Road Trip to Wellington

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#1453108 18-Dec-2015 15:56

Okay thanks. We've officially decided that we will leave Auckland on the morning of the 23rd of December, stay two nights, and drive back to Auckland on the 25th of December.

Sony

sonyxperiageek

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#1453128 18-Dec-2015 16:35

Thanks again guys for all your contributions! I will probably have this page and Google Maps open on my phone, laptop throughout the trip as this will probably be my itinerary!

One last thing: Any good places to go to for dinner or for a feed? And since it's Christmas, I think we can be a little indulgent on the prices! All you can eat buffets are usually top priority for dinner.

Sony

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#1453134 18-Dec-2015 16:46

Just drove down to wellington myself, arrived today from Tauranga, staying overnight in Taihape.

Things I noticed...

Insanely cheap petrol in rotorua , $1.42 a litre or so.

Snow on the side of the desert road, in summer!! Car thermometer said it was 5c (late afternoon).

Tons of cops in Taihape, everywhere, and not a lot of eating options in taihape, they got a maccas ha ha, but the dirtiest maccas I've seen.

Crappy parking in wellington. Smallest park spaces in car park building I've ever seen. Squeezed the territory in , just.

Mean person on lambton quay, tripped over a guy rollerblading , pushed into people walking in opposite direction.

Kids saw the beehive for the first time , woohoo.

Tomorrow, te papa, and sightseeing... has been a while since i lived here.

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#1453135 18-Dec-2015 16:48

Let us know how it goes! Oh and where you guys eating at in Wellington?

Sony

Technofreak

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#1453171 18-Dec-2015 18:08

What route are you intending to follow. I'd consider alternatives to SH1 where possible.

When we head south (Wellington way) from Hamilton we often go down to eight mile junction south of Te Kuiti through Taumarunui and down the western side of Ruapehu through National Park and Raetihi then across to Waiouru avoiding a lot of traffic. It good travelling and if you've travelled SH1 a lot it gives different scenery. If you're up for a bit of back country driving taking the Parapara's to Wanganui or the "Forgotten Highway" to Stratford. These are worth while options though they add extra travel time. I'd especially recommend the "Forgotten Highway".

Another way to go or come back from Wellington is via SH 3 through Taranaki. Theres's some good places to stop in Taranaki, Tawhiti Museum just out of Hawera, Pioneer Village and the Shakey Pear at Stratford, or the TSB Festival of Lights at Pukekura Park in New Plymouth. The trip along the coast North of New Plymouth is pretty hard to beat with good stopping places.

Just remember the the Boxing Day Cemetery Circuit Motorcycle races at Wanganui is very popular and generates plenty of traffic in the Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu Wellington regions.

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sonyxperiageek

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#1453309 19-Dec-2015 01:56

surfisup1000: Just drove down to wellington myself, arrived today from Tauranga, staying overnight in Taihape.

Things I noticed...

Insanely cheap petrol in rotorua , $1.42 a litre or so.

Snow on the side of the desert road, in summer!! Car thermometer said it was 5c (late afternoon).

Tons of cops in Taihape, everywhere, and not a lot of eating options in taihape, they got a maccas ha ha, but the dirtiest maccas I've seen.

Crappy parking in wellington. Smallest park spaces in car park building I've ever seen. Squeezed the territory in , just.

Mean person on lambton quay, tripped over a guy rollerblading , pushed into people walking in opposite direction.

Kids saw the beehive for the first time , woohoo.

Tomorrow, te papa, and sightseeing... has been a while since i lived here.

Someone above said that Taihape had some good cafes, so not the case this time?

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#1453311 19-Dec-2015 02:40

You really should check out http://airbnb.com/ for accommodations. Especially if you would otherwise need more rooms, it can be cheaper and better than a hotel/motel.

If you find somewhere to stay, feel free to PM me with your email address and I can send you a coupon code for $30 NZD off your first stay with AirBNB.

Jarle Dahl Bergersen | Referral Links: Want $50 off when you join Octopus Energy? Use this referral code
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surfisup1000

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#1453337 19-Dec-2015 08:31

sonyxperiageek:
Someone above said that Taihape had some good cafes, so not the case this time?

I think so, but not at night ... We ended up going to new world. Incidentally, Taihape New World has digital price tags -- first time I've seen that in NZ , taihape leading the way haha.

Had dinner at one red dog, great place to eat. cold though, Wellington summer like Tauranga winter.

Wellington is a cool place, still has that vibe from when I lived there. The wellington CBD makes Auckland look like a slum, in my view of course.

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#1453353 19-Dec-2015 09:24

surfisup1000: t ... We ended up going to new world. Incidentally, Taihape New World has digital price tags -- first time I've seen that in NZ , taihape leading the way haha.

Those digital price tags have been in use for quite a while at various New Worlds. I've never been to the Taihape one but I've seen them elsewhere

surfisup1000:Wellington is a cool place, still has that vibe from when I lived there. The wellington CBD makes Auckland look like a slum, in my view of course.

