Best First Nights: Convenient Places to Stay After You Pick Up Your Van

So you’ve just picked up your Quirky Campervan and you’re raring to hit the road… Hold on a minute! Whether you’ve just finished a long-haul flight or a tiring drive, we strongly advise spending your first night nearby to rest and recharge. It’s not only safer for you, your fellow road users, and the van; but it also ensures you’re not navigating unfamiliar roads when you’re dead tired (and maybe also adjusting to driving on the other side)!

To kickstart your Quirky journey stress-free, we’ve handpicked three nearby campsites or parking spots within a 30-minute radius of your van. Park up, relax, and hit the road feeling fresh!

Table of Contents

    Auckland North

    Rigby

    1. Takapuna Beach Holiday Park

    Sites: Powered and non-powered
    Cost: Non-powered sites from $45/night. Powered sites from $69/night. Booking in advance required
    Facilities: Dump Station, Kitchen, Hot Showers, Laundry, Toilets
    Info: Open Mon-Sun 8am-8pm. Pets welcome by arrangement.

    2. Long Bay Parking Area

    Sites: Non-powered
    Cost: $17/night. Booking in advance highly recommended
    Facilities: Clean Toilets, Water, BBQ
    Info: Open Mon-Sun. Gates close at 7pm. Max 1 night stay. Dogs ❌

    3. Orewa Beach Holiday Park

    Sites: Powered
    Cost: From $50/night. $35/night for solo traveller.
    Facilities: Dump Station, Shower, Toilets, Hot showers, Laundry, Water Fountain
    Info: Open Mon-Sun 9am-5pm. Max 1 night stay. Dogs ✅ by arrangement.

    Auckland East

    Pepe, Kaewa, Morrison, Barbara, Selma

    1. Omana CSC Overnight Parking Area

    Sites: Non-powered
    Cost: $16/night/adult. $4/night/child
    Facilities: Toilets and Changing area
    Info: Open Mon-Sun 8am-8pm. 7pm non-daylight savings. Max 1 night stay in summer; 3 nights in winter. Max 15 vehicles. No cash payments. Book and pay online in advance. Dogs ❌

    2. Duder CSC Overnight Parking Area

    Sites: Non-powered
    Cost: $17/night
    Facilities: Water Fountain and Toilets
    Info: Open Mon-Sun 8am-8pm. 7pm non-daylight savings. Max 3 nights stay year-round. Max 5 vehicles at one time. Dogs ❌

    3. Waitawa CSC Parking Area

    Sites: Non-powered
    Cost: $21/night
    Facilities: Water Fountain and Toilets
    Info: Open Mon-Sun 8am-7pm. Max 7 night stay; 3 nights in winter. Max 15 vehicles at one time. Dogs ❌


    Auckland West

    Vallery, Cliff, Emmy

    1. Karamatura Camp Site

    Sites: Non-powered
    Cost: $8/night/adult. $4/night/child.
    Facilities: Toilets and water
    Info: Max 40 persons. Max 7 night stay. Check-in time 11am. Dogs ❌

    2. Barn Paddock

    Sites: Non-powered
    Cost: $17/night. Max 5 vehicles. Bookings should be made during opening hours. Cash not available.
    Facilities: Toilets and sink
    Info: Open Mon-Sun 8am-7pm. Dogs ❌

    3. Muriwai Beach Campground

    Sites: Powered (67) & non-powered (66)
    Cost: Powered – $48/night/2 people. Unpowered – $20/night/2 people.
    Facilities: Large kitchen, Hot Showers, Toilets.
    Info: Open Mon-Sun 9am-7pm (summer) and 9am-6:30pm (winter). Dogs ✅ To book, send an online inquiry via their website or call in advance.

