Great value rentals from New Zealand’s most trusted campervan hire providers
The best way to explore Auckland is with a campervan because it lets you feel one with nature and experience travelling independently. There are many amazing campsites to choose from ranging from campgrounds to holiday parks. To help you find the perfect campervan rental for your next trip, VroomVroomVroom has gathered some of the best deals in Auckland.
Auckland, also known as the City of Sails, is located between two harbours in a landscape dotted with volcanoes. The Waitemata Harbour is lined with bars and restaurants, with shopping for all budgets. Beaches are easily accessible from Auckland, making it an ideal city to explore in a campervan. Its warm coastal climate makes it a great place to visit any time of the year.
Some of our favourite things to do year-round in Auckland are:
Summer (December, January, February): Summer is all about surfing and swimming. There are some paradise-looking beaches in Auckland including Piha. The beach is a 40-minute drive from the CBD and you can stay at the Piha Domain Campground. Another popular beach destination is Mission Bay because of its centralised location. You can get here in less than 15 minutes and enjoy various activities like swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding and rollerblading.
Autumn (March, April, May): Admire the season’s gold and red leaves by taking a stroll through Cornwall Park which has more than 8,000 trees waiting to be discovered. This urban oasis not only lets you see the beauty of nature but also experience farm life. You can find hundreds of sheep and around 60 cows at its farm. Aside from Cornwall Park, you can also spot autumn leaves along Franklin Road.
Winter (June, July, August): It does not snow in Auckland during winter, but you can find more than 8,000 square metres of real snow in Snowplanet. Whether you are in the mood to go skiing, snowboarding or snow tubing, you can now do that in Auckland. Getting here from the CBD will only take around 30 minutes via State Highway 1.
Spring (September, October, November): Flowers are in full bloom this time of the year and the best place to appreciate its beauty is at the Auckland Botanic Gardens. There are many beautiful gardens waiting to be explored including the Rose Garden and Spring Blossom Valley. If you want to go on a day trip, make sure to include Matakana Coast Wine Country in your list. It’s just an hour away and there are many fun activities you can do there such as beach horse rides, wine trails and river tours.
Year-Round: There are many places that you can explore in Auckland that are free such as Mount Eden, Rangitoto Island, and Waitakere Ranges Regional Park, so all you need is your campervan to help you get around. Other must-see attractions in the city include Auckland Zoo, Auckland War Memorial Museum, New Zealand Maritime Museum and Sky Tower.
Takapuna Beach Holiday Park is an iconic kiwi campground on the North Shore beachfront. The holiday park offers charming views of Rangitoto Island and the Hauraki Gulf. The park has easy access to the city. It has a wide range of accommodation to choose from including the waterfront powered sites.
Remuera Motor Lodge is located at 16 Minto Road and is the perfect inner-city camping ground. There are 50 campervan sites, with plenty of facilities and a swimming pool. Stay here to be close to local attractions like the Auckland Zoo, Vector Arena and Eden Park.
Clarks Beach Holiday Park is around 40 to 60 minutes away from Auckland CBD and Auckland Airport. This hidden gem boasts of its panoramic views of the beautiful beach and golf course. Apart from its camping and powered sites, it also has other accommodation options including studio motels and cabins.
Sample some of the local cuisine: Auckland is not just the City of Sails, it is a city of cafes and culture. Visit some of the lovely restaurants in the Viaduct or Wynyard Quarter. Drive along the waterfront to Mission Bay and enjoy some traditional fish and chips on the beach.
Explore the city centre: Auckland is the largest Polynesian city in the world, and the weekend markets in Otara and Avondale are the perfect place to soak up the island vibe. Learn about the history of the city at the stunning Auckland War Memorial Museum. If you like to shop, try the historic department store of Smith & Caughey in Queen Street, Auckland's main thoroughfare. The Victoria Park Market is great for craft, fashion and art.
Travel to some of the North Island's popular tourist spots: Head west to find the black sand beaches of Piha and Muriwai. The waves can get wild, so be sure to stay in between the flags. Nearby Kumeu is wine country, and the artsy village of Titirangi is the gateway to the rainforests of the Waitakere ranges.
