There are lots of nice locations to go to in New Zealand, and the North Island isn’t any exception.
Residence to round 75% of New Zealand’s inhabitants, the North Island has among the nation’s largest cities, together with Auckland and Wellington.
Nonetheless, the North Island additionally has loads of pure magnificence, together with attractive seashores, mountains, hikes, and geothermal points of interest. As well as, it’s the most effective place to expertise Māori tradition in New Zealand.
With all of this in thoughts, there are numerous choices for locations on the North Island, and it may be overwhelming to know the place to go. That’s the place this information will assist!
On this information, you’ll discover ideas from an area on the most effective locations to go to on North Island, New Zealand, together with the most effective cities to discover and the place to expertise the nice outside.
[This article contains affiliate links to trusted partners.]
Auckland
Auckland is New Zealand’s largest metropolis and the purpose of entry for many worldwide guests.
Whereas most vacationers to New Zealand have an interest within the nation’s outside surroundings, Auckland is a wonderful place to spend a day or two earlier than visiting extra North Island locations.
The town of Auckland is predicated round two stunning harbors and is usually known as the “Metropolis of Sails” for its abundance of sailboats and fancy yachts.
Top-of-the-line issues to do in Auckland is hopping on a scenic cruise or ferry to neighboring islands like Waiheke Island, Rangitoto, or Tiritiri Matangi.
Along with its attractive seaside setting, Auckland is a multicultural, cosmopolitan metropolis, and also you’ll discover no scarcity of wonderful locations to eat, drink, and store. Britomart and Commerical Bay are two of the preferred areas for outlets and eateries within the Auckland metropolis heart. Contemplate an Auckland food tour or a city tour for the total expertise!
Whereas in Auckland, it’ll be unattainable to overlook recognizing the Sky Tower, essentially the most iconic constructing within the metropolis. The Sky Tower dominates the town’s skyline and stands at a formidable 328 meters (1,076 ft) tall. You’ll be able to book a ticket to go as much as the highest of the Sky Tower, the place you’ll get among the finest views over the town.
For one more must-see viewpoint in Auckland, go to the volcanic cone of Mount Eden. The hike as much as the summit of Mount Eden is without doubt one of the finest mountaineering trails in Auckland, providing panoramic views over the town and surrounding panorama.
Bay of Islands
A 3-hour drive north of Auckland leads you to the Bay of Islands, a subtropical district within the Northland area crammed with seashores, historical past, and exquisite coastal surroundings.
The principle cities within the Bay of Islands are Paihia, Russell, and Kerikeri, which make an awesome dwelling base for exploring the world. Along with quite a few lodging choices, you’ll additionally discover a few of Northland’s best campsites within the Bay of Islands.
Whereas within the Bay of Islands, book a scenic cruise to identify marine life and expertise among the 144 islands that give this district its identify. You may as well constitution a ship to go ocean fishing, which the world is well-known for.
The Waitangi Treaty Grounds are an essential historic and cultural web site in New Zealand and a must-visit within the Bay of Islands.
Lively vacationers can even love the mountaineering, diving, and snorkeling alternatives across the Bay of Islands.
Some wonderful day journeys from the Bay of Islands embody visiting Cape Reinga on the high of the North Island and viewing historic kauri timber within the Waipoua Forest.
The Coromandel Peninsula
nhm1/DepositPhotos]
New Zealand’s North Island has many unbelievable seashores, a lot of which might be discovered on the Coromandel Peninsula.
Two of the most effective beaches in the Coromandel are Cathedral Cove and Sizzling Water Seashore, each main points of interest.
Cathedral Cove is understood for its grandiose rock archway and sandy white seashore. To entry Cathedral Cove, there are alternatives to take a scenic boat tour, kayak tour, or water taxi.
At Sizzling Water Seashore, you may dig your personal scorching tub within the sand at low tide! Geothermal waters bubble up from beneath the seashore, and also you solely want a shovel and a few vitality to carve out your personal scorching pool. You’ll be able to hire shovels from a store proper subsequent to Sizzling Water Seashore. That is undoubtedly some of the distinctive issues to do on the North Island!
