New Zealand- 7 days- North Island- start Wellington end Auckland, where shouldn't we miss?

[evenhope]

Going to NZ next month for 2 weddings. First is in Wellington, second in Auckland. 7 free days to travel north (self drive) and there is so much to do we can't fit it all in.

What should we not miss? Any recommendations for places to visit/ stay?

(We are taking our DD who will be 11 months)

ok
I am not brilliant on the NOrth Island but I reckon that possible must sees between Wellington and Auckland include Napier (art deco city) & Bay of Plenty (beaches, WINE!), Taupo (great big lake, Ruapehu - an active volcano - waterfalls, more geothermal stuff), Rotorua (geysers, boiling mud, thermal pools, lots of Maori stuff)

also the COromandel pennisula which is kind of beyond Auckland but quite close by IYSWIM

that would take you on a sensible sort of route up the east side of the island

have a look www.aatravel.co.nz/101-must-dos-for-kiwis/index.php here too - has the 'must dos' for NZ and some more info on the above

or even here....

Thank you Mrs JC. That link looks really useful

the huka falls (just north of Taupo, a few minutes off main road) are amazing! opposite the huka falls is a walk called craters of the moon that goes around geothermal sites. if you get the chance, the north west coast is something a bit different - beaches like piha & bethels are quite wild (they're not safe for swimming though, so the north shore east coast is calmer better if you want to swim)... if you want a photographic view across auckland and the surrounding coast, one tree hill or mt victoria are great.

yes, the huka falls, that's the ones near Taupo

very nice

My DH (a kiwi) says go East to the Coromandel Peninsula. Huka falls are lovely too. Drive along the desert road on the way to Taupo.
Get to Auckland early and get the ferry to Waiheke Island - stay at www.boatshed.co.nz

Just thought of the Waitomo glow worm caves (between Taupo and Hamilton). this is a cool day out - walking through the caves and seeing the limestone formations, and seeing the glow worms from the boats. Look at waitomo

Thanks for these suggestions.

Sadly the boatshed is well out of our league, plus says not suitable for under 12s and DD will only be 11 months

Hot water beach

waitomo

taupo

kaikora

haka falls

90 mile beach but don't drive go in coach

One important thing to remember is that because a lot of NZ roads are quite windy (in the bendy sense, rather than the blustery sense), it will probably take you longer than you anticipate to drive to places.

I would do

Wellington
Martinborough - stay the nightwww.martinborough.com/ (for vineyards, and reduces driving time that would be needed to go to Hawkes Bay - and I'm from Hawkes Bay so I don't say this lightly). If you fancy a detour to a seal colony on the way (no idea what you're interested in, then Cape Palliser (also an opportunity to really feel that you're in the middle of nowhere). www.tikitouring.co.nz/wairarapa-coast-pictures.htm
Then one night in Taupo (visit , Rainbow Trout farm if you're up for it (it is quite touristy)
Then Rotorua (two nights). Visit the Huka Falls and orakei korako on the way, also the Wairakei Geothermal Power station is surprisingly interesting. During the full day in Rotorua, buried village (buried by a volcanic explosion in the 1800s) and whakarewarewa, or perhaps a thermal spa pool somewhere. if you could face an evening "Maori culture" experience with baby in tow (some babies more portable than others, can't say I would have taken mine), then I'd recommend tamaki tours
then, say, one night in the coromandel somewhere (hot water beach, pauanui, tapanui or something? Whitianga is lovely but more of a drive), and visit Waitomo Caves on the way back to Auckland.

Def try Coromandel Pen. If you only want day trip over east side to beaches, here is a place in Thames to stay.

chartre manor

Bonus is it's only an hour from Auckland, rather than the extra 1-2hrs if you're staying anywhere else on Peninsula.

ignore that reference to tapanui by the way, just realised that I meant to put Tairua (have been out of the country far too long.....) tapanui is a LONG way away from the coromandel!

ignore that reference to tapanui by the way, just realised that I meant to put Tairua (have been out of the country far too long.....) tapanui is a LONG way away from the coromandel!

that's more or less what I was thinking legalien! would be a top trip

Tairua is teeny but lovely! I thoroughly enjoyed pancakes with maple syrup there - my prgnancy craving at the time!
The West Coast beaches of Auckland are gorgeous - go to Piha Beach - it's where The Piano was shot
Legalalien - are you in NZ - or have you done tyour trip yourself - sounds fab!

I am in fact in London, but an NZer (and my mum is from Thames, so a bit of a Coromandel bias), and spent LOTS of time plotting a one week Auckland to Auckland circuit when I first took my Aussie DP (now DH so must have been a good trip) to godzone about (scary thought) 8 years ago, pre DC. If it was a winter trip, would definitely go for the desert road, stay at the elderly-but-grand-faded-glory Chateau, but less attractive in summer. Unless, of course, OP or her DH is into military history, in which case the Army Museum at Waiouru would be the go!

[ps - tips for children's clothes shopping on request - I regularly buy sale (contra-season) stuff from www.jk.co.nz and have my mum either post it here or bring it out - good quality at a reasonable price (and I can tell you where the factory store for pumpkin patch is in Auckland!)]

Thanks for all the links legalalien. I will check them all out tomorrow.

Thanks too to everyone else for all the suggestions.

This is really exciting

no worries.

will be back in due course to explain lamingtons, L&P, and hokey pokey icecream

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm L&P!!! DH has a passion for Twisties and we're constantly trying to find shops here that sell large tubs of Vegemite instead of teeny wee ones!
We stayed in the Chateau on my 1st trip to NZ - DH was disappointed - but I thought it was great - indeed faded glory, in fact it reminded me a bit of The Shining hotel in a non spooky way - scenery around there is gorgeous!
DH is from Auckland - near Piha - so have spent lots of beach time there!
Enjoy your trip evenhope - I am very !

Just a warning, if you are driving to Martinborough from Wellington it means going over the Rimutaka hill. Not a drive for the unconfident, sharp turns and very steep. If you've got time I would detour to the Pinnacles, which is an hour or so away from Martinborough.

good point slug - have been over it so many times that didn't occur to me - not a BIG deal (after all, one of the main two routes out of Wellington), but perhaps not if you're a particularly nervous driver. Here's a pic.

legalalien, my mum is in thames too! she was a business woman there, and knows loads of locals, maybe your mum too

well - mum left a long time ago (now in Auckland), but she does have between 50 and 60 cousins, and a lot of them are still in the area . The folks are thinking about retiring there in about five years, actually - seems it's changed quite a lot since the 70s - looks very trendy now!

It's still a pokey little place, but has nice cafes at least. Mum probably knows quite a few of your rellies. She's not a local, only been there about 15years now, but involved in the town, search and rescue etc.. orig from Hastings.