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TYPE OF LOCATION:

By the Water [24] Forest [2] Mountain [0] Revisit [0] Rural [12] Towns [26] Visited [0] I don't care

WHERE TO STAY:

Campsite [12] Free [17] Low Cost [8] I don't care

TYPE OF ACTIVITIES:

Cycle Trail [0] Eating Out [9] Fishing [14] Golf [2] Thermal Spa [0] Walks [10] I don't care

EXPLORING TARANAKI

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Taranaki Map

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On a fine day, Taranaki is just stunning! Discover some of our most beautiful public gardens, cycleways, restaurants, whitebaiting in season, golf courses, lighthouses, and Mt Taranaki. Taranaki is very motorhome friendly. You just gotta go there!

In this slideshow we approach New Plymouth from the North, driving down State Highway 3. From New Plymouth, we take the coast route down to Patea before heading back up to Strattord and completing the loop road around Mt Taranaki. Finally, from Stratford, we head up the famous Forgotten World Highway, through the republic of Whangamamona, the Moki Tunnel, and on to Taumaranui.

Seaview Holiday Park

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Seaview Holiday Park is a traditional Kiwi campsite mostly catering for locals wanting to do some fishing, or to take a break at the beach.

The beach is a typical west coast black sand beach, which should be good surfing as well as fishing. The campsite is spacious and reasonably sheltered from both the wind and road noise.

Mike's Organic Brewery

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Mike's Organic Brewery has a large cafe and offers beer tasting daily between 10am and 5pm. Self-contained motorhomes can also park overnight at no cost.

Urenui Beach Camp

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Urenui Beach Campsite is located at the southern entrance to New Plymouth and offers spacious grounds with plenty of choice for parking, and access to the beach.

Onaero Bay Holiday Park

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The Onaero Bay Holiday Park is a large campsite, straddling the banks of the Onaero river and nestled in an ocean bay. It is beautifully landscaped, with plenty of choice for parking, and is also a very popular location for whitebaiting in season.

Waitara District Services & Citizens Club

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The Waitara District Services & Citizens Club offers overnight parking for self-contained motor caravanners. Meals are also available in their restaurant.

Waitara Town & Country Club

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The Waitara Town & Country Club offers overnight parking for self-contained motor caravanners. You can also take time off cooking and eat at the restaurant.

Marine Park Motor Camp

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The Marine Park Motor Camp in Waitara offers spacious parking and is opposite a large reserve that continues down to the beach and includes a nice cafe across the road in the reserve.

Lake Rotomanu Reserve

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Lake Rotomanu is in the Fitzroy suburb of New Plymouth. Alongside the Waiwhakaiho River, and connecting to the Coastal Walkway, this is a beautiful aquatic playground, used for water sports, fishing, picnics, or just going out for a stroll. The new bridge across the river is an attraction in it's own right.

Fitzroy Golf Club

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The Fitzroy Golf Club in right on the beach front, and provides overnight parking to self-contained motor caravanners.

Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park

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Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park is right next to the beach, with 100 sites and excellent facilities. The campsite is spacious,and you can park overlooking the beach, making this an excellent base for exploring New Plymouth.

Hobson Street Rest Area

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The public carpark at the end of Hobson Street overlooks the harbour and is a very popular location for local people to stop for lunch, as well as for some quiet time in the evenings. Overnight parking is allowed for self-contained vans.

Pukekura Park

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Pukekura Park is a beautifully landscaped, large public domain in the heart of New Plymouth city. Visitors can go rowing on the lake, walk through exotic gardens, attend public concerts, or just go walking through the many tracks throughout the gardens.

Brooklands Zoo & Art Gallery

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The Brooklands Park Zoo is free to visit and includes an adventure playground - a great location to bring children. It is part of the Pukekura Park complex, opposite the soundshell, and next to an art gallery and the Kumming Chinese sister city memorial.

Pukeiti Domain

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Pukeiti Domain is famous for its rhododendron collection, set in a 360 ha rainforest property located between Mt Taranaki and New Plymouth. Beautifully landscaped with stunning displays, it is a great location to explore.

There is a very nice cafe, and you are able to park overnight in the parking area. There is also a sheltered extension to the car park, off the main road, which you can also use.

Kawaroa Park

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Kawaroa Park is a fun place to take kids, with an Aquatic Centre, Tennis and Squash Club, and magnificent views over the harbour. Overnight parking is no longer allowed in self-contained vans

Belt Rd Seaside Holiday Park

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The Belt Rd Seaside Holiday Park is strategically located with excellent facilities and stunning views over the Taranaki Harbour.

Lee Breakwater Parking Area

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The Lee Breakwater parking area is a very large public carpark right on the waters edge, and at the beginning of the Coastal Walkway. There is a very good restaurant, and clean toilets. And, in spite of the prominent No Camping sign at the entrance, self-contained vans are able to park overnight during the off-season between April and the end of October.

Mount Moturoa Domain

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Mt Moturoa Domain is a circular parking area on top of a local landmark with stunning views out over New Plymouth. On a clear day, Mt Taranaki is in full view. While self-contained motor caravanners can overnight here, it might be a bit exposed on a windy day.

