8 best camping grounds near Oamaru

Want to explore the Otago coastline and see sights such as the Oamaru Little Blue Penguin colony, the Moeraki Boulders and Elephant Rocks? Make the most of your trip and stay nearby at one of the best Oamaru camping grounds!

Each campsite on this list is within a 25-minute drive of Oamaru town centre and offers scenic grounds and great facilities. For each listing, we’ve included the address, price per night and information on the nearby attractions.

Making the list of the best campgrounds near Oamaru are:

• Oamaru Harbour Tourist Park

• Oamaru TOP 10 Holiday Park

• Kakanui Camping Ground

• Glencoe DOC Campsite

• Herbert Forest Campground

• Riverside Haven Lodge and Holiday Park

• Moeraki Boulders Holiday Park

• Glenavys Waitaki River Motor Camp

Want to see even more of the Otago? Check out more of the best Otago camping grounds!

Camp in style and comfort - use Camplify to find campervan hire in the Otago !

Best Oamaru camping grounds: 8 spots you can’t miss

1. Oamaru Harbour Tourist Park

Address: 5 Esplanade, South Hill, Oamaru 9400 | Price: From $45 per night

The Oamaru Harbour Tourist Park is the best camping ground in Oamaru and is very close to the town’s biggest attractions. They offer powered camping sites on hardstand and grass bases overlooking the harbour of Friendly Bay. It is only a 4-minute drive to the town centre and 24-hour check-in is available.

From here, it is only a moment's walk to the grandstand, where you can watch the Little Blue Penguin colony (the world’s smallest penguins) return to their burrows every evening. It is also close to the Steampunk HQ and playground, an art collaboration with sci-fi art, movies, light and sound experiences and more!

Bookings can be made by contacting the holiday park.

Facilities at this Oamaru campsite include:

• Camp kitchen

• Dining area

• Laundry

• Bathroom blocks

• Dump station

2. Oamaru TOP 10 Holiday Park

__ Image: Oamaru TOP 10 Holiday Park Facebook_

Address: 30 Chelmer Street, Oamaru 9400 | Price: From $40 per night

The Oamaru TOP 10 Holiday Park is one of the most centrally located camping grounds in Oamaru, New Zealand. They offer non-powered and powered sites, with your choice of grass, sealed or gravel base. The campsites are spacious and nestled among mature trees. It is only a 2-minute drive to the Oamaru town centre and the waterfront.

The Oamaru TOP 10 Holiday Park provides direct access to the Oamaru Public Gardens, which are some of the oldest and most beautiful in New Zealand. It is also near the starting point for the Alps to Ocean bike trail, which runs from Aoraki Mount Cook to the Pacific Ocean and is New Zealand’s longest cycle trail.

Bookings can be made online.

Facilities at the Oamaru TOP 10 Holiday Park include:

• Camp kitchen

• Bathroom blocks

• Free Wi-Fi

• Playground

• Mini golf

• Kangaroo jumper and trampoline

• Spa

• Barbecues

• TV room

• Dump station

• Laundry

• Pet-friendly

3. Kakanui Camping Ground

__ Image: Kakanui Camping Ground Facebook_

Address: 1366 Waianakarua Road, Kakanui 9495 | Price: From $15 per night

The Kakanui Camping Ground offers beautiful Oamaru camping ground accommodation on the edge of the Kakanui River and Campbells Bay. They provide unpowered and powered campsites at an affordable rate. Located in the laid-back country town of Kakanui, it is only a 15-minute drive to Oamaru along the scenic coastal road.

Kakanui is the perfect place to spend a beachside family holiday near Oamaru. By day, adults can surf at Campbells Bay, whilst kids swim in the rock pools. By evening, fish for whitebait on the Kakanui River or kick back at your campsite with a glass of wine.

Bookings can be made online.

Facilities at Kakanui Camping Ground include:

• Kitchen

• TV room with burner

• Barbecue area

• Laundry

• Bathroom block

4. Glencoe DOC Campsite

Address: 35 Tulliemet Road, Herbert 9495 | Price: From $10 per night

Looking for Department of Conservation (DOC) campsites near Oamaru? The Glencoe Campsite is an affordable campground that is a 20-minute drive from Oamaru town centre. It offers 20 non-powered campsites in a sheltered area surrounded by beech and podocarp forest.

