caely15

Hello,
My husband and 9 month old baby will be spending 12 days in North Island (April 28 - May 10). We will not be able to do any extreme sports or hardcore hiking with the baby. We enjoy beaches, wines, fishing, light hiking. This is our itinerary as of now - we would LOVE some feedback (we will have a car).

April 28 – land in auck in AM
- hotel in Auck

April 29 – depart Auckland for rotorua (3 hrs) arrive in pm
- hotel in Rotorua

April 30 – ½ day in rotorua and drive to Tauranga, Bay Of Plenty
- hotel in Tauranga

May 1 – Tauranga
- hotel in Tauranga

May 2 – drive to lake Taupo (is this worth it? What would we do?)
- hotel in Taupo

May 3 – drive to hawkes bay
- hotel in ...?

May 4 – hawkes bay
- hotel in...?

May 5 – drive to bay of islands (where to get hotel? Russell?)
- hotel in...?

May 6 – bay of islands
- hotel in...?

May 7 – bay of islands
- hotel in...?

May 8 –drive to Auck - Waiheke Island
- hotel in Waiheke Island?

May 9 – Waiheke Island?
- hotel in Waiheke Island?

May 10 - depart


Is it worth it go to waiheke island?

peterSale

Is there a reason you are going south (Rotorua) then north (Tauranga) then south (Taupo - Hawkes bay) then north again (Bay of Islands)? Seems to be a round about way of going to places.

I would suggest driving in a loop, but if you have to be at certain places and certain times it makes it hard.

Hawkes Bay to Russell is an 8 hr 21 min drive according to google.

Only half a day in Rotorua is not much. All others are fine for the amount of time you have.

All the places you mention will have plenty for you to do for a day or so. You will certainly not run out of things to see or do. Just the scenery along the drive will be great. There are plenty of short walks in and around the areas you mention and boat cruises that will be suitable for you carrying a baby.

I can't comment on waiheke island having not been there.

golfernz1

This not planned to make the best use of your time, the itinerary should be Auckland, Tauranga, Napier, Auckland. You don't seem to have studied a map at all and not only will you be a danger on the road with tiredness you will be too exhausted to enjoy anything with this plan. I would leave out Waiheke Island and also leave out Bay of Islands, there is not much there except activities for boaties. A tighter more manageable itinerary would be, Auckland to Tauranga and over to Mt Maunganui for coastal scenery, on to Rotorua and then thru Taupo to Napier. Our roads are not dual carriageways as in other countries, they are windy and need lots of concentration. Try doing a google search for itineraries from the Automobile Association and work out the distances and driving times. There isn't anything of interest for tourists in Tauranga, you could use the bypass when you arrive at the beginning of the city and go to Mt Maunganui which is a very nice town now and the beach is lovely. Once you pick out your stops google each one and then pick out what you want to do while there. Bay of Islands is a long drive from Auckland over many hills let alone from anywhere else.