Paritutu Centennial Park 1

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The Paritutu Centennial Park (Back beach) runs along the coast just south-west from New Plymouth. There are 3 public carparks for accessing the park and each has a beautiful view out over the harbour.

Paritutu Centennial Park 2

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This the second of 3 parking areas for accessing the Paritutu Centennial Park and the walkway that runs along the coastline. Complete with great views over the harbour and well maintained public toilets, this is a really nice location to stop for a break, or overnight if you ar self-contained.

Corbett Park

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Corbett Park is a community sport and recreation area located along the banks of the Oakura river and the harbour. There are no signs forbidding overnight parking, but you should check with someone locally before you do.

Oakura Beach Holiday Park

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The town of Oakura is just 15 minutes south of New Plymouth, and the holiday park is located right on the beach beside a small public reserve. There is safe swimming and surfing, good fishing, and nature walks.

Greenwood Road Beach Parking

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The beach front along Greenwood Road has a grass verge for parking and is available for self-contained vans to park overnight.

Okato Domain

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Okato Domain is a spacious community sports facility, with a sports field, squash courts and bowling green. There is plenty of sealed parking and self-contained vans can park overnight.

Cape Egmont Boat Club

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The Cape Egmont Boat Club is in a stunning location with views of Mt Taranaki, its own lighthouse, and spacious on-grass parking for self-contained motor caravanners

Cape Egmont Lighthouse

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Cape Egmont Lighthouse has a small parking area at the coast at the end of Cape Road where self-contained motor caravanners can park overnight. You can walk up to the base of the lighthouse.

Opunake Boat Club

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The Opunake Boat Club is in Middletons Bay and has a large parking area with a public toilet that is available for self-contained motor caravanners to park overnight. You can park directly overlooking the beach, go for a cliff top walk, or fossick along the beach.

Opunake Beach Holiday Park

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The Opunake Beach Holiday Park is in a stunning location, beside one of the few sandy beaches on the Taranaki coast.

Various shops, cafes, a local movie theatre and swimming pool are all within walking distance from the holiday park and Opunake's 18-hole golf course is just a few minutes away.

Ohawe Beach Motor Camp

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Ohawe Beach Motor Camp is basic campsite in a peaceful location on the rugged west coast. TheTe Rangatapu Ohawe Beach to Waihi Beach walkway goes past along the beach and takes about 2.5 hours return.

Patea Beach Motor Camp

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Patea Beach Motor Camp is a spacious campsite at the entrance to the Patea River in a peaceful environment. It's quiet, with on-grass parking, and is close to the water.

Te Ngutu Golf Club

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The Te Ngutu Golf Club has a large grassed parking area opposite the club rooms where self-contained motor caravanners can park overnight

Connell Reserve

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The Connell Reserve has a grassed parking area where self-contained motor caravanners can freedom camp.

Kaponga Hotel

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The Kaponga Hotel offers hotel means and overnight parking for self-contained motor caravanners with a great view of Mt Taranaki. This is a good choice for a hotel meal.

Hollard Gardens

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The Hollard Gardens is a large reserve that was created by Bernie and Rose Hollard and is now owned and managed by the Taranaki Regional Council. This is one of the most beautiful gardens that we've visited - and you can easily get lost while exploring it.

Self-contained motor caravanners can park overnight, or you can stay overnight at tthe Kaponga Hotel, which is just a few minutes away.

Stratford Holiday Park

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Stratford Holiday Park is in a park-like location and is just a short walk to the town centre. With excellent facilities, this is a great choice for exploring Stratford. The Carrington Walkway goes past the campsite,

Stratford Club

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The Stratford Club is just a short walk from the town centre and adjacent to the New World Supermarket, and provides overnight parking for self-contained motor caravanners

Volcano View Restaurant

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Volcano View Restaurant features a stunning view of Mt Taranaki from its restaurant, and is also a Park Over Property for motor caravanners

Meeting of the Waters Reserve

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The Meeting of the Waters Reserve has a small parking area overlooking the river where self-contained motor caravanners can park overnight.

Strathmore Saddle

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The Strathmore Saddle is the first of 4 saddles on the Forgotten World Highway travelling north from Stratford to Taumaranui. On a clear day there's a great view of Mt Taranaki across rugged hilltop farmland.

Whangamomona Hotel

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The Republic of Whangamomona Hotel is a grand old lady that has been restored to become the centre of town's republic aspirations. If you're driving along the Forgotten World Highway, then stopping at the hotel for a coffee and a passport is a must!

If you want to stay for a drink and a meal, then the Whangamomona Campground is just down the road.

Whangamomona Camping Ground

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The Whangamomona Camping Ground is just a short walk from the historic hotel and provides basic facilities and on-grass parking in a sheltered scenic area.

Moki Tunnel

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The Moki Tunnel is a short but narrow tunnel that is just wide enough for a motorhome to pass through. There is a rest area at both ends where you can also park overnight.

Joshua Morgan's Grave

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Joshua Morgan's grave site is accessed from from a small parking area which includes a public toilet.

He was one of the early surveyers working in the area when be became severely ill and died from suspected peritonitis. The grave site is access along a short walk from the parking area, where you can also park overnight.