Family Gap Year Post #32: Road Trip Around the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand (April 2023)
Description
I honestly can’t remember what was going through my mind when I planned only a one-week road trip around the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand nearly a year ago (to take place in April 2023).
On the one hand, I’m patting myself on the back for only planning a week of “fast travel” at this point in our trip. It’s tiring to travel constantly and to feel untethered from a home base.
On the other hand, it was so hard to soak in the beauty and magic of the North Island in only a week.
Highs
Luckily, my internet-friend-turned-real-life-friend basically planned the itinerary for me, and we loved it!
Some of our favorite adventures:
- Lake Taupō: We only experienced this beautiful area for a single day (in the rain), but we loved it! We went to a natural springs hot water park, a random natural hot water spot on the edge of the lake, and to one of the most gorgeous parks I’ve ever seen. We also had excellent Indian food!
- Tauranga: We only visited this town for a couple hours, but we loved volunteering with the Kiwi Conservation Club to plant native trees and help regenerate the forest.
- Hot Water Beach: What a gorgeous spot! I’ve heard there are less populated areas where you can dig up your own hot water pools at the beaches around NZ, and I would definitely give those a try in the future to avoid the tourists, but I loved boogie boarding with our boys and eating at a great restaurant.
- Waihi Beach: Driving around the Coromandel Peninsula is just awesome, and stopping at Waihi Beach was great. It was gorgeous and quaint.
- Driving Creek: We loved taking a pottery class and soaking in the genius at this spot in the forest. We rode on a handmade railroad up the mountain! And we loved eating Turkish food in the small town.
- Waiheke Island: We rode the ferry to this little island town and had a great time. We loved eating at the food truck on the beach, exploring quirky WWII remains, and eating gelato.
All of the tourist forums I have read online extol the virtues of the South Island, but I have to confess that I am a North Island girl. Of course I agree that the geography of the South Island is jaw-dropping, but the North Island is stunningly beautiful, too, and the Māori culture is more pronounced and appreciated. There’s more land conservation happening on the North Island, and—in my limited personal experience—we have felt more welcome. (There are, of course, exceptions to this general rule—we are so grateful to all the people who did welcome us on the South Island.)
Lows
I honestly can’t think of any lows. It feels like we have really learned a lot about ourselves on this trip. It’s easier to avoid meltdowns and enjoy each other’s company while traveling.
The only low is that our time exploring the North Island was too short!
Lessons Learned
- Take Advice with a Grain of Salt: This quick trip was both an example of how great it can be to follow someone else’s travel advice and how it can be unhelpful. I loved following our friend’s itinerary for the North Island, but I’m disappointed that I put too much trust in the travel forums that said the South Island is better. We spent four months on the South Island and less than two on the North Island. I wish we would’ve reversed it!