NZ mumsnetters - advice needed for holiday!

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Hi! We are looking at booking the final week of our NZ stay in January and as the name suggests, we've left it a bit late. We're spending a week in Lake Taupo and then have 6 nights to fill. We have 3 primary school aged children. Any advice on good areas to look at? We want to stay on the north island, and find somewhere between Taupo and Auckland ideally to minimise the driving. We're open to any suggestions!

I'm not a New Zealnder, but, like many others on MN, I have visited NZ.

You say this is 'the final week' - where will you have already been ?

It seems a shame to travel all the way to NZ (I mean, even from Australia it is a long flight, but if you are traveling from the UK I guess it is a one in a lifetime holiday) and not see as much as you can.

It is VERY easy to drive in NZ. The roads are empty and good quality. Public toilets are plentiful, clean and free. Parking is everywhere. Scenery is stunning.

Thanks for the reply. We're having a week with family who live near Wellington then Lake Taupo for a week. The final week we are on our own. We have been to New Zealand before and have visited parts of the south island (Nelson, Abel Tasman, Marlborough) and have been to Waiheke Island, Hawks Bay and Bay of Islands on the north island. This time, we want to have a relaxed final week with our young kids and minimise the travel time for them, hence looking for somewhere near Lake Taupo / Auckland.

Hamilton? Around Cambridge, beautiful countryside. I wouldn’t however, say that the roads are empty. But yes, lots of rest areas/loos and picnic spots, and no problems re parking.

Tauranga, a bit busier, and also beautiful with the water right there.

Are you flying back from Auckland?

if so I would do
Taupo-Rotorua and all the things you can do there
Rotorua-Tauranga for beach action
Tauranga-Waihi or Hahei beach
Then to Auckland.
Couple of nights in each (stay at cabins in campgrounds … lots of fun. Top 10 are good for kids)

Only an hour of driving between each location (but two hours if you go Tauranga to Hahei) bar the last trip to Auckland which is about 2 hours.

breaks it up nicely and different locations every few days

Mount maunganiu

Another Kiwi here. I think this is the best suggestion so far. Particularly Hahei and Rotorua!

How come no one has mentioned Napier? It’s beautiful so well worth a visit. Lots of vineyards in the hawkes Bay Area too. Gisborne has some lovely beaches and Hastings is a nice place too.

rotorua is fun (though smelly). Tauranga I don’t find very interesting but that might be just me.

i am a £10 POM kiwi!

This sounds wonderful to me! If you want longer in each place, maybe just a night in Rotorua and then choose either the Tauranga area or the Coromandel for the rest of the nights then to Auckland.

Yep good shout. I love that lower Cromandel area so I’d be Rotorua straight to Hahei! Tauranga is a beach again but more of that ‘city by the beach’ vibe than the others which are more rural and villagey

Thanks so much everyone - will take a look at all these places and get planning! We had considered Rotorua but I can guarantee at least one of my children will be walking around pinching her nose and wearing a scowl!

really appreciate people taking the time to respond - we’re so looking forward to visiting!

A week in Taupo is a long time. It’s close to Rotorua so I’d recommend using some of your time there to do a couple of day trips to Rotorua - loads to see and do there, and yes in parts it’s quite sulphery but you get used to it.

For the rest I’d head up to the Coromandel. Base yourselves at one of the east coast beach towns and explore from
there. I like Cooks Beach. Be warned the final weekend of January is a public holiday in Auckland so it will be busy. Last week before schools start to go back so you’ll want to look at booking accommodation ASAP.

Hamilton is a hard no from me! It’s horrible and boring!!! Do not subject yourself please lol. Go to Tauranga, Coromandel, Mt Maunganui or Waihi for a bit more low key. Beautiful beaches and true kiwi holiday vibe.

I lived in Hamilton for ten years and you would be bored witless there! The only things to do are the gardens (which they now charge everyone who doesn't live in Hamilton for) and Hobbiton. There are some good playgrounds for little littles, but that's it.

What do you like doing as a family? Activities, walking, beach? I think the suggestion of coromandel is good, but if it is booked out you could consider West Coast beaches as well. The other place I might put in a plug for is New Plymouth. It IS a lot of driving, but it is so pretty, and lots to do for kids--really good patrolled beaches, you can go up the mountain for a short walk, the aquatic centre has a wave pool, there is a really good museum, and Pukekura park has a free light show every night. I think it will also be easier to find accommodation there. Much more interesting for kids than Napier, which is similar driving and pretty but boring unless you can drink wine.

If you want to minimise driving - Rotorua (the luge park is definitely worth taking children too) Cambridge (it’s fine for a night or two, lovely little movie theatre, pretty park, Lake Karapiro) then Raglan (very relaxed seaside/surfing town) then ending in Auckland.