The best 15 things to do in the North Island of New Zealand
Last updated on July 10th, 2026 at 01:13 pm
The North Island of New Zealand has an incredible mix of culture, adventure, and natural beauty for the traveler. Many skip the North Island for the more famous South – but I think that is a mistake and you are missing out on some wonderful options. so, whether you’re backpacking, road-tripping, or visiting for the first time, to get a real feeling for all of New Zealand these essential North Island experiences should also be on your itinerary.
What Are the Best Things to Do in the North Island, New Zealand?
Below are the 15 best experiences in the North Island of New Zealand, with some examples to help you plan your trip. I also have provided some full North Island and NZ tours for those that are pressed for time but want a taste of everything on this list – enjoy!
First a few important links to use when you plan your trip. They are affiliate links, but I use them all for my travels,and if you do too it will help me keep producing this content – and at no extra cost to you. Cheers!
Plan for your trip
Flights – use skyscanner or booking.com to find and book your flight – I often find the same flight for a lot cheaper than booking direct with the airline!
Insurance – Use EKTA or SafetyWing. TBH I usually use EKTA – they accept any nationality, any age and its ok if you are already traveling – which is perfect for me!
Accommodation – use booking.com or for a hostel – Hostelworld. I use both.
Internet – buy a yesim eSim or Airalo before you go. I use both depending on where I am going.
Buses, trains, ferries – 12Go is always my first option for buses, ferries and trains
Car rental – use DiscoverCars – they are my ‘go-to’ car rental site
Hiking – I use AllTrails for online and offline hiking trails – it means you know exactly where you are on the trail and makes getting lost a lot harder!!
Tours and Activities – book with Viator, GetYourGuide, or Eatwith. Top recommendations for the North Island are:
- Hell’s Gate Geothermal Walk, Mud Bath & Sulphur Spa
- Te Puia: Te Pō Indigenous Evening Experience – Haka + Dinner
- Bay of Islands Island Hopper Day Cruise – sailing to wildlife sanctuary island – 6 hr cruise
- Waitomo Guided Eco-Cave Tour
- Taupō: Huka Falls 30-Minute Jet Boat Experience
- Rotorua Rafting: Kaituna River White Water Rafting
- Napier: 3 Great Wineries, Gourmet Luncheon, & Tastings
Thanks so much if you use one of these links – it costs you nothing but helps me keep writing!!
The best 15 things to do in the North Island – the things not to miss
1. Visit geothermal attractions in Rotorua and beyond
The North Island is right on the Pacific Ring of Fire, and so has some of the most dramatic geothermal scenery in the world. You will find steaming vents, colourful mineral pools, craters, and geysers across the island
Rotorua in particular is famous for its bubbling mud pools, erupting geysers, and steaming landscapes. Visit one of the geothermal parks, soak in natural hot springs, bathe in warm rivers, find bubbling mud and pools around the town and beyond.
Key sites in Rotorua are:
Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Park Entry Ticket
Hell’s Gate Geothermal Walk, Mud Bath & Sulphur Spa
Mount Tarawera Volcanic Crater Half-Day Guided Walk
Wairakei Terraces & Thermal Health Spa – near Taupo
2. Explore the Bay of Islands
With144 islands, and historic sites like the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where New Zealand’s founding treaty was signed, boat tours with dolphin watching and a visit to the hole in the rock, walking and hiking, and swimming and snorkeling at island beaches the Bay of Islands is a North Island “must-see.”
Great options to enjoy the islands are:
Hole in the Rock Cruise & Island Tour – with two island stopovers
Island Hopper Day Cruise – sailing to wildlife sanctuary island – 6 hr cruise
Bay of Islands Tall Ship Sailing on R. Tucker Thompson
Waitangi Treaty Grounds: Combo Pass (Hāngī + Concert + Admission)
3. Experience the Waitomo Glowworm Caves
This has to be one of the North Island’s most magical experiences – seeing the thousands of tiny lights sparkling like stars in the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Taking a gently boat ride through the caves is like sitting in a fantasy novel.
