{"id":20517,"date":"2024-02-26T01:52:06","date_gmt":"2024-02-25T12:52:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quirkycampers.com\/nz\/?p=20517"},"modified":"2025-11-01T12:59:38","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T23:59:38","slug":"holidaying-with-dogs-in-a-campervan-in-nz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quirkycampers.com\/nz\/holidaying-with-dogs-in-a-campervan-in-nz\/","title":{"rendered":"Holidaying With Dogs In A Campervan In NZ: Tips From a Quirky Dog Mum"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Around one in three New Zealand households now own a dog \u2013 a dramatic rise over recent years. Planning a local trip away is an exciting prospect\u2026 until it comes to sorting out who will look after your beloved furry friend(s). Wouldn\u2019t it just be so much more fun, easier, and cheaper (who wants to pay a small fortune for a dog hotel?) if you could take your dog on holiday with you? After all, they are part of the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well we\u2019ve got good news for you – nearly all Quirky Campers in NZ are pet-friendly \u2013 with no extra charge for the privilege!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We invited guest blogger and dog mum Tara to share her top tips for travelling with your furry friend in a camper.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Luna riding up front in Madeleine!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Luna (@lifewithlooney<\/a>) is our gorgeous, energetic 2-year old border collie, greyhound x retriever. Myself (Tara) and my husband (Warwick) had already fallen in love with the freedom and flexibility that comes with a campervan holiday having travelled around North America and the South Island. So, when Luna joined our family, it felt only fitting we bring her along on our next trip. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now after two dog-friendly campervan experiences with Quirky Campers, we are hooked! We think more people should try it and we\u2019d love to offer our top tips for van life with your pooch so that you can consider it too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s nothing quite like holidaying with your dog in a campervan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Imagine pulling up on a secluded beach or a quiet piece of a woodland,opening up the doors and letting them jump out. Watching them discover all the new smells and run around \u2019til their heart\u2019s content in new places every day. It\u2019s all so exciting for them, and for you too watching them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dogs are happiest when they\u2019re outside, playing, eating or snuggled up with their paw-rents. So, it seems like campervanning is the perfect kind of holiday! Not sure where to start? We\u2019ve gathered our top tips for holidaying with your dog in a campervan so that you can experience this too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Look for dog-friendly campervan features<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Quirky Campers has so many dog-friendly vans to choose from. Simply head to the Hire a Campervan tab, select your location and add the filter under House Rules for ‘Pets’. Make sure you book early in advance, as even though there are plenty to choose from, they are one of t akind and you don’t want to miss out on one you have your eye on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out Barbara<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s specifically designed kennel space under the bed, which opens at both the front and out the back. There\u2019s even an outdoor shower so you can hose off those muddy paws after a big adventure walk!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Barbara<\/a>‘s specially designed kennel space – open at both the front and back<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For our first trip we hired Selma<\/strong><\/a>. She puts the quirky in Quirky Campers – we loved her Kiwiana design and homemade touches. Luna was even treated to a bag full of treats on arrival to pick her up – one very lucky girl. While Selma is small, Luna is a medium-sized dog and we had no trouble curling up with her on the fixed bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Luna in Selma. She takes van life very seriously \ud83d\ude00<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We went further afield for our second trip, flying down to Christchurch to pick up Madeleine<\/strong><\/a>. She had everything we needed for a week-long stay – we didn\u2019t want to leave! Having flown down from Auckland we needed space for our big packs and all of Luna\u2019s gear. Madeleine has ample storage all around the van and a high roof so we never felt like it was a squeeze with the three of us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It may seem like a small detail but the tinted windows and thick curtains were a blessing – particularly if you\u2019ve got a dog that can be very alert to even the smallest movement (like Luna). Little things like this go a long way to make them feel safe. There\u2019s even a removable table meaning we could all comfortably eat inside if the weather packed it in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Loads of room for our big hiking packs plus all of Luna\u2019s gear in Madeleine.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finding places to stay <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The question of \u201cwhere are the best dog-friendly places to camp in [NZ region]?\u201d comes up a lot, on many different pages, groups and forums. And it\u2019s fair to say that the answers change over time, for many reasons\u2026 local bylaw changes, restrictions at different times of the year and general opinion!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The safest bet is to use an app like Rankers<\/strong><\/a> or Campermate<\/strong><\/a>, where you can apply a filter to find dog-friendly campsites across NZ. If you\u2019re not already a member, there\u2019s also the NZMCA<\/strong><\/a>. Virtually all the places that members can stay are dog-friendly, which is pretty cool! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If in doubt, ring ahead to confirm what \u2013 if any \u2013 restrictions are in place for dogs. Most places welcome well-behaved dogs on a leash. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pines Camp – a stunning campsite we found on Rankers on the shore of Lake Pukaki.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finding dog-friendly activities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whether it\u2019s going for a hike, visiting a landmark or grabbing lunch at a cafe, it\u2019s important to check first whether your furry friend is welcome too. Here\u2019s a few ideas for how to keep your dog, and yourselves of course, entertained while holidaying in a campervan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n