This Oamaru campsite is great for those who want to do walking, hiking and river swimming around the Otago coastal area. In particular, it is the starting point for the Glencoe Track, a short 100-metre walking track that leads to the South Branch of the Waianakarua river.

Bookings can be made online.

Facilities at the Glencoe Campsite include:

• Non-flush toilets

• Untreated tap water

5. Herbert Forest Campground

Image: Herbert Forest Campground Facebook_

Address: 99 Breakneck Road, Herbert 9495 | Price: From $12.50 per night

The Herbert Forest Campground is a scenic camping ground near Oamaru. It offers non-powered campsites amongst 15 acres of mature trees and shrubs on the edge of the Waianakarua River. It is a 20-minute drive from the Oamaru town centre.

This campsite is perfect for those wanting a natural camping experience, during which you can swim in the Waianakarua River, hike the bushwalking trails around Herbert Forest and relax on the nearby beaches.

Bookings can be made by contacting the hosts.

Facilities at the Herbert Forest Campground include:

• Pet-friendly

• Picnic tables

• Hot showers

• Toilets

• Playground

6. Riverside Haven Lodge and Holiday Park

Image: Riverside Haven Lodge and Holiday Park Facebook_

Address: 2328 Herbert-Hampden Road, Oamaru, Waianakarua 9495 | Price: From $14.50 per night

The Riverside Haven Lodge and Holiday Park is another of the most scenic camping grounds near Oamaru. It offers unpowered and powered campsites on a 25-acre farm, bordered by the Waianakarua River and surrounded by mature trees, hillside and cliff faces. It is a 20-minute drive from the Oamaru town centre.

Nearby is the Katiki Point Lighthouse in Moeraki, host to one of the largest Yellow Eyed penguin breeding sites in the Otago. From the lighthouse, follow the walking trail down to Katiki Point and see the fur seals sunbathing on the beach.

Bookings can be made online.

Facilities at Riverside Haven Lodge and Holiday Park include:

• Pet-friendly

• Playground

• WiFi

• Library

• Laundry

• Barbecues

• Dining area

• Camp kitchen

• Bathroom blocks

• Lounge room

7. Moeraki Boulders Holiday Park

Address: 2 Lincoln Street, Hampden 9410 | Price: From $19 per night

The Moeraki Boulders Holiday Park is a coastal camping ground near Oamaru. They offer unpowered and powered campsites by the beach in the town of Hampden. Slightly further but worth the trip, it is a 25-minute drive to Oamaru town centre.

From this beachside campsite, it is only a 10-minute walk to the Moeraki Boulders - giant stone marbles that weigh several tonnes and are up to 3m in width. The rest of your time can be spent playing on beautiful Hampden Beach and keeping an eye out for Hector’s Dolphins swimming in the bay.

Bookings can be made online.

Facilities at Moeraki Boulders Holiday Park include:

• Camp kitchen

• Bathroom blocks

• Laundry

• WiFi

• Barbecues

• Lounge room

• Dump station

• Kids play area

• Beach access

• Tennis court and skate park

8. Glenavys Waitaki River Motor Camp

Image: Glenavys Waitaki River Motor Camp Facebook_

Address: 7-9 Cherry Lane Entrance is off, Mclean Street, Glenavy 7980 | Price: From $23 per night

The Glenavys Waitaki River Motor Camp is situated on lush dairy farmland at the mouth of the Waitaki River. They offer unpowered and powered camping grounds sites near Oamaru. It is a 20-minute drive to the Oamaru town centre.

Nearby are the famous Elephant Rocks - a massive boulder field of large rocky outcrops that look like elephants and are between 23-25 million years old. However, this camping ground is also an excellent option for people wanting to fish salmon, trout, flounder, mullet and whitebait in the Waitaki River.

Bookings can be made by contacting the park.

Facilities at Glenavys Waitaki River Motor Camp include:

• Library

• Barbecue

• Free WiFi

• Bathroom blocks

• Laundry

• Camp kitchen

• Lounge area

• Fish cleaning area

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