of Māori cultural tours including Te Puia, Mitai Village, Tamaki Village and Whakarewarewa – The Living Māori Village. Try zorbing, white water rafting on the Kaituna River, bungy jumping and ziplining. Rotorua also has a soft side, with cuddly farm animals at the Agrodome and beautiful walks through serene forests. Stay in Rotorua or Taupō, to break up the trip south to Wellington

6. Taupo

While Taupo also has its fair share of geothermal mud pools and hot springs, it has a whole lot more for families. In fact, there is so much to do, you’d need weeks to even scratch the surface on a New Zealand North Island holiday here.

You can go skiing or snowboarding at Whakapapa or Turoa ski fields on Mt Ruapehu – an active volcano in the ruggedly beautiful Tongariro National Park. You can catch trout on beautiful Lake Taupo on a fishing tour with Chris Jolly Outdoors. Learn more about trout at the Tongariro National Trout Centre at Turangi.

Race the kids around the go-kart track at Taupo Karts, blast up the Waikato River to Huka Falls with Hukafalls Jet or go hiking, biking, horse riding, kayaking, bungy jumping and SUPing. A great way to end the day is to soak in the all-natural hot pool at Otumuheke Spa Park. Stunning!

7. Wellington

Wellington is the southernmost city on the North Island and New Zealand‘s capital. First stop should be Te Papa, New Zealand’s free interactive national museum with six storeys of cutting-edge exhibitions. And if you didn’t get your film fix at Hobbiton, Weta Workshop will do it. The award-winning design and effects company behind The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Avatar and King Kong has opened its doors so the kids can explore props, costumes and creatures featured in the films. For some of the city’s best views, jump on the historic Wellington Cable Car.

Or, to immerse yourself in nature, drive one hour north to the Kāpiti Coast where you’ll find kilometres of beaches and Kapiti Island, home to hundreds of native birds (and a sanctuary for the kiwi). Thirty minutes drive south, and you’ll arrive at Red Rocks, formed 200 million years ago by volcanic eruptions, where a large New Zealand fur seal colony can be found from May to October.

8. Napier

The perfect base from which to explore the North Island’s gorgeous Hawke’s Bay region, Napier is a vibrant city packed with magnificent murals and streets of stunning, restored Art Deco buildings that make it look more like a 1930’s movie set. The restored Marine Parade provides a bridge between the city and ocean and offers a bounty of kid-friendly activities from beach adventures and splash parks to cycling tours and skate bowls.

9. Auckland

Lovingly known as the ‘City of Sails’, Auckland has a raft of things for families to do all year round. Those with a love of adventure can jump off the 328-metre-high Sky Tower at SkyCity Auckland or tackle the SkyWalk. You must be 10 years or older to do the jump. You can do the Bridge Climb on Auckland’s Harbour Bridge, or bungy off it. For something less taxing, go for a sail on the Hauraki Gulf, catch the ferry to stunning Waiheke Island, or take the family for a hike through surreal lava fields and the world’s largest pohutukawa forest at Rangitoto Island.

Read: 29 awesome things to do in Auckland with kids

Ferry to the South Island

For a sneaky South Island stay, catch the ferry from Wellington to Picton, at the top of the South Island. It takes about 3.5 hours, and you can overnight in the port town and head back the next day. The ferry alone is worth the trip – it’s known as one of the most picturesque crossings in the world, and you’ll cruise past remote bays and islands across glassy waters where you’re surrounded by forest-clad mountains with pods of dolphins as your only company.

This article originally appeared in Holidays with Kids magazine. Subscribe to the latest issue here.

Main image: Waiheke Island © Tourism New Zealand, Miles Holden

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