The Best ... in New Zealand
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Back to the thread, I'm pretty keen to do the north of the north with the fam over summer. I've done absolutely nothing north of Auckland myself, so lots of new stuff to see.
Questions:
- Is 2 weeks enough; and
- Would you get a motorhome (we are 5ppl) or are there sufficient basic motels, cabins, campsites etc to stay at if we just rented a car?
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+1 for rush munros. Boysenberry is boss.
Another place to stop for a killer tip top cone is the dairy in Shannon. Went there some stage in this decade probably 6-7 years ago. Was $1.50 a scoop and was hugggggeee scoops extra 50cents for choc dipped.
My local f and c has shut down apparently in Napier.
Only other ones I think i've had is in invercargill which gave you a enough chips to arouse the Irish, and Dunedin in my student days. Tui's was hard to beat providing you had downed a crate prior. $5 special of chips plus odds and ends thrown in a drink tray with paper down. Flying squid had a good $2 shoe strings, blue cod, doughnut. Mei Wahs was shit house.
Best water theme park: Splash planet > Waiwera
Most overrated burger: Ferg. Its not bad but its not half hour wait good.
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@Magpie_in_aus said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
+1 for rush munros. Boysenberry is boss.
Another place to stop for a killer tip top cone is the dairy in Shannon. Went there some stage in this decade probably 6-7 years ago. Was $1.50 a scoop and was hugggggeee scoops extra 50cents for choc dipped.
My local f and c has shut down apparently in Napier.
Only other ones I think i've had is in invercargill which gave you a enough chips to arouse the Irish, and Dunedin in my student days. Tui's was hard to beat providing you had downed a crate prior. $5 special of chips plus odds and ends thrown in a drink tray with paper down. Flying squid had a good $2 shoe strings, blue cod, doughnut. Mei Wahs was shit house.
Best water theme park: Splash planet > Waiwera
Most overrated burger: Ferg. Its not bad but its not half hour wait good.
Hasn't Waiwera closed?
This doesn't surprise me as I stopped there with Ms boo jr about 5 years ago and it was a run down dump shadow of its former self.
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@voodoo said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
@Nepia you mean the one in Coleman Mall? Im not sure TBH. But the food scene has definitely.improved since I lived there!
As much as I hate on Palmy it did have decent Asian food places and a few decent cafes.
Yeah, I think it's Colemans Mall - but you could drive the street when I was there last.
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@Crucial said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
@Hooroo said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
@Crucial said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
@Toddy said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
@Nepia said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
Mustn't have wanted to venture into Hastings.@Toddy said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
Best ice cream
Rush Munros in Hastings, you can have some real fish and chips nearby too.
My once a year road trip special is a cone of Rum and Raisin (single cone two scoops). Just always hits the spot on a sunny day.
Hatiest flavour ever!!!
I seem to like everyone's haziest flavour stuff. Turkish Delight, Cherry Ripe, R&R
We are brothers in arms here fella
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@booboo Yes Waiwera is closed. As a kid we used to stay for the May and Aug school holidays at the hotel next door (mates of my parents). Was a fantastic place in those days. The adults who we were staying with and who ostensibly looked after us who were old alkies. We saw them about every 4th day. Great days.
Fergburger is crap.
@voodoo Two weeks is comfortably enough to do the top without rushing. All the tourist highlights are worth doing and almost any coast road will reward a meander down it.
There is plenty of accommodation but it will get booked out. It's not impossible to find places at the last minute if you are prepared to be flexible but it'd be a bit of an effort. However its not that big a place that you couldn't find 3-4 bases for a few days each, book ahead and trip off from them
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@dogmeat said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
@booboo Yes Waiwera is closed. As a kid we used to stay for the May and Aug school holidays at the hotel next door (mates of my parents). Was a fantastic place in those days. The adults who we were staying with and who ostensibly looked after us who were old alkies. We saw them about every 4th day. Great days.
Fergburger is crap.
@voodoo Two weeks is comfortably enough to do the top without rushing. All the tourist highlights are worth doing and almost any coast road will reward a meander down it.
