At a Glance - 10 day North Island Itinerary with Kids
- Option 1: Loop, Auckland back to Auckland
- Option 2: One way, Auckland to Wellington
- Shared stops: Auckland, Mount Maunganui, Rotorua and Taupo (days 1 to 7)
- Days 8 to 10: Option 1 adds Waitomo then back to Auckland; Option 2 heads direct to Wellington
- Best time to visit: October to May. Peak season is December to February which coincides with Summer School Holidays so best avoided as that’s when prices skyrocket and places get booked up in advance. The sweet spot is November or March to May (avoid Easter) – the weather is still great but prices cheaper.
- Best for: Families who want a mix of city, beaches, geothermal activity and NZ’s big-ticket items without rushing too much.
- Getting around: Hire car is the only way to do this itinerary in the time frame
- Total driving: Option 1: approx. 10 hours / Option 2: approx. 11 hours
- Family friendly rating: 9/10 – while the South Islands gets a lot of glory for its stunning mountains and lakes, the North packs a punch with beaches, volcanoes, cities and natural wonders.
Quick Picks
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Ten days is a good length of time for an itinerary around the North Island with kids. It is long enough to see the big destinations without feeling like you’re literally living in the car all day, and short enough if you’re combining with the South Island or limited on time.
We have two routes recommended. The first is a loop that starts and ends in Auckland, for those flying in and out of New Zealand’s largest city.
The second is a one-way trip from Auckland down to Wellington, which suits you if you are heading on to the South Island by ferry or flying onwards from the capital.
Just one caveat – outside of Auckland and Wellington, most roads are single carriageway, and getting around the country generally takes twice as long as it would in other western countries. For example, Auckland to Mount Maunganui is 230km (140 miles). On a UK motorway that would take approx. 2 hours (a a clear run). In NZ, this trip takes 3 – 3.5 hours.
So, you will still spend a fair bit of time in the car and need some early starts.
Having said that, driving in New Zealand is never boring. Every turn is new stunning scenery, and the time can go very quickly compared to being stuck on a dull freeway/motorway in other countries.
In This Article:
- which route should you choose?
- days 1 to 2: Auckland
- day 3: Mount Maunganui (The Mount)
- days 4 to 5: Rotorua
- days 6 to 7: Taupo
- option 1: days 8 to 10, Waitomo and back to Auckland
- option 2: days 8 to 10, drive to Wellington (optional 1-day Tongariro Crossing with older kids)
- tips for this itinerary
- plan your trip
- frequently asked questions
Links to all our NZ Guides
Which Route Should You Choose?
Option 1: The Loop (Auckland to Auckland)
Best if you are flying in and out of Auckland, or want to return the hire car where you picked it up. It adds Waitomo before heading back to the city. Skips Coromandel and Bay of Islands – best done on longer itineraries.
Option 2: One Way (Auckland to Wellington)
Best if you are carrying on to the South Island by ferry or flying out from Wellington. It swaps Waitomo for a long drive to Wellington, allowing two days in the capital. Note that this route does have a long drive from Taupo to Wellington. There is an option for those with older kids to do the Tongariro One-day crossing.
Note – neither of these routes include the One-Day Tongariro Crossing. Whilst this hike is one of the best in the world, I always recommend it to any adults coming here, it’s not suitable for younger kids – being more suitable for kids 12+ (this is my opinion, having done the crossing twice and having a child aged 10 – I would not take her up yet but if you’ve an experienced hiking kid, then do some research and go for it). If you did decide to do it, this would be on day 8 of option 2.
Days 1 to 7: The Same for Both Routes
Both routes follow the same first seven days, so you can book these before you decide how to finish.
Days 1 to 2: Auckland
Your first two days in Auckland give you plenty of options of things to do. Note that on option 1 of the itinerary, you will be back in Auckland on Day 9 and 10 so some of the attractions can be carried over to then.
High level attractions – suggested itinerary:
Day 1
- Walk up Mount Eden or One Tree Hill / Cornwall Park (2-3 hours)
- Auckland War Memorial Museum (2 hours)
- Visit Mission Bay beach or Takapuna for lunch
- After lunch, visit the Sky Tower
- Dinner in Ponsonby
Day 2
- Day trip to Waiheke Island (allow 6 hours) – including lunch
- Take a walk from the ferry building around The Viaduct and Wynward Quarter and have dinner
Where to stay: With this short amount of time, you’re best staying in the city centre
Want the full detail? Read our Auckland with Kids guide – HERE
Day 3: Mount Maunganui (The Mount)
Early start to drive to The Mount (If on a weekday, you’ll be going against the traffic so once out of the city centre, you should have a clear run) – 3-3.5 hours.
High level attractions:
- Walk up or around The Mount (allow 2 hours) – 2 different paths to take.
- Lunch in the village / at the foot of The Mount.
- Relax and enjoy the wonderful beach or drive 25 minutes to Mclaren Falls & Marshall’s Animal Farm (next to each other)
Where to stay: Staying at The Mount or anywhere along that stretch of coast up as far as Papamoa will give you a truly beach holiday feel.