The Coromandel has some nice lodging choices, however the most effective methods to expertise the world is to go tenting at one of many many superior beachfront campgrounds within the Coromandel.
Mount Maunganui
Mount Maunganui is a picturesque coastal city identified for its lengthy stretch of golden sandy seashore and its namesake volcanic cone: Mount Maunganui, or “the Mount,” as locals typically confer with it.
Top-of-the-line issues to do right here is to hike up Mount Maunganui, the place you’ll get unbelievable panoramic views from the summit. If that appears like an excessive amount of work, there’s additionally a simple, comparatively flat mountaineering monitor that circles the bottom of Mount Maunganui.
After mountaineering the Mount, you may soak within the Mount Maunganui heated saltwater swimming pools on the mountain’s base. There’s no higher technique to loosen up after mountaineering!
Once you’re not busy mountaineering or stress-free within the scorching swimming pools, you may hang around on the stunning seashore or peruse the various native outlets and eating places alongside Mount Maunganui’s Principal Road.
Rotorua
One of many high locations on New Zealand’s North Island is Rotorua, well-known for its geothermal points of interest and Māori tradition.
Rotorua is a spot like no different, with a city constructed round effervescent mud pits, steaming geothermal vents, and boiling lakes.
In Rotorua, you may go to geothermal websites just like the Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland and Te Puia or soak in a soothing natural hot spring.
Top-of-the-line issues to do in Rotorua is to find out about Māori tradition at a Māori cultural experience, which includes a haka efficiency and conventional hāngī meal.
Taupō
The city of Taupō sits alongside the shores of lovely Lake Taupō, the most important lake in New Zealand.
Like Rotorua, Taupō is understood for its geothermal exercise. This implies which you can soak in lots of scorching springs after a day of exploring Taupō! The new swimming pools at Wairekei Terraces are an awesome possibility for adults, and households will love the facilities on the Taupō DeBretts scorching springs.
Different in style actions in Taupō embody visiting Huka Falls, taking a boat cruise to the Māori rock carvings at Mine Bay, and fishing for trout in close by rivers.
Tongariro Nationwide Park
Avid hikers received’t need to miss a go to to Tongariro Nationwide Park, which is dwelling to the North Island’s finest day hike: the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
This epic day hike traverses an otherwordly panorama, with technicolor lakes and volcanic peaks being vital highlights.
Total, the Tongariro Crossing takes most individuals between 7-8 hours to finish. It’s a 12-mile (19.4 km) strenuous hike, so it’s a difficult path—nevertheless it’s a spotlight for a lot of guests to the North Island.
Whereas the Tongariro Crossing is free, hikers want to rearrange and pay for a shuttle to move them to the trailhead and decide them up on the finish of the hike. Many shuttle firms in Tongariro Nationwide Park supply this service, so that you received’t have bother organizing your hike.
If the Tongariro Crossing sounds too intimidating, there are many shorter hikes within the space, together with Taranaki Falls and Tama Lakes.
Wellington
Whereas smaller than Auckland, Wellington is New Zealand’s capital metropolis.
Situated on the backside of the North Island, Wellington is a beautiful metropolis perched alongside a glowing harbor and surrounded by inexperienced hills.
Wellington is named “windy Welly” for its notoriously gusty climate, however on a transparent, calm day, it’s onerous to think about a prettier metropolis.
Prime issues to do in Wellington embody taking the cable automotive to the botanic gardens, mountaineering to the highest of Mount Victoria for panoramic views over the town, and visiting the wonderful (and free) Te Papa Museum. Contemplate a sightseeing tour from an area!
Whereas in Wellington, it might even be remiss to not pattern among the metropolis’s scrumptious craft beer, which it’s well-known for. Head to Little Beer Quarter for an awesome choice of native craft beers.
New Plymouth
Off the overwhelmed vacationer path lies a North Island metropolis: New Plymouth.
New Plymouth is a small metropolis on the North Island’s west coast. It’s identified for its black sand surf seashores and its mountaineering trails in Mount Egmont Nationwide Park, which is dwelling to the volcanic mountain of Mount Taranaki.
