A working list of rankings for the Top 10 Holiday Parks we have visited. What we loved about them, the cost and if we would go back. We have found that it’s nice to have an unbiased opinion of these parks from people who have actually stayed in them. That is what this list is all about. Hopefully it helps you to pick the best places to stay on your trip around Aotearoa.
We purchased a Top 10 membership when we first started van life in New Zealand. This gives us 10% off at the Top 10 sites we stay at as well as various discounts in towns where there are Top 10 sites.
We would recommend getting the membership if you plan on staying at one or two sites as it is relatively inexpensive, lasts for 2 years and the discounts you get in towns for things like food, transport and activities are very handy.
It can also be used at BIG4 holiday parks in Australia if you are visiting both countries in the 2 years. You just have to remember to use it! We often forget about it and realise too late that we could have used it to get a discount on our dinner.
This is a working list as we think its helpful to have some insight on these campsites now. We didn’t want to wait until we were done travelling New Zealand to compile it. We also didn’t want to forget about the campsites we stayed at.
We will continue to update this as we travel so save it for now and then check back in before you visit as it’s bound to have more listed on it!
Be sure to check out our Instagram to see our favourite holiday parks!
North Island Top 10 Holiday Parks
Taupō – Superior
This is definitely on the expensive side but we do love this campsite. We have stayed here on several occasions whilst visiting Taupō. Both times the weather was not great and we wanted a powered site rather than opting to freedom camp. The sites here are hedged off from each other which we absolutely love! It gives you privacy from your neighbours and prevents people encroaching on your space.
Cost: $84.60 Power – One Night in January
Facilities: So clean and modern! A great big kitchen area as well
WiFi: Free unlimited
Extras: We didn’t get to use it but the pool looks great! They have a little cafe on site and occasionally do movie nights when the weather is good.
Blue Lake – Superior
We have no idea why this park is classified as a Superior. Being close to the lake was nice but it’s not a great location if you want to explore Rotorua. The sites were partially hedged which we did like and we managed to get one backing onto some bush which was lovely. We didn’t like the facilities though and wont be coming back to stay here.
Cost: $134.40 Powered – Three Nights in June
Facilities: Very old and dated but relatively clean. We weren’t very impressed with them though
WiFi: limited. You get a voucher access with Top 10 membership
Extras: There is a private hot tub here but we didn’t use it as you do have to pay
Ōhope Beach – Premium
A Gem of a campsite! We definitely agree with it’s premium classification. Access to the beach, wonderful facilities and super friendly staff. We loved staying here. We were here in winter so the campsite was relatively quiet and we got some winter discounts on the rate. There was plenty of activities for kids here and a great pool area. We especially loved that they had a communal garden and little free library on site!
Cost: $100.80 Power – Three Nights in June
Facilities: Clean and modern. The showers are on timers though.
WiFi: Free for 500mb per day Top 10 members get unlimited WiFi
Extras: Wonderful swimming pool as well as beach view private hot tubs and a sauna for hire!
Hot Water Beach – Superior
The sites here were big and gave good privacy. We weren’t here in summer though so having a relatively empty park probably contributed to the peace and quite we got. We were very happy with the cleanliness of the place and loved that it was walking distance to Hot Water Beach. We had a great time here and loved using the giant chess set, that is until Tiff lost too many times and got a little grumpy (oops!).
Cost: $36.70 Powered – One Night in May
Facilities: The showers are timed here however pressing the button again did give you more time if needed. With hair as long as Tiff’s it’s impossible to wash it and yourself in 5 minutes.
Wifi: 2GB Per Day
Extras: There is a fireplace in the lounge here! They also have a food truck on site which was delicious. A giant chess board and if you are a Top 10 member free shovel hire to take down to hot water beach and dig your own hot tub!
Coromandel Town – Superior
Nice hedged off campsites to give you extra privacy. We managed to get a spot with a picnic table as well! We loved that this site was walking distance into town. It meant we could walk down to the pub at night and not have to worry about who would drive home. Staff here were all super friendly too.
