New Zealand road trip planning: top resources guide

Hey you intrepid road trip folk, are you travelling around New Zealand soon?

Yes? Excellent choice friends, you are in for one hell of an adventure and we are with you every step of the way. The planning and preparation that goes into a road trip can be daunting, we know, fear not, your trusty road trip companions are here to help and provide you with everything you need to know about road tripping in Aotearoa.

You have your van, you are good to go and the open road is calling. Don’t leave without the below information, be sure to keep it safe or come back to this page whenever you need a friendly road trip resource refresh.

Did you also know we have some epic New Zealand road trip itineraries for you? Hit here and here for all the inspiration.

First up, let’s help you save the dollars.

Discount booking sites

Who doesn’t love a cheeky discount code? More money for New Zealand pies or that double tandem Bungy jump you have your eye on in Queenstown, right?. Check out the links below, these guys collate the best New Zealand activity deals for you. Bookings are made directly through their sites and they are updated regularly.

Book me

Bookme is an innovative online activity and attraction booking website. Epic deals and last-minute discounts on holiday adventures throughout New Zealand can be found here. Input your current location and find deals on jet boating and rafting to paragliding, skydiving, Milford Sound day trips & more.

Grab One

GrabOne offers experience, services, products, and travel deals all on one website. This nationwide deal site makes it possible for you to do more of the things you love, for less. You can even find restaurant deals, cafes, spa packages, and services listed. They have all bases covered.

Go Local

Supporting the local folk of Aotearoa, Go Local are a bunch of local folk pulling together the best of the best for you in one easily accessible app. The app uses your location to show you business in your area when travelling domestically. Supporting local is epic and this app is doing it for the small business folk of NZ.

Backpacker deals

Search, compare and book tours with backpacker deals. They are committed to helping you book memorable travel experiences at an affordable price. That's something we all want to hear when on the road trying to cram in everything we want to do. Check out the website for carefully selected deals.

First Table ****

The early bird gets the dinner deal and yes this website is legit. Ever fancied dining at your favourite restaurant for 50% off? Keen to sample some different cuisines or just fancy splashing out for the final night of your New Zealand road trip? First table has got your back! Book the first table at listed eateries and receive 50% off your food bill, amazing right? Breakfast, lunch, and dinner options available in most towns and cities around New Zealand.

Road trip inspiration lives here

Pure New Zealand

Start exploring and make your new Zealand bucket list come to life. Hop on the tourism New Zealand website for all the inspo you are craving. This is New Zealand's tourism hub and your go-to for up-to-date, relevant, and correct information about locations, hot spots, activities, companies, and more.

Camplify blogs

That’s right, we have you your back. We regularly update our blog with heaps of New Zealand-inspired words, images, and video. Is there something you want to see? Drop into our DM’s and let us know. We are always on the lookout for what’s happening in New Zealand to provide value to you and your adventuring friends.

Camping resources

Campermate

Campermate is made for exploring, with over 100,000 points of interest you can use campmates maps on and offline while on the road. Look for campgrounds, freedom campsites, petrol stations, ATMs, supermarkets and SO much more. Find something you love? Drop a pin on the app and list it to help those who are following in your footsteps. Campermate is a credible source for freedom camping information so be sure to check it out because everybody loves a responsible van lifer.

Rankers

Everybody loves a word-of-mouth review, don’t they? You know, straight from people like you letting you know what's good and what’s to avoid when scouring the country for unforgettable holiday memories. Jump on the Rankers website. They collect and collate real reviews from people like you and me, sharing honest, from the source feedback.

Trusty mobile apps

Google Maps ****

Don’t get us wrong we love a paper map. The old atlas and state highway system look amazing on your coffee table but when you are on your third loop of the Auckland city viaduct and you need some help to find the exit, Google Maps is going to take the crown. Download Google maps on your phone before you set off, we promise it’s worth it. You can purchase road maps from most gas stations in New Zealand for those hard-to-reach, out-of-service locations.

Learn how to make a road trip map !

Booking.com

Discounts, recommendations, and access to a whole heap of campsites in one place? Yes please and thank you booking.com for providing an easy-to-use app for booking accommodation. Most campsites, Top Ten-holiday parks, and paid facilities are listed here on the app. Download before you set off for ease and enjoyment.

Instagram ****

Who doesn’t travel using inspo from others these days? We LOVE Instagram, scouring reels, checking out guides, feeds, and IG stories, and potentially getting in a deep dark continuous hole of dog videos but we are here for it. Use popular hashtags such as # purenewzealand # newzealandguide and # nzmustdo to find some of the BEST real-time, real-life inspiration from adventurers just like you!

Don’t forget to follow and tag @camplify in all your New Zealand posts so we can share the stoke!

We've also put together a list of our favourite apps to keep you busy on a road trip and the top podcasts for family road trips, as well as a round up of our favourite free camping apps for iPhone and Androidto help you find the perfect site.

Happy travels folks! We can’t wait to see you hit the road. To learn more, check our guide on how to plan a long road trip!