Weta Cave

National Tobacco Company Building

Vinci's Pizza

Hunger Monger Seafood

Elephant Hill - Triangle Vineyard

Waipunga Falls

Huka Falls

Wairakei Terraces & Thermal Health Spa

The Doughnut Box

The Storehouse

Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland

Kerosene Creek

Okere Falls

Hell's Gate Geothermal Reserve and Mud Spa

Lime Cafe

Redwoods Treewalk

Skyline Gondola & Luge 

The National Kiwi Hatchery

ZORB™ Rotorua

Government Gardens

Mitai Maori Village

Blue Spring (Te Waihou Walkway), Whites Road entrance

Zealong Tea Estate

Ponsonby Central

Ponsonby

Chuffed

Domain Wintergardens

Giapo

Sky Tower

Nelson Street Cycleway (Pink Street)

Pineapple on Parnell

Edgewater Restaurant

McDonald's Taupo

Spacecraft

Doughboats Lake Taupo

Wellington Cable Car

Hannah's Laneway

Zealandia Nature Reserve

Mount Victoria Lookout

Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours

Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Maungawhau / Mount Eden

Honey Cafe Ponsonby

Chambers

Little and Friday

A complete roadtrip itinerary of the North Island from Wellington to Auckland. Activities, Food & Accommodations.

Taupō, New Zealand

Hamilton, New Zealand

Wellington, New Zealand

New Zealand

Napier, New Zealand

Auckland, New Zealand

Rotorua, New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND 🇳🇿 North Island │A 12-day Roadtrip Itinerary 

Milford Sound / Piopiotahi

Aoraki / Mount Cook

The Pinnacles

Tongariro National Park

Whakaari / White Island

Rotorua

Franz Josef Glacier

Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve

Wharariki Beach

Kaikōura

Abel Tasman National Park

Waipoua Forest

Otari-Wilton's Bush

Tititea / Mount Aspiring

Mount Tasman

Lake Taupo

Lake Waikaremoana

Lake Tekapo

Fox Glacier

Tasman Glacier

Mount Taranaki

You are spoilt for choice when it comes to beautiful outdoors locations in New Zealand, but what are the very best spots for admiring this country's incredible nature and scenery? 

Check out this list of the most stunning and iconic outdoors spots in New Zealand! 

Fox Glacier, West Coast, New Zealand

Kaikōura, New Zealand

Otari-Wilton's Bush Wilton Road, Wilton, Wellington, New Zealand

South Island, New Zealand

Milford Sound, Southland, New Zealand

Cathedral Cove, Waikato, New Zealand

Franz Josef Glacier, West Coast, New Zealand

Tongariro, New Zealand

Mount Tasman, West Coast, New Zealand

Mount Aspiring, West Coast, New Zealand

Coromandel, New Zealand

Mt Cook, Canterbury, New Zealand

Abel Tasman National Park, South Island, New Zealand

White Island, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

Wharariki Beach, Wharariki Road, Pūponga, New Zealand

Northland, New Zealand

Mount Taranaki, Taranaki, New Zealand

Best of the New Zealand Outdoors

Redwoods – Whakarewarewa Forest

Polynesian Spa

Hell's Gate Geothermal Mud Spa 

Putaruru Blue Spring

Pig & Whistle, Historic Pub

Ngatoroirangi Mine Bay Maori Rock Carvings

Whakarewarewa - The Living Maori Village

Crafty Trout Brewery & Restaurant

Malabar Nepalese and Indian Kitchen

The Fainting Goat

Pataka Kai 

Te Puia - Rotorua, NZ

Waikite Valley Hot Pools

Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre

Kuirau Park

Tīrau

Craters of the Moon

Huka Honey Hive

Skydive Taupo

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Skyline Rotorua

Pullman Rotorua

Millennium Hotel Rotorua

Rydges Rotorua

Apex on Fenton Rotorua

Haka House Rotorua

My favourite part of the North Island for outdoor adventures in Aotearoa New Zealand! And it's totally underrated. Yes, Rotorua smells like sulphur... but that's because it's like, literally otherworldly.

While it's nice to visit in the summer, I love a winter getaway in Rotorua because it's easy to warm up at one of the hot springs.

Neither Rotorua nor Taupō are culinary destinations - but I've rounded up some decent places to eat and drink when you're in town.

More details about pricing and where to find stuff on my blog: www.runawaytraveller.com/

Best of Rotorua & Taupo

Queen Charlotte Sound / Tōtaranui

Punakaiki

Arthur's Pass

Hokitika Gorge

Lake Matheson

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park

These are some of the best natural wonders of New Zealand that you won't want to miss.

Queen Charlotte Sound / Tōtaranui, Marlborough, New Zealand

Arthur's Pass, New Zealand

North Island, New Zealand

Lake Taupo, Waikato, New Zealand

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, Canterbury, New Zealand

Aoraki / Mount Cook, New Zealand

Best of New Zealand

Bridal Veil Falls

Marokopa Falls

Omaru Falls

Papakorito Falls

Piroa Falls

Rainbow Falls (Waianiwaniwa)

Rere Rock Slide Waterfall

Taranaki Falls

Tarawera Falls

Waitanguru Falls

Whangarei Falls

Kauri Glen Walkway

Mangapohue Natural Bridge

Mercer Bay Loop Walk

Mauao / Mount Maunganui

Rangitoto Summit Track

Waimangu Volcanic Valley

Waipu Caves Farm Park Glow Worms

Waitomo Caves

Wellington Waterfront Walk

Auckland Zoo

Bay of Islands Kayaking

Butterfly Creek

Dive Tatapouri

Dolphin Seafaris

Gannet Colony (Hastings)

Goat Island / Te Hāwere-a-Maki

Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne

Hot Water Beach

Mission Bay Beach

New Chums Beach

Ōhope Beach

Oriental Bay Beach

Piha Beach

Pokohino Beach

Te Henga (Bethells Beach)

Kaitiaki Adventures

Whanganui River

White Water Rafting Rotorua

Lost Spring

Ocean Spa Napier

Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa

Cape Reinga Lighthouse

Wairakei Terraces Swimming

Cathedral Cove

Giant Kiwifruit Capital of the World

Lady Knox Geyser

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu

Coromandel Zipline Tours

Redwoods Altitude

Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq Newmarket

Auckland Art Gallery

Auckland Museum

Boulder Co. Auckland

Govett-Brewster Art Gallery

National Aquarium

Te Papa - Museum of New Zealand 

Wētā Workshop Unleashed

8 Wired Brewing - Barrelworks

Garage Project Taproom: 91 Aro

Heyday Beer Co

Shining Peak Brewing

Man O' War Vineyards

Wild on Waiheke Winery & Brewery

Craggy Range

All my favourite places on the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. I've narrowed it down to my top choices to give you some inspo. But I have a more extensive map on Google, with 200+ locations and colour-coded sections so it's easy to navigate. You can even save it to reference once you're on the road! Message me for FREE access. 
Details also on my blog: https://runawaytraveller.com/north-island-map-explore/

Best Stops On New Zealand's North Island 

Results for Rotorua, New Zealand