Get more detail in “Exactly where to see glow-worms in New Zealand,” but key options to enjoy the Waitomo glow worms are:
3-Hour Private Photography Tour in Waitomo Caves
Waitomo Caves Labyrinth Black Water Rafting Experience
Waitomo Caves Black Abyss Ultimate Caving Experience
4. Hike in Tongariro National Park
Often called one of the best day hikes in the world, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing takes you through dramatic volcanic terrain, emerald lakes, and lava fields. It’s a long day and can be challenging – especially when its hot – but its very rewarding. However, if time allows, I highly recommend getting even more of this scenery by walking one of the New Zealand Great Walks – the Tongariro Northern Circuit. It covers the best of the Alpine Crossing, but gives even more with extra “moonscapes” as well as springs, waterfalls, and other volcanic landscapes.
Get more detail in The New Zealand Great Walks – which should I chose? (its no. 2 in the list),
but some options to help you enjoy the Tongariro National Park are:
Tongariro Alpine Half Day Guided Group Walk
Tongariro Crossing: Ketetahi Park & Ride Trailhead Shuttle
5. Relax on stunning North Island beaches
The North Island has some of New Zealand’s best beaches, from golden sandy bays to black volcanic sand beaches, and wild surf coastlines. Many are uncrowded and ideal for swimming, relaxing, or watching the sunset. It is home to stunning beaches like Cathedral Cove in the Coromandel and Taupo Bay Beach in Northland, as well as Hot Water Beach, where you can dig your own hot pools at low tide.
Some options to help you enjoy the beaches are:
Piha Beach and Rainforest Tour from Auckland
Wild West Coast, Black Sand Beaches Tour
2-Hour Cathedral Cove and Volcanic Coast Cruise
6. Discover Māori culture and history
Experiencing Māori culture is one of the most meaningful things to do in the North Island. Its great to learn about traditional customs, legends, and history through guided cultural experiences, museums, marae visits, hangi feasts, and performances, to gain a better understanding of this land.
Some key options to help you experience Māori culture are:
Te Puia: Te Pō Indigenous Evening Experience – Haka + Dinner
Mitai Maori Village: Cultural Experience and Dinner Buffet
Māori Cultural Experience & Auckland Museum General Admission
7. Explore Auckland – City of Sails
Auckland – New Zealand’s largest city – has a great mix of city life and nature. Climb or visit the Sky Tower, visit museums, walk the volcanos the city sits on, explore waterfront neighborhoods, and take day trips to nearby islands. Waiheke Island, known for its vineyards and beaches, is just a ferry ride away, as is the beautiful island in the best Auckland city views – Rangitoto (pictured above). Some good ways to explore the city and its islands are:
6 Hours Sightseeing Tour in Auckland
Half-day Discover Auckland City Sightseeing Tour
Auckland Sky Tower General Admission Ticket
America’s Cup 2-Hour Sailing Experience Waitemata Harbour
Waiheke Island: Ferry & Hop-On Hop-Off Explorer Bus Tickets
8. Enjoy adventure activities like skydiving or rafting
New Zealand is famous for adventure, and the North Island delivers just as well as the South! Think rafting, canyoning, surfing, skydiving, ziplining, zorbing, and mountain biking. There are options for every budget and a bit of adventure is a great thing to add to your North Island travel plans. There are so many options and these are just a few:
Taupō: Huka Falls 30-Minute Jet Boat Experience
Taupō: AJ Hackett Taupō Bungy – NZ’s Highest Water Touch!
Lake Taupo 12,000-Foot Tandem Skydiving or Auckland: 13000, 16000, or 18000-Foot Tandem Skydive
Rotorua: 6 Ziplines, Swing-Bridges & Wildlife Encounters
Rafting Rotorua Kaituna White Water Rafting | Kaitiaki Adventures
Rotorua Sledging White Water Sledging | Kaitiaki Adventures
Adventurous Zipline Tour in Coromandel
Auckland: SkyJump & SkyWalk Combo
Auckland Harbour Bridge Climb & Bungy Combo
Rotorua: Velocity Valley – NEW Vertigo 43m drop
9. Swim, Kayak & Explore Lakes and Rivers
Freshwater lakes, volcanic crater lakes, rivers, and waterfalls are a huge part of North Island travel. Swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, or simply relaxing by the water are all popular ways to slow down and enjoy nature and something anyone visiting the North Island should do! Its a big part of the kiwi way of life!
