You asked about Napier. My husband and I visited Napier/Hawkes Bay nearly 20 years ago. If you enjoy visiting wineries, you'd like it. Where there's good wine, there's usually good food and Hawkes Bay is no exception. Many of the wineries are not only attractive and in scenic locations, but they also have restaurants, such as Mission Estate and Craggy Range (which is at the base of Te Mata). Elephant Hill Winery probably has the most stunning seaside location (we didn't get a chance to visit back then it as I think it had yet to open, but I buy their wine from time to time and it's very tasty). I don't think they have a restaurant, but they have a tasting room and accommodation.

You likely know that Hawkes Bay's other leading attractions include Napier's Art Deco buildings and the Cape Kidnapper's gannet colony. Napier also has a nice regional museum and art gallery, focusing on local history and culture, which has been upgraded since our visit, and an aquarium that includes displays of NZ native animals and local sealife. Both are on its waterfront street, Marine Parade (which is also where we stayed). The beach is pretty but dangerous, "due to a steep drop off, strong undertow and unpredictable waves". While in Hawkes Bay, we also visited the Arataki Honey visitor centre, drove up to Napier's Bluff Hill lookout and explored and dined in the Napier suburb of Ahuriri, where there seemed to be a lot restaurants and bars.

Te Mata is probably the most scenic spot in Hawkes Bay and you can (and should) drive to its peak.

Napier/Hawkes Bay is known for being one of NZ's sunniest places, though in February 2023, it was hard-hit by Cyclone Gabrielle.

We took the long way to Napier, beginning our drive along the East Coast at Whakatane, then Opotiki, then drove around the beautiful and relatively remote East Cape, spending the night somewhere along there (there aren't many places to stay on the East Cape), then past Tolaga Bay to Gisborne, where we spent about three nights (as my husband had been offered a job there), before driving to Napier. It's also possible to travel down the East Coast of the North Island, without having to do that long drive around the East Cape, as there is a faster, more direct road between Opotiki and Gisborne the cuts through the Urewera Ranges.

From Napier, we drove to Martinborough (Wairarapa), where we did more wine tasting, before ending our driving trip in Wellington (via SH2, which includes the winding, narrow drive through the Rimutaka Range). The Wairarapa coast (the road to Cape Palliser Lighthouse) is scenic. You can read about it here.

On this particular trip, we'd planned on continuing from Wellington to the South Island, but a bad storm that made southern roads icy convinced us to change our plans. We flew to Brisbane instead and enjoyed Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast to Noosa.. But we traveled in mid-spring, so this shouldn't happen to you, particularly in this El Niño year, which is supposed to bring warmer and drier weather to NZ's East Coast.

Like mlgb, I also like the Bay of Islands. Before moving to Dunedin, we'd thought of moving there. We've stayed in Paihia and Kerikeri. Paihia is by the sea. Central Kerikeri, where most of its accommodation is located, is inland. The Kerikeri River runs through the town and the town is close to the sea and not at all far from Paihia. Russell, which you can reach by passenger ferry from Paihia or car ferry from nearby Opua, is charming and historic. Old Russell, formerly known as Okiato and seven km. south of present-day Russell, was the NZ's first capital. Russell is well worth a visit or a longer stay.

From Paihia, you can easily walk to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed. Paihia is also a good place to catch a dolphin cruise to a "hole in the rock" (we didn't, as sailing conditions were too windy). Or you can catch a coach tour to Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach; I think this is what most people do, rather than a self-drive.

We didn't go to Cape Reinga, but drove to Hokianga Harbour and Waipoua Kauri Forest, where the ancient kauri tree Tane Mahuta lives. Some of the forest walks have been closed to prevent the spread of kauri dieback disease. We also drove north from Paihia to Cooper's Beach, detouring to some of bays and small communities along the way.

The drive from Auckland to Paihia or Russell is a bit tedious, so after driving there and back again on our first trip, we decided to fly from Auckland to Kerikeri on our next visit and rent a car there.Here is Tourism NZ's recommendation of "must-do'" experiences in Northland.

About that 90-minute drive from Dunedin to Nugget Point. You'd start by driving along Dunedin's sparsely populated south coast, before turning inland at Taieri River mouth (there's a nice walk along the river), where Finlayson Road would take you inland to Lake Waihola, where you then follow the Southern Scenic Route signs to Nugget Point. It'd be best to overnight in Nugget Point or you could continue on to Porpoise Bay/Curio Bay (they're adjacent) in the southern Catlins and spend a night or two there to explore the southern Catlins. From Porpoise Bay/Curio Bay, it would take under three hours to drive to Te Anau, about 3.5 hours to drive to Queenstown, or 2.5 hours to drive back to Dunedin. Or you could drive an hour down to Invercargill (where you could fly to Stewart Island, Auckland or Christchurch) or Bluff (where you could take the ferry to Stewart Island). Apparently, Stewart Island is experiencing a uptick in popularity.

Have you been to Waiheke Island in Hauraki Gulf or Auckland's rugged and beautiful West Coast? A famous scene in Jane Campion's movie, The Piano, was shot on Auckland's West Coast at Karekare Beach. There are black sand beaches along this coast and there also a highly accessible gannet colony at Muriwai.

Thanks for the detailed descriptions again.

Yes I can see going up to Paihia/Kerikeri or maybe stay on Russell. Then possibly go up to Cape Reinga though that's another 3 hours and then I'd have to eventually make way back to Auckland.

I see possible stops to break up the long drive to and from Auckland to the north, such as the Mahurangi and Tahwharaunui Peninsula areas and the Whangārei Heads coastal areas.


