Where to Book Your Stays on Your Motorhome or Campervan Holiday in New Zealand

When you take a road trip in a car, it can sometimes be a challenge to find somewhere to stay. When you are tired and ready to call it a day, “no vacancy” signs seem to be everywhere. But when you tour New Zealand in a hired motorhome, campervan, or 4WD vehicle, that won’t happen!

Taking a New Zealand holiday in a motorhome or other hired vehicle frees you from needing to book reservations at traditional hotels and motels.

Instead, you can stay at any of the numerous holiday parks for national parks throughout NZ.

Even better, you do not have to worry about bookings, because New Zealand allows freedom camping.

That means that if need be, you can pull over and spend the night anywhere that freedom camping is not prohibited.

In this article, we will go over all of these options in detail so that you can plan for your New Zealand motorhome holiday.

Holiday Parks

Your first option when it comes to spending the night in a hired vehicle is to head to a holiday park.

There are holiday parks located throughout New Zealand. A holiday park is the same thing as a “motorhome Park” or “motorhome resort.” It could also be called an “RV park” or even a “trailer park” (there is less of a distinction between these terms than many people believe).

There is a huge range of quality and amenities across the board. So, you should do research before you book reservations at a park.

Pros of Holiday Parks:

• Holiday parks are often located conveniently close to popular tourist attractions and town amenities.
• Some holiday parks include tennis courts, splash parks, swimming pools, and other fun features.
• There are typically laundry and bathroom (including shower) facilities at holiday parks.
• Some holiday parks offer complimentary breakfasts.

Cons of Holiday Parks:

• If you stay at a holiday park which is close to town, there can be more traffic.
• Holiday parks are sometimes very crowded, and can get noisy.

National Parks

Currently, there are 13 national parks throughout New Zealand. Put together, they feature around 30,000 km² of protected land.

These national parks feature campgrounds of their own directly on the premises.

Depending on the park and the campground, you may or may not need to place a reservation. If the campground is at a particularly remote site or is on the small side, you may only be able to claim a spot if you get there before others.

Pros of National Parks:

• Some national park campgrounds can be very busy, while others are smaller and more secluded, providing more privacy and tranquillity.
• Depending on where you stay, you may have access to drinking water, firewood, ice, restrooms, and sometimes even laundry.
• You cannot beat the scenery you will be surrounded by at a national park campground in New Zealand.
• If discovering national parks is your priority on your holiday, there can be no more convenient location to spend the night than directly on the grounds you want to explore.

Cons of National Parks:

• National park campgrounds can fill up quickly, even those which accept reservations. You may need to book months in advance of your trip.
• Some national park campgrounds provide very little in the way of amenities.
• You may be located inconveniently far from restaurants, stores and other in-town amenities at some destinations.

Freedom Camping

Finally, there is another option for where you stay on your motorhome holiday in New Zealand, and that is almost anywhere you like.

So long as you are on public land and there are no signs prohibiting camping, you are allowed to spend the night so long as you are travelling in a self-contained motorhome or campervan.

You need a certificate to do this. So, when you hire your vehicle, make sure to inquire about this.

Also, there are specific laws which govern freedom camping in New Zealand. Make sure that you are familiar with them before you embark on your adventure.

Pros of Freedom Camping:

• Camp almost anywhere! Think how many times in other locales you might have thought that something looked like the perfect campsite, but were unable to stay there. As long as there are no signs prohibiting camping, any ideal spot can become your campground in New Zealand.

• Don’t worry about bookings and vacancies. You get to decide how early or late you want to stop driving for the day. You don’t need to juggle the administrative hassles associated with bookings, and you don’t need to worry about no vacancy signs.

• Change your plans on the fly. If you want to make a detour or change your plans altogether, you have complete freedom to do so. This flexibility can make your vacation more convenient and more fun.

Cons of Freedom Camping:

• Following freedom camping laws means that you will need to dispose of your waste properly. So you will need to locate dump stations near the sites you select.

• There is always a chance that an enforcement officer will ask to see your certificate. But so long as you’re not part in an inappropriate location and are in a self-contained vehicle, you should not experience any issues.

• There are no amenities or hookups.

Campground Options Abound for Motorhome and Campervan Vacationers in NZ

Whether you decide to freedom camp or stay at holiday parks or national park campgrounds, the abundant options available to you make it fun and easy to plan a motorhome for campervan holiday in New Zealand. Continue exploring our posts to learn more about discovering NZ by motorhome or 4WD vehicle!