One very cool thing to do in the water is Journey the Whanganui River – one of the New Zealand Great Walks. Another one not to miss is viewing the Huka Falls near Lake Taupo – and enjoying Lake Taupo itself – the biggest lake in the country!
Fun options to enjoy the water in the North Island are:
Taupō: Huka Falls 30-Minute Jet Boat Experience
Tauranga: Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour
Rotorua Rafting: Kaituna River White Water Rafting
Taupo: Maori Rock Carvings Kayaking Tour
10. Step Into Middle-earth – notably for the Lord of the Rings fans!
Visit the Hobbiton Movie Set in Matamata where you can wander past Hobbit holes, the Green Dragon Inn, and the rolling farmland used as The Shire in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Even non-fans usually enjoy the scenery and charm. But visit other key locations like Gollum’s Pool (picture above) and Mount Doom or Mordor in Tongariro National Park. And of course WEta Workshops in Wellington to see how it all came together.
Key options to help you explore Middle Earth in the North Island are:
Hobbiton Movie Set: Guided Tour Ticket
Hobbiton Movie Set Small Tour from Auckland
Original LOTR Full-Day Tour with Weta & Lunch – Wellington
Half Day Lord of the Rings Tour – Wellington
11. Sample the wine in the North Island wine regions
The North Island has more than its fair share of vineyards and wineries – particularly Hawkes Bay, Waiheke Island, and Martinborough. Wine is as much a part of kiwi life as the iconic ‘flat white’ and it’d be a shame not to partake while on the island!
You will find everything from small boutique establishments to large wineries – usually producing Chardonnay alongside the signature NZ Sauvignon Blanc. In the Martinborough area also try the Pinot Noir it is known for, and in the Hawkes Bay, sip on the reds that it is known for as well.
Some great options to help you explore the wines of the North Island are:
Waiheke Island Premium Wine Tour with Tastings
Kumeu Wine Country Tour with Wine Tastings & Lunch
Napier: 3 Great Wineries, Gourmet Luncheon, & Tastings
Premium 4 -Best Wineries Napier Hawke’s Bay Tour
Martinborough in a Day – Guided wine tasting tour with lunch
12. Visit National Parks & Ancient Forests
The Tongariro Crossing is famous, but there are plenty of other wonderful walks and hikes in the North Island. Go beyond Tongariro into lush rainforests, ancient trees, and protected national parks.
Find more details about hikes and walks in the North Island in these posts:
12 great multi-day hikes in the North Island New Zealand (off the beaten path)
The 30 best short walks in the North Island of New Zealand
The 12 best day walks in the North Island New Zealand (off the beaten path)
Which New Zealand Great Walk should I choose?
Consider starting with adding these five walks to your itinerary:
- The Pouakai Crossing – in Egmont National Park – a stunning 1-2 day walk that rivals the Tongariro Crossing
- Mt Maunganui Summit – a short walk to great views from the summit in Tauranga
- The KiteKite Falls Track – a short walk through pristine forest to a wonderful waterfall (and swim) near Auckland
- The Tarawera Trail – walk to a thermal pool and thermal beach near Rotorua
- Te Paki Walkway – from Cape Reinga Lighthouse to Twilight beach and on to the Te Paki dunes – a stunning 2 day walk on the coast at the tip of the North Island.
13. Get a taste of the farming life
You could say the heart and soul of the North Island is in its farming life – its the biggest traditional industry in the country and the North Island is the place to experience it. If you have time try a Workaway on a North Island farm for a full experience, but if time is a bit short, then these experiences will give you a taste of what its all about:
Authentic Kiwi Farm Experience at the Agrodome
Sheep Shearing and Auckland City Highlights Tour with Lunch
Sheep World Country Tour from Auckland
Workaway on a North Island farm – for as long as you like!
