Starting point Auckland: Where to go with your New Zealand Campervan?
Once you have decided on renting your campervan in Auckland, it is a good idea to plan a trip so you have a good idea where you will go. There will be certain highlights that you really want to see or do, so planning to be able to achieve it all is often the best way to go.
In general in New Zealand, we would like to warn you that roads are very different to Europe or the US. They are in good condition, but almost everywhere only 2 lanes (one lane each way) and windy. When you drive around in a motorhome or campervan, you will have to realize that you cannot do large distances. We found that as a rule of thump 50km an hour when driving is a good average. You will have stretches where you can actually do the 80km an hour, but there are lot’s of bends that will force you to slow down. So, we would advise to take the 50km an hour into account and add longer stops like lunches and off course any attractions you are going to visit to the total time you will need. With the 50km an hour short stops to take some pictures or a quick coffee are included.
The nice thing about Auckland is that it actually has a few motorways with 4 lanes, so that is great to start your trip. On the other hand: Traffic in and around Auckland is very very busy, so when you are there during peak hours, be prepared for traffic jams on the motorways.
So from Auckland you can basically go North (and a little bit West) or South….
If you want to visit Auckland itself, first or last on your trip, we would advise to stay at the campground in Takapuna. It is not a cheap place to stay, but the park itself is at the beach and with a fabulous view of Rangitoto, Auckland’s volcano (see picture).
From Takapuna it is easy to visit the CBD. Just drive to Devonport (takes about 20 minutes), park there and take the ferry which will drop you right in the middle of the CBD. In the CBD you can go to the Skytower for fabulous views of Auckland and surrounds, or for the adventurous, you can bungy jump off the tower. It is worth walking in Queens Street, the main street in Auckland and go to the harbor where well known sailing ships are on display. There are some excellent restaurants along the water front as well, something for everyone.
Takapuna itself is a lovely seaside area with excellent restaurants, a seaside park and great beach for swimming. At the beach there are also hire companies for paddle boards and motorised watercraft like jet-skis. Some very good organic and french bakeries can be found in the main street as well. You can walk to all this from the campground, which makes it very easy. And don’t forget to have an ice cream at the cafe at the entrance of the caravan park…some of the best in New Zealand!
If you want to travel north, which is more a tour option if you love nature, we would advise to go West towards Muriwai Beach first. It is only about an hour to get there, has a nice caravan park just behind the dunes there and you can go for a walk on the black beach that does not seem to have an end. There are also some gannet colonies in Muriwai, you can walk there from the caravan park too. On the viewpoints the gannets are literally 1 meter away from you and in season you can see the chicks being fed by mum and dad. There are bush walking possibilities and excellent fish and chips at the cafe.