I also see the Nugget Point and Southern Catlins area as interesting scenically. Nugget Point comes up as one of the most beautiful photo spots in the SI or all of NZ.

But as you noted previously, the last 10 days of November is usually very windy in the southern coast of the SI. So maybe it would draw me more to venturing north of Auckland, though logistically, I don't know about staying in Auckland with a car to do day trips and then depart north.

I've only spent a couple of nights in Auckland, otherwise mostly transited through AKL. I did take a boat trip from Auckland Harbor to the east, some islands out there. Looks like you can't miss Waiheke, it's so big. But I recall stopping at some tiny islands on that boat trip, islands where there was a small pier for the boat to dock very briefly and then move on.

I think it would be great to stay in Russell! But the idea of driving up to Cape Reinga and back in a day doesn't sound very appealing. Anyhow, you can wait until you get here to figure that one out. Check out the cruise ship schedule for Paihia/Russell. A large cruise ship can overwhelm a small town.

I don't know Mahurangi, but I've heard loads of good things about Tawharanui and the Matakana Coast in general, so much so that I've place them on my bucket list. They do kiwi-spotting walks through Tawharanui Sanctuary, if this strikes your fancy..

Some friends of mine stayed up in Whangarei Heads and told me their views were lovely but they felt quite bothered by flies (this was in summer)..Strange, in 12 years in Dunedin, we've never been bothered by flies, sandflies, mosquitoes, not even ants--maybe it's too cold for them here!

I'd have to agree, Nugget Point, Mt. Cook/Aoraki and Milford Sound would be my choices for most beautiful and easily accessed spots in NZ. There are many gorgeous spots on the South Island, but many of them require a long or arduous hike or a long drive on a gravel road, or ferrying out to an island, and so on. I particularly enjoy Nugget Point lighthouse in winter, when there are fewer people on the track.I think you are correct in saying that South Island has more dramatic scenery than the North Island. .

You must have visited some small islands in Hauraki Gulf. I think you would have remembered Waiheke. I don't know if it's the largest--I think Great Barrier Island in outer Hauraki Gulf is larger--but Waiheke's the most populated of these islands. It's an island of bays, beaches, walking tracks, nature reserves and wineries. The eastern side of the island is sparsely populated and mostly farmland, though there is a good winery out that way, Man O'War.

Are you thinking of staying in Auckland for more than a day before you head north to the Bay of Islands?

Yes I would stay a couple of days, maybe try to make it out to Piha area. I see a Mercer Bay Loop Walk, the track appears to be on top of a cliff looking down to the ocean. But I would assume you'd have to drive there, not sure there would be some convenient bus service from Auckland.

If I do go to Northland, it would take up at least a week, unless I wanted to try to do long drives in a single day, so I would probably overnight once or twice before reaching Cape Reinga.

That trip would leave little time for the SI, maybe none.

So it would be choosing between Auckland and points north versus SI, either revisiting the same places or going to Dunedin and Catlins. Weather on average is warmer up north and as you noted, it could be very windy in the southern coast that time of year, the last week or so in November. I don't mind cooler temperatures but the wind and rain would disrupt travel plans for me.

On one of my trips, I had the most awful time with hay fever in Wanaka/Queenstown. I can't recall if it was January or December but it made going outdoors a big ordeal.

Never been as far as Cape Reinga. I'm not sure it's advisable in a passenger car. My farthest north stop was the Matai/Doubtless Bay area . Can't recall exact lodging, Mangonui is the main town. I think there may have been a famous fish and chips place there, and another on the west coast in Opopnoni "Opo Takeaways" . Opo was a famous "friendly dolphin". https://folksong.org.nz/opo/

I would always drive the Twin Coast Loop, up one side and down the other, or vice versa. https://www.newzealand.com/us/featur...-in-northland/

Discover Doubtless Bay | What we have in Mangonui, Coopers Beach, Cable Bay and Karikari Peninsula in Far North New Zealand nz

As Diamantina mentioned the Kauri dieback is restricing walk access but you can still see the biggest tree,

State Highway 1 goes up to a carpark near the Cape Reinga lighthouse and it appears to be paved all the way up.

But wow, 138 kilometers or almost 2 hours from Mangonui. That would be a long day trip unless there was a town closer with lodgings.

Looks like there are a lot of walking tracks up there near the lighthouse.

My husband and I stopped for lunch in Mangonui on our way to Cooper's Beach. Mangonui is well worth a stop. It's a small, relaxed, scenic fishing village.

You will be warmer up north, for sure.

I used to advise people with hay fever-type allergies to bring their medications with them if they're coming in December-January, as they might have trouble finding the same trade names here..Besides, who wants to spend time at the chemist's while they're on vacation? Come December, I get itchy eyes, sniffles, so on. I have to avoid grassy areas altogether.

Thanks for everyone's help.

I decided to change my ticket to go to Australia instead of NZ for this November to early December period. Seems like I'd have better chance to encounter warmer and drier weather.

I was researching destinations up to this week, including Whangarei, Russell, but Cape Reinga was just too far north, unless I was willing to spend well over a week in the NI.

I wanted to see if I could do the QC Track, at least a day hike but the logistics of getting to Picton and then going somewhere else seemed too difficult, either hire a car and do long drives or fly into Blenheim and then get to Picton and then get back out to Blenheim to fly elsewhere.

I've gone through Picton a couple of times on the ferry but I wasn't planning to see Wellington again this time. Or stop again at Kaikoura or somewhere in between Picton and Christchurch if I had to drive.

But the information I've gathered, including a lot from this thread, will be useful in the future.