    Tairua (Coromandel Peninsula)

    Bert

    1. Tairua Campground

    Sites: Powered & Unpowered
    Cost: Unpowered – from $22 per site per person. Powered – from $30 per site. Pay and book online in advance
    Facilities: Toilets, Hot Showers, Kitchen, TV roomLaundry
    Info: Open Mon-Sun 8am til 9:30pm. Dogs welcome by arrangement year-round ✅

    2. Tairua Beach House Backpackers & Campground

    Sites: Unpowered
    Cost: From $58 per site. No booking required. First come first serve basis.
    Facilities: Toilets, Hot Showers, Dump Station, Kitchen, Laundry
    Info: Open Mon-Sun 8am til 7pm.

    Papamoa (Tauranga)

    Logi, Oliver

    1. Tasman Holiday Parks Papamoa Beach

    Sites: Powered & Unpowered
    Cost: Powered – from $62 per site. Unpowered – from $58 per site. Pay and book online in advance
    Facilities: Toilets, Hot Showers, Dump Station, Kitchen, Laundry
    Info: Open Mon-Sun 8am til 7pm. Dogs ✅ 1 Mar – 1 Nov

    2. Pacific Park Christian Holiday Camp

    Sites: Powered & Unpowered
    Cost: Powered – from $48 per site (for 2 people). 75 powered sites. 4 unpowered. Pay and book online in advance
    Facilities: Toilets, Hot Showers, Dump Station, Kitchen, Laundry
    Info: Open Mon-Sun 8:30am until 6:30pm. Check in from 2pm to 6:30pm. Dogs ❌

    3. Cosy Corner Holiday Park

    Sites: Powered
    Cost: Powered – from $65 per site (for 2 people). Pay and book online in advance
    Facilities: Toilets, Hot Showers, Dump Station, Kitchen, Laundry
    Info: Open Mon-Sun 8:30am until 7pm. Dogs welcome by arrangement ✅

    Lower Hutt (Wellington)

    Bluebelle

    1. Belmont Regional Park

    Sites: Unpowered
    Cost: 8/night/adult. $4/night/child. Under 5’s free. Pay and register at the information kiosk. Cash only.
    Facilities: Toilets, Drinking Water.
    Info: Open 8am til dusk in summer. Dogs ✅

    2. Wellington TOP 10 Holiday Park

    Sites: Powered (100) and non-powered (150)
    Cost: Powered – from $55/night/2 people. Non-powered – from $50/night/2 people. Bookings should be made in advance, especially during peak season.
    Facilities: BBQ Area, Air Cushion, Kitchen, Playground, Games Room, Fun Bikes,, Sky TV Room, Spa, Toilet & Shower Blocks
    Info: Open 8am-8pm. Dogs ❌

    3. Barnett Street Car Park

    Sites: Non-powered
    Cost: $30/24 hours. Parking is prohibited on Saturday nights. Max _ vehicles. Bookings should be made during opening hours. Cash not available.
    Info: Very convenient location, right next to Te Papa and city centre. Pay on arrival. Closest toilets are a 5 minute walk away.

    Nelson

    Meg


    1. Tahuna Beach Holiday Park

    Sites: Powered (540) and non-powered (396)
    Cost: From $23/night/person. Bookings should be made in advance.
    Facilities: Wifi, Shower, Dump Station, Hot Shower, Laundry, Flush Toielt, Basketball & Volleyball Court, Golf Course, Petanque.
    Info: Check in from 2pm. Check out 10am. Dogs ✅ in one camping zone ONLY between 1 Feb – 30 Nov.

    2. Wakapuaka Reserve Carpark

    Sites: Non-powered
    Cost: FREE for max 3 vehicles. $10 for other spots. Max 2 nights stay.
    Facilities: Toilets
    Info: Normal parking restrictions apply from 8am-5pm weekdays and 9am-1pm Saturdays. Dogs ✅

    3. Cable Bay Holiday Park

    Sites: Powered and non-powered
    Cost: From $25/night. fBookings should be made during opening hours. Cash not available.
    Facilities: BBQ area, toilets, kitchen, laundry, hot shower
    Info: Open Mon-Sun. Dogs ✅ must be on leads at all times.