Agree Wellington CBD is much better than Auckland, plus there's more to see and do in the general area.

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#1453482 19-Dec-2015 13:36

Technofreak:
surfisup1000: t ... We ended up going to new world. Incidentally, Taihape New World has digital price tags -- first time I've seen that in NZ , taihape leading the way haha.

Those digital price tags have been in use for quite a while at various New Worlds. I've never been to the Taihape one but I've seen them elsewhere

surfisup1000:Wellington is a cool place, still has that vibe from when I lived there. The wellington CBD makes Auckland look like a slum, in my view of course.

Agree Wellington CBD is much better than Auckland, plus there's more to see and do in the general area.

Digital price tags? I haven't seen them yet!

About Wellington is better than Auckland, I guess we shall see when I go there!

Sony

sonyxperiageek

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#1453484 19-Dec-2015 13:42

So after an hour of planning, I think this will be my itinerary:

23rd December 2015 - The Drive down to Wellington Destination stops along the way (in order):

Huka Falls – 295 Huka Falls Road
Lake Taupo
Taihape
Paekakariki Hill Lookout

Check in hotel then: Walk/drive down Courtenay Place, Wellington at night.. looking for food?

24th December 2015 - Starting out from the hotel

Bay Plaza Hotel, 40-44 Oriental Parade, Oriental Bay, 6011, New Zealand
Around 7:30am… Waitangi Park; Waterfront; Karaka Café; Michael Fowler Center
From 8am... Cuba St, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand – Food / market place
Te Papa Museum, New Zealand
Parliament House, 32 Molesworth Street, Pipitea, Wellington 6011, New Zealand - Guided tours
Wellington Botanic Garden, 101 Glenmore, Wellington 6012
Wellington Skyline - $3 per hr of parking in carpark.
Cable Car – from Kelburn Terminus to Lambton Quay Terminus - 7am to 10pm; run every 10 minutes. Return Ticket. Walk along street, could go to Lambton Square Shopping Center etc..
Mount Victoria - 49 Lookout Rd, Hataitai, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
Stop by Cobham Drive, Rongotai to check out Wellington International Airport and planes taking off and landing!
If enough time, go for a longer drive around Evans Bay on Shelby Bay Road to the next activity!
The Weta Cave, 1 Weka Street, Miramar, Wellington 6022 - 7 days a week from 9 AM - 5.30 PM

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sonyxperiageek

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#1453486 19-Dec-2015 13:45

Technofreak: What route are you intending to follow. I'd consider alternatives to SH1 where possible.

I was intending to follow the normal route, so we could go past all the destination stops in my above post.

Sony

Technofreak

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#1453518 19-Dec-2015 14:42

sonyxperiageek:
Technofreak: What route are you intending to follow. I'd consider alternatives to SH1 where possible.

I was intending to follow the normal route, so we could go past all the destination stops in my above post.

So you're going on the reverse on the way home, if not try SH 3. It's a very good alternative. I'd stay away from SH 1 where possible, the traffic will be manic in some places, I guess you'll find out on the way down.

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surfisup1000

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#1453596 19-Dec-2015 17:41

sonyxperiageek: So after an hour of planning, I think this will be my itinerary:

23rd December 2015 - The Drive down to Wellington Destination stops along the way (in order):

Huka Falls – 295 Huka Falls Road
Lake Taupo
Taihape
Paekakariki Hill Lookout
Check in hotel then: Walk/drive down Courtenay Place, Wellington at night.. looking for food?

24th December 2015 - Starting out from the hotel

Bay Plaza Hotel, 40-44 Oriental Parade, Oriental Bay, 6011, New Zealand
Around 7:30am… Waitangi Park; Waterfront; Karaka Café; Michael Fowler Center
From 8am... Cuba St, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand – Food / market place
Te Papa Museum, New Zealand
Parliament House, 32 Molesworth Street, Pipitea, Wellington 6011, New Zealand - Guided tours
Wellington Botanic Garden, 101 Glenmore, Wellington 6012
Wellington Skyline - $3 per hr of parking in carpark.
Cable Car – from Kelburn Terminus to Lambton Quay Terminus - 7am to 10pm; run every 10 minutes. Return Ticket. Walk along street, could go to Lambton Square Shopping Center etc..
Mount Victoria - 49 Lookout Rd, Hataitai, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
Stop by Cobham Drive, Rongotai to check out Wellington International Airport and planes taking off and landing!
If enough time, go for a longer drive around Evans Bay on Shelby Bay Road to the next activity!
The Weta Cave, 1 Weka Street, Miramar, Wellington 6022 - 7 days a week from 9 AM - 5.30 PM

A lot to do in one day...we spent 4 hours at te papa alone, had an hours break, did the cable car and now its nearly 6pm.

Although, we kind of meandered more, less planned.

sonyxperiageek

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#1453618 19-Dec-2015 18:28

Oh okay! I was thinking maybe that it wasn't long enough lol!

Sony

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