Best Rotorua holiday parks: 9 thermal springs campgrounds

Image credit: 100% Pure New Zealand

Famous for its thermal springs, hot pools, geysers and ancient Maori culture, Rotorua is a unique place to visit. For cheap accommodation in Rotorua, you can’t go past hiring a campervan and hitting the road. From free campsites to larger holiday parks, there are plenty of options for seeing and experiencing Rotorua and the surrounding Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions.

Here are our picks of holiday parks, caravan parks, and campsites around Rotorua. Hit the road and explore all the culture, traditions and natural wonders that this area of New Zealand’s North Island has to offer.

Waiteti Trout Stream Holiday Park

Image credit: Waiteti Trout Stream Holiday Park

Ten minutes from Rotorua is the Waiteti Trout Stream Holiday Park, which features an entirely different drawcard of the Rotorua region - the ample trout fishing. With no hot pools, this park can be a welcome change of pace from the heat and sulphur smell of the hot springs landscape. Nestled on the banks of the Waiteti Stream, with Lake Rotorua just a short walk away, the trout are abundant and fishing tuition and charter tours are available. There are also kayaks and dinghies available to hire for use in the stream or lake.

With two acres of grounds, Waiteti Trout Stream Holiday Park offers plenty of space for vans and caravans. Prices start from $18 per person per night powered and $16 unpowered. The facilities available are fairly basic - a small children’s playground, a tv and lounge area, and a large communal kitchen and BBQ area. Toilet, shower and laundry facilities are also available, and pets are welcome.

Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park

There is no more place more suited than Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park to begin experiencing the thermal phenomena of the hot springs. This holiday park offers green, lush grounds with mature tree cover and ample powered and unpowered sites for campers and caravans (or tents if that’s more your jam). Its amenities and facilities are first class, with covered walkways leading to the communal kitchen area, BBQs and bathrooms. There’s also a games room and children's play area.

Best of all, Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park features a swimming pool and natural hot mineral pools, available free of charge to paying guests.

Unpowered sites start from $28 per person per night, with powered sites from $22, and the park is a short five-minute drive from the centre of Rotorua.

Trout Pool Reserve

Image credit: Macronix (flickr)

Freedom camping options in Rotorua are somewhat limited but Trout Pools Reserve, at the end of Trout Pools Road, offers limited parking spots that are available for overnight camping use in self-contained vehicles. If you’re not self-contained, you’re unlikely to find anything at all.

While the facilities here are limited to toilets only, it’s not only free but offers unmatched access to some amazing hiking and nature experiences. The magnificent Okere Falls are few hundred metres up the road, and there are numerous hiking trails along the edges of the Okere Inlet. There’s also the possibility of seeing glow worms near the water's edge or white water rafting for the more adventurous.

Trout Pools Reserve and Okere Falls are 20 minutes drive from Rotarua, on the northern side of Lake Rotorua.

Lakefront Drive

Image credit: Michael Berger (flickr)

Another popular freedom camping option for self-contained vehicles is parking overnight on the popular shorefront of Lakefront Drive, in Rotorua itself. The Lakefront Reserve covers eight hectares in total, and the freedom camping area is located near the province of the Reserve known as the Soundshell. The Reserve features glorious green space, BBQs, picnic tables and toilet facilities.

From Lakefront Drive, you can walk around the Reserve, taking in the view of Mokoia Island. Follow the coastline to Sulphur Point and the Government Gardens, with a stop off at one of the volcanic themed playgrounds for the kids.

Hot Water Beach Campsite

While it’s not free camping, the Hot Water Beach Campsiteis run by the Department of Conservation and offers basic camping facilities at a modest price. There are 30 campsites available to campers or tents, but none are powered and not all are lakeside. The price for sites is set at $15 per night for adults, and $7.50 for children, with children under 4 year of age being free. Bookings are required - you can book online through their website.

Facilities available here are basic but serviceable, including showers and toilets. However there is no fresh water available, so make sure you bring plenty of your own. Hiking and boating are extremely popular here on the banks of Lake Tarawera, and the hot spring pools of Te Rata Bay make the perfect place to relax after a day of adventure sports and hiking the local landscape.

All Seasons Holiday Park Rotorua

For something closer to the hot springs of central Rotarua, the All Seasons Holiday Park offers expansive facilities and plenty of sites for camping and caravanning, including some extended 6-metre sites to cater to buses and RV’s. They also offer fenced campsites for pets and small children. Located 10 minutes from central Rotorua in the township of Holdens Bay, the park is a close walk to excellent fishing and swimming. There’s also a heated pool, large kitchen, BBQ and laundry, a playground for the kids, and free fish smoking services available.

Being close to town means you have lots of opportunities to do cultural tours and food tours, visit the majestic Redwoods Treewalk, or take in the Maaori culture with a Whakarewarewa Cultural Tour.

There are lots of options for powered sites in this holiday park, with grass, concrete and hard pack available from $25 per adult per night. Fenced sites are an extra $2 per person per night, with children from $14 per night.

Lake Okareka Campsite

Lake Okareka is a stunning freshwater lake just 15 minutes drive from Rotorua. The campsite here is managed by the Department of Conservation, which means DoC pricing applies ($15 per person per night, $7.50 for children). Facilities include showers and toilets, but the water from the lake must be boiled before drinking. Campsites are on a first-in, best-dressed system so may be limited, especially at peak times. Pets and fires are not allowed.

Lake Okareka is a beautiful spot for swimming and fishing, and also popular for horse riding, hiking and boating. The small township of Lake Okareka is a good place to stock up on supplies and get some local tips on the best places to fish.

Blue Lake Top 10 Holiday Park

On the banks of Lake Tikitapu, a short ten-minute drive from Rotorua is the Bay of Plenty’s Blue Lake Top 10 Holiday Park. The Blue Lake is a magnificent stretch of calm clear blue water which makes the perfect spot for water activities and day hikes with spectacular lake views.

The park is packed with well maintained and modern facilities including a large shower and toilet block, kids playground and recreation room, and an inflatable jumping pillow. It features wifi, a shop stocked with supplies, a dump point, and kitchen and BBQ facilities. Bikes and kayaks available for hire mean this holiday park is perfectly set up to be your base for exploring the lake and surrounds. The location is also ideal for exploring the volcanic wonders of Wai-O-Tapu, and the Buried Village, or spend a day relaxing at the local Polynesian Spa.

Campsites here are plentiful and large, and most back onto native bushland, ensuring a peaceful and tranquil camping experience. Rates for powered sites and unpowered sites at Blue Lake start at $45 for one person, with small extra charges for additional people and children.

Cosy Cottage Thermal Holiday Park

In the heart of Rotorua lies this unique holiday park famous for its thermally heated campsites, rooms and showers. They also offer guests access to a Thermal Steam Cooker and their own private thermal hot pools.

Along with all these unique facilities, the standard holiday park facilities are provided - showers and toilets, communal recreation and cooking areas with a BBQ, wifi, laundry and a seasonal swimming pool. A short walk to Lake Rotorua and the centre of Rotorua, this park is in a scenic but accessible location. Powered camper and tent sites start from $44 per night.

Hire a van for your Rotarua camping trip Rich in Maori history, volcanic activity and natural wonders, Rotorua has lots of places to camp off the grid, as well as plenty of fully-feature options. Take advantage of the unique camping spots by hiring a van through Camplify.

Discover some more camping grounds with hot poolsaround New Zealand!

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