    Christchurch North

    Ollie, Cruzar, Roxy, Dakoda

    1. Amberley Beach Campground


    Sites: Powered and non-powered
    Cost: Powered site – $18/night/2 people. Non-powered site – $5/adult/night. $7 per extra adult/night. Pay cash in person using payment boxes available inside camp areas.
    Facilities: Dump station, hot shower, water fountain, toilets, tennis court
    Info: Max 15 sites. Dogs ✅ in the Southern end of the Camping Ground. South of Chamberlain Avenue.

    2. Riverlands Holiday Park

    Sites: Powered and non-powered
    Cost: $38/night for powered site/2 people. $18/night for 1 person – non-powered. $28/night for 2 people.
    Facilities: TV room/lounge, kitchens, laundry with coin-operated machines, vending machine, hot showers (free), toilets
    Info: Open 9am-6pm. Book via landline – 03 327 5511. Bookings can still be made past 6pm. There’s a board with available spots so you can just pull in and pay in the morning. Cash and Eftpos. Dogs ❌ Located 15 minutes from the airport, this campground has flat, grassy sites throughout the park, which are all a short walk from the amenities blocks.

    3. Kairaki Beach Holiday Park

    Sites: Powered and non-powered
    Cost: Non-powered site – $19/night/person. Under 7s are free. $5 7-12. Powered site – $22/night/person. At least 11 sites, used for overnighters. Cash and Eftpos available. Book on-site. Complimentary Wifi for the first wifi.
    Facilities: Dump station, kitchen, hot shower, water fountain, toilet. Playground at the bottom of the park and 3 min walk from the beach.
    Info: Open 8:30am – 7:30pm. Check-in time 10am. Dogs. ❌ Very friendly, quiet camp.

    Christchurch South

    Bertie, Button, Madeleine, Monty, Dorothy, Hirta, Giovanni, Mary Rose

    1. South Brighton Holiday Park

    Sites: Powered and non-powered
    Cost: Non-powered from $40/night/site. Powered from $44/night/site (high season).
    Facilities: Kitchen, BBQ, laundry (coin-operated), hot showers, Wifi, TV lounge and ablution block
    Info: Open 9-7pm in summer and 9am-6pm in winter. Book online, over the phone, or in person. Cash and card accepted. Dogs ✅ on leash. Sites are mostly grassy or on hard sand. The campground is in a stunning location surrounded by trees, just 500m from the beach.

    2. Waihora Park Reserve Campsite

    Sites: Non-powered
    Cost: $10/night/site. No booking required. Pay cash on arrival.
    Facilities: Water Fountains, Toilets, Playground, BBQ, Tree hut
    Info: Dogs ✅

    3. Naval Point Freedom Camping Area

    Sites: Non-powered
    Cost: FREE
    Facilities: Toilets
    Info: Dogs ❌

    Dunedin

    Fred

    1. Dunedin Holiday Park

    Sites: Powered and non-powered
    Cost: Non-powered $30/night for 1 person. $45/night for 2 people. Powered $36/night for 1 person. $48/night 2 persons. Booking in advance is required.
    Facilities: Wifi, TV room, coin-operated laundry, washing machines, dump point, BBQ area, playground, convenience store
    Info: Minimum 2 night policy. Reception open 8:30am-8pm. Dogs ✅. Must be on a lead & supervised at all times.

    2. The Oval Freedom Camping

    Sites: Non-powered
    Cost: FREE. Bookings should be made during opening hours. Cash not available.
    Facilities:
    Info: Max 2 nights stay., Depart by 8:30am. Dogs ❌

    3. Brighton Domain Freedom Camping

    Sites: Non-Powered
    Cost: FREE
    Facilities: Toilets. Convenience store is a short walk away.
    Info: Maximum 2 days. Leave by 8:30am. Dogs ❌

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