Day trips from Auckland, NZ

[cardamomginger]

Hi,
DH will be in Auckland on business next month. He has 2 days (separate, not together) free. Can anyone recommend a good tour company? Any 'must sees'? Thank you!

Waiheke Island is in the Hauraki Gulf and is accessible as a day trip from the ferry terminal in downtown Auckland.

NZ is long and thin, so the idea will be either to go North or South. Northwards lies 90 Mile Beach which is just about doable on a day trip. Between there and Auckland is a wine region and hot pools, if that's what he likes.

South of Auckland it's a bit more of a distance to anything particularly special. Rotorua would be my choice of tourist destination. It's a 3 hour drive, more or less. You could add in Waitomo glow worm caves either on their own or combined with a trip to Rotrorua, though the combined tour would be a long day.

If money is no object, or if he can get together a group, chartering a boat can be a stunning experience. (Disclaimer, this is my uncle's boat, we had the most fantastic day on it but it was free)

Great ideas and thanks for the info!

I thought 90mile beach, rotorua and waitomo are all too far for a day trip. If you can get to Taupo and Rotorua, both are lovely places. I think it's more like 4 hours on the car. Even a 6 hour return trip would be a very long day!

I would recommend waiheke island as well. Also rangitoto, which is a small volcanic island, good for a bit of hiking. The waitakere ranges are very good too.

Oh and I forgot it's winter in NZ. If you like a bit of snow, you can head to the Tangariro national park. Mt Ruapehu is very popular for Auckalnds for a long weekend ski.

Taupo is a good 5 hours from Auckland. Ninety Mile Beach too far also. Rotorua do-able in a day trip.

Can you use a plane? I'm thinking there aren't many places for day trips from Auckland that's really doable unless you have inhuman endurance for long car rides. If you are willing to fly then there are quite a few places you can get to resonable in a day without a lot of travelling. I believe there are flights from Auckland, for example, to Taupo, New Plymouth, Rotorua, Gisborne and Wellington. All these are lovely places in the north island.

NZ is very hilly and some of the roads can be quite challenging going, except on SH1. Everywhere takes much longer to get to than in the UK. (I always find it funny when the midlands is only 2 hours away from the south coast). DH's parents live in New Plymouth, and we found it too much to drive for a weekend trip, even if it's only 4 hours. There are far too many cliffs and windy roads and the driving is very taxing.

Tbh, the only place we ever drove to from Auckland were the Waitakeres . But love the islands on a ferry trip.

Thank you both! If we can find a tour company that does planes, then yes I think he would be up for it. He'd be up for whatever to see the most he can I think! He's always wanted to go to NZ and who knows if/when he'll go back!