There is plenty of accommodation but it will get booked out. It's not impossible to find places at the last minute if you are prepared to be flexible but it'd be a bit of an effort. However its not that big a place that you couldn't find 3-4 bases for a few days each, book ahead and trip off from them
Tokerau Beach Camp on the Karikari Peninsula is worth looking at as an option. Can day trip up to the Cape/90M etc and also Mangonui/Taupo Bay
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@Crucial Not stayed there but have at Whatuwhiwhi Top 10 - 5 minutes further up the peninsula which also has cabins if that's the option @voodoo chooses.
Agree the Peninsula would be a great base to explore the top of the north. You can comfortable do the whole of the trip to Cape Reinga as a self drive in a day with side excursions to all the harbours beaches etc or pick up a coach trip from Kaitaia. Also a good base for Whangaraoa plenty of good beaches fishing arts and crafts etc.
Take the coastal route back to the BoI and base yourself there for a few days and sort a similar base on the Hokianga and you are pretty much sorted.
There are a multitude of great places on the east coast and Te Araroa pretty much follows the coast so lots of great walks as well. Could stop in at Whananaki for a wee dram with Winnie โฆ although locals say he doesn't care for visitors.
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@dogmeat haha yep, due to the 'queens chain' you can walk on his lawn.
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@taniwharugby been there - done that
Watered his lemon too... -
@dogmeat said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
@Crucial Not stayed there but have at Whatuwhiwhi Top 10 - 5 minutes further up the peninsula which also has cabins if that's the option @voodoo chooses.
Agree the Peninsula would be a great base to explore the top of the north. You can comfortable do the whole of the trip to Cape Reinga as a self drive in a day with side excursions to all the harbours beaches etc or pick up a coach trip from Kaitaia. Also a good base for Whangaraoa plenty of good beaches fishing arts and crafts etc.
Take the coastal route back to the BoI and base yourself there for a few days and sort a similar base on the Hokianga and you are pretty much sorted.
There are a multitude of great places on the east coast and Te Araroa pretty much follows the coast so lots of great walks as well. Could stop in at Whananaki for a wee dram with Winnie โฆ although locals say he doesn't care for visitors.
Actually it was Whatuwhiwhi I was thinking of. Couldn't think of the name and glanced at the map.
Stayed there for a few days one summer with friends. Was like going back in time the way everyone chilled out. Never went short of fish as those in the camp with boats would haul in so much from Doubtless Bay they would just hand it out when they got back.
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AARGH This thread is reinforcing for me two facts. I didn't get a winter break this year and I am working through Xmas / New Year. Have had so many great times all over Northland although usually as a long weekend.
Whananaki camp ground (the private coastal one) is one of the best I've ever been to. Iconic beach NZ although it gets booked out over summer well ahead. I went in spring almost had the place to myself sigh
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@dogmeat said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
AARGH This thread is reinforcing for me two facts. I didn't get a winter break this year and I am working through Xmas / New Year. Have had so many great times all over Northland although usually as a long weekend.
Whananaki camp ground (the private coastal one) is one of the best I've ever been to. Iconic beach NZ although it gets booked out over summer well ahead. I went in spring almost had the place to myself sigh
Do you mean the farm one with sites scattered around the hills? Haven't stayed there as we couldn't get in but can recommend the DOC one up the coast a couple of kms at Otamure Bay.
Whangaruru (North Head) also a good spot
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@Crucial said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
Do you mean the farm one with sites scattered around the hills? Haven't stayed there as we couldn't get in but can recommend the DOC one up the coast a couple of kms at Otamure Bay.
Whangaruru (North Head) also a good spotThe DOC one at Mimiwhangata is excellent, havent stayed for years (school camp, so >5 years) just stopped via boat.
Mimiwhangata Coastal Park
Mimiwhangata Coastal Park near Whangฤrei is home to recovering bird and marine species.
Puriri Bay is at Whangaruru too, which is popular, although think the DOC one you are referring to is next bay round? Again, been a long time since I stayed there.
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Awards โ NZ Ice Cream Association