Whereas in New Plymouth, a high factor to do is to stroll or cycle alongside the attractive New Plymouth Coastal Walkway, the place you’ll additionally discover the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge, formed like a whale skeleton and a breaking wave.
A must-visit place in New Plymouth is Mount Egmont Nationwide Park, the place you may hike to Dawson Falls and the Wilkies Swimming pools via a moss-laden forest. One other nice hike is the path to Pouakai Tarns, a small alpine lake that displays Mount Taranaki on a peaceful day.
After a day of actions round New Plymouth, loosen up with a scrumptious meal and craft beer at Shining Peak Brewery, the most effective craft breweries on North Island, New Zealand.
Napier
Napier is positioned on the east coast of the North Island within the sunny Hawkes Bay area. This coastal metropolis is a wonderful place to go to on the North Island when you love wine, good meals, and Artwork Deco structure.
After experiencing a devastating earthquake in 1931, the town of Napier was rebuilt within the Artwork Deco style of the time. Which means Napier is now the most effective locations on the planet to expertise Artwork Deco structure. There are alternatives for Art Deco walking tours, or you may decide up a pamphlet on the Napier Customer Middle to do a self-guided tour.
Napier can be surrounded by the most effective wine areas in New Zealand. The Hawkes Bay wine area is New Zealand’s second-largest wine area, with over 200 vineyards. The area is understood for its Chardonnay, Syrah, and Merlot Cabernet blends.
Book a wine tour to expertise among the area’s finest wineries, or rent bikes to cycle to wineries alongside Hawkes Bay’s incredible community of cycle trails.
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
One of the vital distinctive points of interest on New Zealand’s North Island is the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, the place you’ll discover a community of underground caves crammed with hundreds of glittering glow worms.
You’ll must book a guided tour to go to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. All vacationers have tour choices, from a boat cruise via a formidable glow worm grotto to an adventurous black water rafting experience.
Seeing glowworms is a novel New Zealand expertise that shouldn’t be missed in your go to to the North Island!
Whereas within the Waitomo space, there are another noteworthy points of interest to take a look at: the Ōtorohanga Kiwi Home, Mangapohue Pure Bridge, and Marokopa Falls are all nicely price a go to.
Hobbiton
When many individuals consider New Zealand, the very first thing that involves thoughts is the Lord of the Rings movie sequence.
Whereas a lot of the Lord of the Rings filming came about on the South Island, there are a couple of North Island filming places, too! Essentially the most well-known of those is Hobbiton, which is positioned close to the city of Matamata on the North Island.
On the Hobbiton movie set, you may tour the precise fictional village that starred because the Shire within the Lord of the Rings movies. Hobbiton is nestled amongst rolling inexperienced hills and appears simply as idyllic as within the motion pictures.
After touring Hobbiton, guests take pleasure in a complimentary beverage within the Inexperienced Dragon Inn, a reproduction of the comfortable inn from the movies.
For an additional-special expertise, a night banquet tour possibility includes a scrumptious feast for hobbits (and people).
Finest Locations to Go to on North Island, New Zealand
As you may see, there are lots of fantastic locations to go to on North Island, New Zealand!
Whereas it may be tempting to try to see all of it in a brief journey, you really want to allocate round 14 days to go to all the North Island locations talked about on this information.
If you happen to’re brief on time, you may simply go to Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula, Hobbiton, Rotorua, Taupo, and the Waitomo Glowworm Caves inside a 7-day highway journey itinerary.
When confronted with such nice choices, it is perhaps onerous to decide on the place to go. Nonetheless, one factor is bound: your go to to the North Island shall be an unforgettable journey crammed with cultural experiences, gorgeous surroundings, and distinctive points of interest you received’t discover anyplace else on the planet.
This text initially appeared on Wander With Alex.
Jacquelyn Michael is the Queenstown-based blogger behind Weekend Path, a New Zealand journey weblog specializing in outside actions and itineraries. She loves to assist individuals uncover and plan highway journeys, tenting adventures, and hikes round New Zealand.
