Wellington road trips: 8 best itinerary ideas

Wellington is a gateway to all sorts of fantastic road trips around the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

To the north, you have geothermal wonders like Rotorua and wine country like the internationally-renowned Hawkes Bay. To the south, you’ll find the remarkable Southern Alps and hundreds of kilometres of glacial coastline. The hardest part is choosing just one destination!

Use our Wellington road trip itineraries below to plan your travels. Each guide can be modified to suit the number of days you have available and includes all the best sightseeing and camping spots. Plus, we’ve thrown in a heap of extra information like drive times, distances, the best season to travel and much more!

8 best road trips from Wellington

1. Wellington to Napier road trip

Drive Time: 4hr 15min | Distance: 323km | Recommended Days: from 1 - 3 days | Route on Google Maps

Just a few hours north of Wellington, Napier is a stunningly preserved 1930s Art-Deco city famous for being the cultural and commercial centre of the Hawkes Bay wine-growing region.

The quickest route from Wellington is via the Port City of Porirua (State Highway 50) but we recommend taking the scenic road through the Hutt Valley which adds only 10 minutes to your trip. Stop at Cape Kidnappers (just 23km south of Napier) for dramatic views of the craggy cliffs, home to the largest gannet colony in the world.

If you'd like to break up the trip, spend a night or two at one of the best Masterton camping grounds!

Stay at the Hawkes Bay Holiday Park, which boasts over 50 powered and unpowered camping sites starting at about $19 per night. The campground is 6km out of Napier but the sites are spacious and the facilities are clean and well-maintained.

2. Wellington to Cape Palliser road trip

Drive Time: 2hr | Distance: 121km | Recommended Days: from 1 - 2 days | Route on Google Maps

Cape Palliser is a short road trip from Wellington along dramatic coastal roads. The area is famous for its Maori and colonial heritage sites. It’s also home to the North Island’s largest fur seal colony. We recommend quickly detouring via Martinborough and checking out some of NZ’s best vineyards.

If you want to get your heart rate going, visit the historic Cape Palliser Lighthouse built in 1897. You’ll have to climb 250 steps to reach the lighthouse but from the top, you have panoramic views over the rough waters of Palliser Bay that claimed 20 shipwrecks during the 19th century.

For beachfront camping, stay at the Waimeha Camping Village near the quirky fishing town of Ngawi. The campground offers a range of unpowered and powered campsites with clean and modern facilities starting at about $15 per night.

3. Wellington to the Coromandel Peninsula road trip

Drive Time: 9hr 20min | Distance: 687km | Recommended Days: from 4 - 7 days | Route on Google Maps

The Coromandel Peninsula is by far one of the most popular holiday destinations on New Zealand’s North Island. It’s a full day's drive from Wellington, so we recommend taking a few days to make the most of the white sand beaches, crystal-blue waters and tropical rainforests.

There’s a lot to see and do on the Coromandel Peninsula but be sure to book tickets on the Driving Creek Railway - a 1.5-hour ride through the nearby mountainous rainforests. Spend your afternoon exploring Cathedral Cove and relaxing in a self-made spa on Hot Water Beach.

Camp at Shelly Beach Top 10 Holiday Park for beachfront unpowered and powered campsites starting at $18 per night. Facilities include modern bathroom blocks, communal kitchen, TV lounge and more.

4. Wellington to Nelson road trip

Drive Time: 6hr | Distance: 212km | Recommended Days: from 3 - 5 days | Route on Google Maps

The sunniest city in New Zealand, Nelson, is an easy road trip from Wellington. It’s buzzing with creative energy and is home to some of the best botanic gardens, farmers markets and art galleries in NZ. After making the Wellington to Picton Ferry crossing, we recommend taking the scenic route via Havelock, the "Greenshell Mussel capital of the world".

Take a day trip to Nelson Lakes National Park, just 1 hour south of Nelson Central. The park marks the start of the Southern Alps and boasts glaciers, rugged mountains and beech forests. Don’t miss photo highlights like the Lake Rotoiti Jetty or Blue Lake (the World's clearest lake!).