14. Discover the unique and wonderful North Island birdlife
The North Island has some of the best bird watching sites in the country (if not the best) – get to see the iconic kiwi bird, cheeky kaka parrots, and rare birds like the Kōkako and the Hihi or stitchbird! If you can, visit Tiritiri or Kapiti
Get more detail in “Bird watching in New Zealand – where to find 30 weird and wonderful birds” but the key options to help you explore the wonderful bird life in the North Island are:
1. Tiritiri Matangi Island Discovery from Auckland
2. Kapiti Island Classic Guided Day Tour from Wellington or the Kapiti Coast
3. Otorohanga Kiwi House not far from Waitomo
4. Zealandia in Wellington
15. Take a North Island road trip and find a few hidden gems off the main tourist route
The best way to explore the North Island, if you want to be independent, is by road tripping in a car or campervan. That way you can get where you want, when you want – even better you can get off the beaten path and explore small towns and cafes, walks and hikes, and, beaches, lakes and rivers that most tourists miss.
If you like to have everything taken care of and just want to enjoy every moment, then a tour might be the best option for you – see the highly rated tours in the next section.
Organised tours in the North Island
These tours are perfect if you want a taste of these 15 best things in the North Island and want everything to be organised and to make maximum use of your time. The itineraries are very impressive – even for me as a kiwi! I am providing a range of timeframes from 7 to 90 days.
Note they all include the South Island, but if you have come from a distance, then you probably want to see both islands!
7 – Day North to South Island Grand Tour – Auckland to Queenstown
12 Day New Zealand Private Tour from Auckland to Queenstown
24 day Greatest Of All Tours Small Group Tour
Guided 90-Day Tour of North & South Islands
Best Things to Do in the North Island NZ – FAQs
Q: What is the number one attraction in the North Island?
A: There is no single number one attraction, but some of the most popular things to do are visit the geothermal parks in the Rotorua area, attend some Māori cultural experiences, hike the Tongariro Crossing, and spend time on the beaches and islands of the Bay of Islands.
Q: When is the best time to visit
Summer (Dec–Feb) is better for water activities – beaches, rivers, lakes, but autumn is often great too with fewer crowds (not that there are big crowds usually. You might want to avoid January when everyone in NZ is on holiday at the beach – or just join them! Spring, and even winter, can be pleasant but the weather can be very variable.
Q: How many days do you need in the North Island?
A: Most travellers need 7–10 days to see the highlights of the North Island, although 14 days allows for a more relaxed road trip and to see more of Northland, or the islands in the Hauraki Gulf, or the southern area.
If you want to add deeper exploration – especially in Northland and the Coromandel areas, and / or a few hikes and other nature activities you will need to add extra time again.
Q: Is the North Island good for backpackers?
A: Yes, the North Island is backpacker-friendly. Key locations have affordable hostels, and there are plenty of free outdoor activities in the great outdoors like hiking and beaching. And there are plenty of activities – whether cultural, scenic, or adventure oriented. Sharing with others in a campervan is a great way for backpackers to travel as there is limited public transport.
Q: Is the North Island or South Island better for tourists?
A: Both islands are beautiful in their own right, but the North Island is better for Māori culture, beaches and rivers, and geothermal landscapes and activities. The South Island is better for dramatic mountain scenery. First-time visitors often like to start in the North Island.
Q: What are the best free things to do in the North Island?
A: Some of the best free things to do in the North Island are hiking and exploring forests, visiting beaches, swimming in lakes and rivers, and walking through interesting cities like volcanic Auckland, and stunning (on a good day) Wellington.
Q: Do you need a car to explore the North Island?
A: You don’t need a car, but having one makes travel a lot easier and gives you a lot more flexibility.
Bus and trains are possible, but not necessarily frequent, and do not travel everywhere. For key highlights in the North Island public transport works well, but if you want to go to more off the beaten path places a car is best. Check the Intercity buses network.
There are also scenic trains running between Auckland and Wellington daily. Local trains also run between Wellington and Masterton, and Wellington and the Kapiti Coast.
Q: Is the North Island expensive to travel?
A: The North Island can be affordable if you travel smart. Backpackers can save money by staying in hostels, cooking meals, using buses, and focusing on free nature activities like hikes and beaches. Of course doing a Workaway or two will make it more affordable too – while you get to experience genuine kiwi life.
Q: Is the North Island good for first-time visitors to New Zealand?
A: Yes, the North Island is ideal for first-time visitors because it offers a balanced introduction to New Zealand’s culture, landscapes, and travel style.
Any more questions?
Please write them in the comments below – I will answer any comment personally.
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