North Island Road Trips

Discover New Zealand your way

Five sheep standing in a paddock

Travel Inspiration

Discover New Zealand your way

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North Island Travel Guides and Tips

Explore the North Island by choosing one of our self-drive itineraries. The North Island is home to stunning beaches, pristine lakes, geothermal wonders, and award- winning wineries. We believe a road trip is the best way to see all the North Island has to offer. Take your time to explore highlights including New Zealand’s largest city Auckland, visiting the hot pools in Rotorua and wine tasing in Martinborough. All our itineraries include the must-do activities, places to visit, accommodation and food recommendations.

With over 30 years’ experience in the car rental market, we pride ourselves on sharing local knowledge and advice with local and international customers to ensure they have the best experience exploring Aotearoa.

Unforgettable Auckland Day Trips

Set off on an epic adventure from Auckland with our top picks for unforgettable day trips, all just an hour or so's drive from the city.

Decorated Christmas tree on a beach

The Top 5 Ways to Spend Your Kiwi Christmas

Travelling around New Zealand over the Christmas Period? We have highlighted our top 5 ways to spend your Kiwi Christmas Day.

Orange sunset with small island

The Most Gram Worthy Places in New Zealand

While we can't help you with moody captions, our guide showcases the top photo spots to visit on your New Zealand road trip from north to south.

Whale doing backflip in the ocean

A Look at New Zealand’s Native Wildlife

New Zealand is home to some of the most unique wildlife in the world. In this guide, we provide an insight into some of New Zealand’s native species and where they live in New Zealand.

Our Insider’s Guide to New Plymouth

Discover the wonders of New Plymouth with our insider's guide, a must-visit destination on your New Zealand road trip or weekend getaway.

Arrowtown

Autumn in New Zealand: Best Places to Visit

Autumn is a wonderful time of the year to explore New Zealand. The landscape transforms into a canvas of vibrant colours, it must be seen to be believed!

Tall rock formation on a beach

Your Complete Guide to the Coromandel

The Coromandel peninsula is arguably one of the most beautiful peninsulas on earth.

Mt Cook Village Road

Road Trip: Auckland to Queenstown 14 Day Itinerary

A road trip from Auckland to Queenstown is one of the best ways to explore New Zealand. The itinerary can be completed in 14 days or extended, or you can start it reverse!

Group of friends watching Auckland city sunset

Our 7 Ultimate North Island Road Trips

We lay out our top 7 North Island Roadies, we’ll bring you along from the tip of the Cape, through the sulphur wonderland, past mountains, through gorges, and all the way down to the sloped hills of Wellington.

Wellington sign on a hill

Road Trip: Auckland to Wellington via Central Plateau, 2-3 Days

A road trip from Auckland to Wellington is a fantastic way to see the North Island. This 2-3-day itinerary takes approximately 9 hours of non-stop travel, which equates to roughly 719 km of distance.

Person para-sailing over lake Taupo

Road Trip: Auckland to Bay of Plenty via East Cape, Gisborne, and Taupo, 4-Day Return Itinerary

This is an unforgettable road trip through the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island that few include in their itinerary.

Blue door at the Hobbiton Shire

Road Trip: Auckland to Hobbiton, 2-3 days (Return)

A road trip from Auckland to Hobbiton is a must-do if you are visiting the North Island.

Shot of Coromandel from the forest out to the ocean

Road Trip: Auckland to the Coromandel Peninsula Itinerary for 3-days (Return)

A road trip to the Coromandel Peninsula is a must-do for anyone looking for beautiful beaches, dense misty rain forests with stunning waterfalls, and possibly finding a wild Kiwi bird.

The Cape Reinga Lighthouse over looking the ocean with a blue sky

Road Trip: Auckland to Cape Reinga 5-Days (Return)

A road trip from Auckland to Cape Reinga will bring you behold ancient kauri, gaze on endless untouched beaches, visit beautiful vineyards and olive groves, soak up some history and culture.

Action shot of person skiing down a mountain

8 Unmissable Ski Slopes

With dozens of ski slopes across the country, you’re spoilt for choice the snow season. To help you choose, we've compiled a list of our favorite ski slopes that offer breathtaking views, thrilling runs, and family-friendly activities.

Wooden stairs leading down to beach

Unmissable New Zealand Beaches

With thousands of kilometres of coast, it’s going to be hard to see every beach in New Zealand, but we’ve put together a list of the highlights, so you don’t miss out!

Auckland city across the water with cloudy skies

What to do: A Week in Auckland

Spending a week in the city of sails? We’ve got you covered with something for everyone. Cheese, wine, hikes, beaches, food and more. Auckland has a lot to offer, as long as you know where to go.

Man standing by NZ snow-capped Mount Taranaki and lake

Our Top 5 New Zealand Getaway Hotspots

Need a break from the big city, or running away to New Zealand for the summer? We’ve got the insider track on some amazing getaway locations so you can take a break and relax in style.

Purple flowers in front of a wooden pergola

New Zealand's Finest Botanical Gardens

New Zealand is home to the finest botanical gardens. We have handpicked our top 6 gardens to visit while you road trip around New Zealand.