Want the full detail? Read our Rotorua and Tauranga guide HERE
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Days 4 to 5: Rotorua
Day 4 – suggested itinerary
- Morning – have breakfast by the sea at The Mount. Tay Street Kitchen is one of our favourites (https://www.taystreetkitchen.co.nz/)
- Drive the one-hour to Rotorua
Day 4 & 5 – High level attractions in Rotorua:
- Skyline Gondola and Luge (allow 2-3 hours)
- The Redwoods Forest and the TreeWalk (allow 2-3 hours)
- Te Puia – The main geothermal park with the famous Pohutu Geyser plus very impressive Maori cultural show (allow 2-3 hours)
- Kuirau Park – Free Mud Pools and Hot Pools in the city centre (allow 1-2 hours)
- Zorbing or other adrenalin activities – of which there are heaps in and around the city
- Hobbiton – about one-hours’ drive – allow an afternoon to visit one of NZ’s most visited attractions. Always book in well in advance.
Book a Hobbiton tour HERE
Where to stay: There are heaps of cheaper hotels and motels along the road near the Skyline – this is a good location for access to several attractions
Want the full detail? Read our Rotorua and Tauranga with Kids guide – HERE
Days 6 to 7: Taupo
Drive the one-hour to Taupo but don’t miss on the way:
- Kerosene Creek – a natural hot water waterfall and swimming waterhole. NZ’s natural wonder at its best! It’s a secret hidden gem.
High level attractions in Taupo:
- Huka Falls – NZ’s most visited natural attraction
- The Lake: Beaches, Boat Rides / Cruises, Hot Water Beaches
- Mind Junction Activity Park – Flight Simulator, Giant Maze, Mini Golf, Lego Display, Shooting Simulator, Discovery Centre
- Lilliput Farm – Fun and Animal Park – great for younger kids
- Lake Taupo Hole in One Challenge – I’m a sucker for this fun unique challenge
Where to stay: Close to the city centre is best or along the lakeside. De Bretts Holiday Park is one of the best and most famous in the country.
Want the full detail? Read our Taupo with Kids guide – HERE
Option 1: Days 8 to 10 (Loop Back to Auckland)
Day 8: Waitomo
It’s approx. a two-hour drive to Waitomo from Taupo.
The number one attraction in Waitomo is the Glow-worm caves – of which there are several tour options.
Book a Waitomo Cave Tour HERE
Allow 2-3 hours in the area.
Where we stayed: You can either stay here or head back up later in the day to Auckland (3-hours) or stop somewhere en route back to Auckland.
Days 9 to 10: Auckland
Back in Auckland, you can finish off any of the attractions that were missed on Day 1 and 2 – see Day 1 and 2 above, or add more:
- North Head, Devonport – take the ferry across and enjoy stunning views and old war tunnels for the kids to run around (allow 2-3 hours)
- Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour (2 hours)
- Rangitoto Island – take a ferry and walk up the iconic volcano (2-3 hours)
- Drive to one of the better beaches: 1) Piha, out West – black sand / big surf, 2) Shakespear Regional Park – great views / good for picnics, 3) Tawharanui Regional Park – our favourite – one hours drive but worth it
Option 2: Days 8 to 10 (One Way to Wellington)
Day 8: Drive to Wellington
This is the longest drive of the itinerary – approx. 5 hours. You can break it up with a stop on the Kapiti Coast, an hour from Wellington.
Optional One-day Tongariro Crossing on Day 8 – I recommend for kids older than 12 but other guides would say 10+. Just my personal preference, as it’s a tough walk. But if you can fit this into your itinerary, it’s something you will never forget – a truly stunning one day hike, often ranked the best in the world.
Days 9 to 10: Wellington
High level attractions:
[Drafted prompt: pick 4 high level attractions from your Wellington guide.]
- Te Papa Museum (allow 3-4 hours)
- Victoria Peak Lookout (allow 2 hours)
- Wellington Waterfront Walk (allow 2 hours)
- Kelburn Cable Car and Botanic Garden (allow 2-3 hours)
- Cuba Street (allow 1 hour)
Where to stay: City centre is best to give you walkable access to all of these sights.
Want the full detail? Read our Wellington with Kids guide – HERE
End of the route: fly out of Wellington or carry on to the South Island by ferry.
Book a ferry to the South Island HERE
Tips for This Itinerary
- You may want to consider driving in the evening as opposed to early morning starts – to get the journey out of the way and be fresh in the new location in the morning. This can work well. Just be aware that driving in the dark in New Zealand outside of towns/cities, can be a little trickier just because many roads are single carriageway and not so well lit.
- This itinerary gives you a few options to be flexible. You may want an extra day at The Mount, Rotorua, or Taupo and sacrifice a day in Auckland at the end.
Plan Your 10 Day North Island Trip - Useful Links
This post contains affiliate links. If you book through these links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you – which helps keep Roaming Wild running. Thank you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ten days enough for the North Island with kids?
The itinerary we have provided gives you a decent amount of time to see the destinations we have listed. Of course, you could spend a whole week in Auckland alone and not see everything but what we have selected here gives you the chance to see the main attractions, whilst providing some flexibility, a little spare time, without feeling like it’s a constant drive.
Should I do the loop or the one-way route?
The loop suits you if you are flying in and out of Auckland. The one-way route suits you if you are carrying on to the South Island or flying out from Wellington. Just bear in mind, the drive from Taupo to Wellington is long.
Do we need a car?
Yes – absolutely. To try do this itinerary with kids on public transport would be a logistical nightmare.
Book your car here.
What is the best time of year to do this itinerary?
This itinerary works any time of year outside of the Winter months of June to September. That’s not to say it can’t be done in those months but you may find, the weather not so favourable and some driving may occur in the dark.
How far is the longest drive on the route?
For Option 1, it’s the first leg – from Auckland to The Mount – approx. 3 hours.
For Option 2, it’s the final leg – from Taupo to Wellington – approx. 5 hours.
Have you done the North Island with kids? Drop a comment below.
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