Take the campervan to some stunning regional parks: Facilities might be basic compared to commercial campgrounds, but the location and views will be worth it at Tapapakanga, on the western shores of the Firth of Thames. The region has a pohutukawa fringed beach and a freshwater lagoon.
Drive to see some of New Zealand's most well-known sites: From Auckland, it is an easy drive to the Bay of Islands, the Coromandel Peninsula or to the Hobbiton Movie Set in Matamata.
On hiring a campervan in Auckland
Unlike when hiring a rental car, people tend to book a campervan a bit further in advance, and there are a few reasons for this.
When you’re hiring a campervan, you’re not simply hiring something with four wheels to buzz around a city for a few days, instead you’re hiring a vehicle that you could well be living in for days, weeks, or even months. As such, people tend to have far more specific needs — some may require a certain number of berths, perhaps an onboard kitchen, or more comfortable living space. All this means that doing your research to find the right campervan for you can pay off handsomely — but it also means that supply is more limited. When supply is limited, it is a good idea to book as far in advance as possible so that you know that the campervan you need will be waiting for you when you arrive.
With this in mind, while it isn’t unusual for people to book a hire car the day before they need it, with campervans, people often book their vehicle months in advance. So our advice to you is if you’re planning to rent a campervan, start researching today, and when you find the right campervan for you, book it!
One more point, another way campervan rentals differ from regular cars, is that bookings are not instant. Once you make a campervan booking it will need to be approved by the provider. Yet another reason not to leave your campervan rental until you’re sitting in the airport boarding lounge.
If you’re new to campervans and not sure where to start, please give our campervan rental information page a read as it explains many of the basics you’ll need to know to make an informed decision.
We could start off by telling you that a typical customer hiring a campervan in Auckland tends to look at campervans with two or four berths (including a toilet and shower). This isn’t really all that helpful though, as they type of campervan you should hire in Auckland depends very much on the type of campervan you — rather than a typical customer — needs. Consider the following questions:
How big is your travel group? What is your budget? What facilities do you need — or not need? Where are you planning to go? How long for? Knowing the answers to these questions — and plenty more — is the best way to make sure the campervan you hire in Auckland is the right one for you.
Solo travellers or couples might find a compact campervan to be more than enough, while families — especially those with young kids — or larger groups might prefer a more spacious motorhome with multiple sleeping areas.
Next, consider the facilities you need and the facilities you want. These might sound the same, but they are very different! Basic campervans often include a bed and simple cooking gear, while more luxurious options feature kitchens, bathrooms, and comfortable bedding. For example, if you’re planning on camping, perhaps paying the extra for comfortable beds isn’t really necessary, but if you’re not even packing a tent, then the extra expense required to get more comfortable beds might be a smart choice.
Where you’re going also matters. If you’re planning to just potter around Auckland and its immediate surrounds, then you could probably get away with a standard campervan. That said, if you’re planning to drive from Auckland to Wellington — or Dunedin — something more spacious would be a sound investment.
Think about your budget, as campervans vary in cost depending on size, amenities, and rental duration, and while shortening the length of your trip might bring different options within your budget, spending more to get a bigger van may mean you’ll spend even less on hotels. Either way, do the math!
In conclusion, when you’re booking a campervan for pickup from Auckland, it pays to be honest when considering what you need versus what you want, along with what fits with your budget and overall travel plans. It’s the best way to maximise your chance of getting the perfect campervan for you.
For most rental caravan providers, the minimum age to rent a campervan is the same as for car rentals — 21 years of age. Depending on the campervan rental supplier, those under 21 may only be able to rent certain vehicles. Double check with the campervan rental provider to see what their specific requirements are.
In most cases, you won’t need to present a special type of licence to rent a campervan — you’ll only be asked to present your standard and valid full driving licence. Keep in mind that a probationary, learner permit, or provisional licence are not accepted for campervan hire. If your licence is in a language other than English, you’ll need to provide an International Driving Permit in conjunction with your valid licence. If you’re unsure as to whether your licence will be accepted, you should contact your prospective campervan provider prior to booking.
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