Cost: $71.77 Powered – Two Nights in May
Facilities: Really clean, we loved the music in the showers.
Wifi: Free unlimited with a top 10 membership otherwise it is limited.
Extras: Bouncing pillow and a swimming pool (It was way too cold when we stayed!)
Whanganui River – Superior
Situated right on the Whanganui river this was a very peaceful campground to stay at. There is a camp cat here too who absolutely loved Tiff! We found out front he staff that the cat actually belongs to one of the nearby houses but loves to hang around the campground. We loved our stay here and even got to pick some free apples from the apple trees on site. They seemed to be quite eco-conscious here which we also loved. Especially the separate bins and one for food scraps that get fed to their pigs!!
Cost: $102.60 Powered – Two nights in March
Facilities: Clean and tidy. Great showers that aren’t timed
Wifi: Free
Extras: Heated pool with a slide! They also have a small aviary on site. $30 for an hour in the private hot tub. $40.00 for an hour kayak hire for 2 people along the river. We did both of these activities and loved them! Kayaking on the river was beautiful.
Himatangi Beach – Classic
Situated perfectly for a relaxing beach stay. This one isn’t on the beach but a quick 5min walk will get you there. We spent most of our time down at the beach and exploring the nearby towns. The sites are quite big however they are only separated by rope so not very private. On our last night here we had a couple with a baby stay next to us and we could hear everything. Just unlucky, we know but still.
Cost: $93.60 Powered – Two nights in March
Facilities: Very clean. The unisex showers were awesome. The shower heads in the individual bathrooms didn’t look great though.
Wifi: Free
Extras: You can hire a blow up hot pool to be set up at your campsite!
Waitomo – Superior
The powered sites here are practically on top of each other! We were not a fan of that nor the fact that from our site you had to walk through the playground to get to the toilets or take a super long tour around the park to get there via a path. The dump site is also in a hard to get to location and very close to some of the camping sites. However it was well priced for a powered site.
Cost: $48.60 – One night in early December
Facilities: Clean
Wifi: Free
Extras: Games room and a giant chess set
Top 10 Holiday Parks in Towns we have stayed in but didn’t visit
New Plymouth – Classic
We didn’t stay at this park purely because of the cost. We couldn’t justify the rates per night especially with two other campsites in town both of which were better located from what we could see when booking. We were in New Plymouth for Christmas and New Years so this may have had some bearing on the huge cost of staying at this Top 10. We opted to spend Christmas at one park and the time between Christmas and New Years at the other park in New Plymouth. They both had their advantages but we definitely preferred Belt Road Seaside Holiday Park.
Hastings – Classic
We were working in Hastings and thus had accommodation provided for us. When we finished work we stayed in town for a bit but chose to freedom camp and then had to stay in an Airbnb as Cyclone Gabrielle was bearing down on us. The park looks alright and if we were to visit Hastings again we think we will try this one out. Check back later to see our verdict!
Cambridge – Classic
This is another campsite that is too expensive for us to justify staying at. The other reason we refuse to stay here is that there isn’t a lot to do in Cambridge as it’s just outside of Hamilton. There are better places in Hamilton to stay.
Shelly Beach (Coromandel Beachfront) – Classic
Whilst being on the beach front would be lovely the park itself doesn’t look anywhere near as good as the Coromandel Top 10 that is closer to town. We drove by this campsite and didn’t fancy staying here just based on that. We don’t think we will stay here when next in Coromandel but if we do we will of course update that here!
Gisborne – Superior
We spent less than a week in Gisborne and chose to freedom camp for the majority of the time we were here. Again this mainly came down to cost cutting. However the weather was also nice and the freedom camps are located on the beach! We did end up spending one night at a paid parking lot at a club in Gisborne as it was $10 a night and they had showers. We really needed a shower! We are going to come back to Gisborne to do highway 35 and think we will stay at the Top 10 then.
Keen for more inspo? Be sure to check out:
- The BEST New Zealand Freedom Camping Spots
- Working Holiday Budget – One Year of New Zealand
- 5 Must Visit Auckland Beaches
