Finding campgrounds around Dec/Jan Holiday period that aren't packed outside of town

Forums › Travel (planes, train, cruise) › Finding campgrounds around Dec/Jan Holiday period that aren't packed outside of town

sudo

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#242528 2-Nov-2018 10:49

I'm looking at dragging the family camping for short-ish trips during the xmas holidays.

Baches and cabins are just too pricey, especially when I want to spend more time away. As I don't yet have that much gear to be self-contained, I current need to rely on campground facilities for bathrooms/cooking/power etc. I also want to ease the family into staying in a tent, as they are used to rolling up into a furnished bach/airbnb.

Wondering how far you need to drive outside of Auckland to get to a decent campground that isn't overcrowded (sardines or into neighbouring paddocks) or full especially during those peak periods.

Feel free to share near your town/city how far you need to drive to get to a decent campground during the peak period.

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#2118376 2-Nov-2018 10:49

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#2118397 2-Nov-2018 11:21

Id say quite a way, especially for anything decent outside of Auckland. You really need to book at least 6 months in advance for over the Xmas/New YEar period.

XPD / Gavin

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#2118427 2-Nov-2018 12:01

sudo:

Baches and cabins are just too pricey, especially when I want to spend more time away. As I don't yet have that much gear to be self-contained, I current need to rely on campground facilities for bathrooms/cooking/power etc. I also want to ease the family into staying in a tent, as they are used to rolling up into a furnished bach/airbnb.

Have you checked out campground pricing? For a place with good facilities (Top 10 for example) the price gets up there. Difference seems to be that for camp sites they seem to charge per person, other accommodation types seem to be per room.

We go camping every year at a different location, and as mentioned by @xpd to get in to many places you have to have booked in the first half of the year.

We have found Top 10 places consistently good, but not the cheapest option and many will probably already be fully booked for peak by now.

As a trial camp even somewhere like Orewa isn't a bad option. A bit further out consider Coromandel (Cooks Beach, Hahei), Papamoa etc but again very popular. Less popular probably means less facilities....

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#2118469 2-Nov-2018 12:19

Depending on how far you want to drive, Fantail Bay (Western side of the top of the Coromandel), Port Jackson (right at the top) or Waikawau (on the East) all have availability all through Christmas and New Year. They are all DOC campgrounds (there are others on the peninsula too, I haven't checked all their availability).

They would all be about a 3.5-4 hour drive from Auckland. They are all right on the coast. Waikawau and Port Jackson on nice sandy beaches. Fantail is on a rocky beach on the Pohutukawa coast (we have a bach just before Fantail on the coast road).

sudo

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#2118475 2-Nov-2018 12:33

Yeah thats why Im asking how far would you need to go.

The majority of places I looked at (up to 3 hour drive) are booked mostly from weekend before xmas until second week of Jan, but a few have non-powered sites showing available. I'm also looking at the week before xmas and also through January.

Rather that a single holiday, I am looking at doing a few 3-5 day trips over the summer period.

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#2118505 2-Nov-2018 13:50

Orewa will be packed out, we had access to a site there via friends, and any time the sun was supposed to be out, the place was overflowing.

XPD / Gavin

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#2118508 2-Nov-2018 13:56

Good luck! Thanks to the internet every decent spot will be busier than Queen St!

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#2118607 2-Nov-2018 15:09

Motuihe has spaces available

https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/auckland/places/motuihe-island-recreation-reserve/things-to-do/motuihe-island-campsite/

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#2118617 2-Nov-2018 15:27

Also try Tapapakanga

https://www.google.co.nz/maps/place/Tapapakanga+Beachfront+Campground/@-36.9730041,175.253251,18.15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x6d72bd96710aa2e9:0x96985026fb3cb11f!8m2!3d-36.9727345!4d175.2532511?hl=en&authuser=0

Awhitu

https://www.google.co.nz/maps/place/Awhitu+Regional+Park/@-37.0949533,174.6540608,1467m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x6d0d5e81a8ae2461:0xf00ef62249d0a50!8m2!3d-37.0952697!4d174.6518362?hl=en&authuser=0

or Whatipu

https://www.google.co.nz/maps/place/Whatipu+Campground/@-37.0389999,174.500645,3080m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x298f716bba40a8ff!8m2!3d-37.0395281!4d174.5062351?hl=en&authuser=0

or Waharau

https://www.google.co.nz/maps/place/Waharau+Regional+Park/@-37.0381256,175.2814908,1936m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x6d729819233fcc2b:0x2e12e9019ee794e3!8m2!3d-37.0388643!4d175.2945364?hl=en&authuser=0

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#2123056 9-Nov-2018 22:47

trig42:
Depending on how far you want to drive, Fantail Bay (Western side of the top of the Coromandel), Port Jackson (right at the top) or Waikawau (on the East) all have availability all through Christmas and New Year. They are all DOC campgrounds (there are others on the peninsula too, I haven't checked all their availability).

They would all be about a 3.5-4 hour drive from Auckland. They are all right on the coast. Waikawau and Port Jackson on nice sandy beaches. Fantail is on a rocky beach on the Pohutukawa coast (we have a bach just before Fantail on the coast road).

All good spots, but yep bit of a drive!

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