Stay at the Tahuna Beach Holiday Park next to Tahunanui Beach (just 4.5km from Nelson city centre). Take your pick from over 850 campsites spread across 54 acres of parkland.

5. Wellington to Lake Taupo and Rotorua road trip

Drive Time: 5hr 45min | Distance: 451km | Recommended Days: from 3 - 5 days | Route on Google Maps

Lake Taupo and Rotorua (only a 1-hour drive from one another) are two of New Zealand’s most popular tourist destinations. Taupo offers a diverse range of attractions from hot springs to adventure sports. Just be sure to take a scenic cruise to the 14m tall Mine Bay Maori Rock Carvings and enjoy a short walk to the viewing platform over the mighty Huka Falls.

Check out the ultimate Wellington to Taupo road trip.

Rotorua is similarly famous for its geothermal wonders and traditional Maori experiences. The best way to see the renowned bubbling mud pools, hot springs and geysers is via the 60-hectares of walking track at Te Puia. In the evening, head to Tamaki Maori Village to see a live show about ancient myths and enjoy a hangi feast.

Lake Taupo Holiday Resort is a cool campground that boasts a thermal pool with a swim-up bar and cafe. There’s a range of camping options available with powered sites starting at about $73 per night.

Like the sound of this route? Get more travel tips with our full guide on a Wellington to Rotorua road trip!

6. Wellington to the South Island West Coast road trip

Drive Time: 12hr 45min | Distance: 719km | Recommended Days: from 5 - 10 days | Route on Google Maps

For a longer road trip from Wellington, take the Great Coast Road down the west coast of the South Island. This drive is regarded as one of the top 10 coastal drives in the world and takes you to some of New Zealand’s best sights including Paparoa National Park - home of the famous Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowhole.

Two of the highlights on this road trip are Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier. Both glaciers are easily accessible by road, however, if you’d like to walk on the ice you’ll have to hire a local tour guide. For a once in a lifetime experience, consider taking a helicopter ride over the glaciers or even arrange for a heli-hike.

Stay overnight at Gentle Annie Seaside Camping Ground. Voted the # 3 campground in NZ, this lush 1000 acre property offers spacious campsites and brilliant amenities at affordable prices.

7. Wellington to Queenstown (via Christchurch) road trip

Drive Time: 14hr 15min | Distance: 912km | Recommended Days: from 4 - 8 days | Route on Google Maps

One of the longest road trips from Wellington is to Queenstown via Christchurch. Start by taking the Wellington Ferry to the South Island and stop at Kaikoura - one of the best whale-watching spots in New Zealand.

Continue to Christchurch, the second-largest city in NZ, and explore top-rated local attractions like Quake City and the International Antarctic Centre. Devote a day trip to exploring Arthur’s Pass National Park via one of the highest and most scenic roads in the Southern Alps. Alternatively, take a day off driving and ride one of the best railway journeys in the world - the TranzAlpine Train.

Next, head to Queenstown via Highway 8. This scenic route takes you past some of NZ’s best sights including Lake Tekapo, Aoraki Mount Cook and Lindis Pass. Once you arrive, set up camp at Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park, only a 400m walk from the town centre with excellent unpowered and powered camping sites at affordable prices.

8. Wellington to Hutt Valley road trip

Drive Time: 40min | Distance: 35km | Recommended Days: from 1 - 3 days | Route on Google Maps

Less than an hour's drive north of the Wellington CBD is the Hutt Valley, famous for its outdoor activities, brilliant eateries and state-of-the-art cultural attractions like art galleries and museums.

Start with a visit to The Dowse Art Museum and Dowse Square - a free public art gallery for contemporary art and culture. And don’t miss the Petone Settlers Museum which commemorates the first large-scale settlement in New Zealand. Step inside and you’ll be instantly transported back to 1840 when Europeans first started settling the Hutt Valley.

Camp overnight at the Kaitoke Regional Park surrounded by lush rainforest and crystal clear rivers. This park was used as the filming location for Rivendell in the Lord of the Rings movies and offers pristine unpowered and powered campsites from $8 per night.

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