One way car rentals are a great way to see the country. It means you can fly into a big city like Christchurch or Auckland, and out of another. You get to pick up the car from one location and drop it off at another.
In New Zealand the popular way to do this is to fly into Auckland and out of Christchurch. This gives you lots of breathtaking scenery and adventure on your travels. I’ve put together a few of the best things I think you should see on your journey during your rental car travels around New Zealand. This is just one of the many journeys you could take.
1. Fly into Auckland – visit the sky tower and do the famous bungee jump off the harbour bridge
2. Drive north to Paihia – Paihia is a wonderful sea side town where you can relax and enjoy the shops and beach. There is wonderful diving to be had and also the famous boarding down the Te Paki sand dunes.
3. Drive south to Rotorua – Rotorua is a tourist town with many adventure activities. You can try Zorbing (rolling down a hill in a large plastic ball), mountain biking, swimming in thermal pools, visiting thermal mud geysers or get pampered in the day spas.
4. Drive to Taupo – visit the raging Huka Falls and see New Zealand’s largest lake. Have a punt at the hole in one on the lakeside in Taupo town. This golf is a little different, you T off from the land with the hole on a pontoon in the lake.
5. Drive to Wellington – visit the National Museum of New Zealand – Te Papa then continue on your journey on the Interislander ferry to Picton. Enjoy the beauty of the Marlborough Sounds.
6. Drive to Nelson – While you are in the north of the south island there is plenty to do. You could walk the Able Tasman track, visit gorgeous Kaiteri beach or Golden Bay.
7. Drive to Kaikoura – See the NZ fur seals and go on a truly NZ tour whale watching off the Kaikoura coast.
8. Drive to Christchurch – travel an hour from Christchurch to Akaroa, a small town which has a French ambiance. Here you can go to one of Christchurch’s best attractions – swimming with the dolphins in the harbour, enjoy a lovely meal out and purely relax.
That will be the end of your wonderful journey around New Zealand! I hope you enjoy it as there are many other places to see. Next time you will be able to see the wonderful Central Otago including Queenstown and Wanaka and West Coast with the glaciers.
