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Holiday Parks in New Zealand: What to Expect and How to Book

Motorhomes parked on sites between cabins at a Dunedin holiday park

Photo: “The digital photo of Aaron Lodge Top 10 Holiday Park was Taken on Tuesday, 1st March 2005.” by Christopher Wood, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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What is a holiday park?

A holiday park (also called a motor camp or camping ground) is a commercial campground with shared facilities and a range of places to sleep. You can bring a tent, caravan or campervan and rent a site, or stay in a cabin, motel unit or glamping tent.

Holiday parks cost more than DOC campsites, but you get hot showers, kitchens, laundries and usually a dump station. They're also the easiest legal option if your vehicle isn't certified self-contained.

Types of site and accommodation

OptionWhat it is
Powered siteA pitch with a power outlet for a caravan, campervan or tent. Bring your own lead.
Unpowered (non-powered) siteA pitch without power, usually the cheapest option.
CabinA basic room using the shared kitchen and bathrooms. You may need to bring towels or linen.
Motel unit or apartmentPrivate bathroom and usually a kitchenette.
GlampingSafari tents, domes, yurts or pods with real beds. See our glamping guide.

Facilities you can expect

Most holiday parks have a communal kitchen, toilets and hot showers, a coin or card laundry, BBQs and WiFi. Bigger family parks add pools, hot tubs, playgrounds and jumping pillows.

Check the details before you book, as they vary a lot. Some examples from the parks we've profiled:

Rules worth knowing before you arrive

  • Check-in and check-out: Many parks use check-in from 2pm and check-out at 10am. Some give sites until 11am.
  • Power: Parks can ask for an RCD-protected lead, and for caravans and campervans to have a current electrical warrant of fitness (EWOF). Taupō TOP 10 requires both.
  • Pets: Policies range from pet-friendly sites to no dogs in peak season. Glendhu Bay bans all pets from 20 December until after Waitangi weekend. Always ask before you book.
  • Child rates: Commonly ages 2–14, with under-2s free. Ages vary between parks.
  • Fires: Open fires are usually banned. Use the BBQs provided.
  • Card surcharges: Some parks add a surcharge, such as 1.75% at Queenstown TOP 10.

The main holiday park networks

Many parks are independently owned, but several networks share a brand, booking system or loyalty scheme.

NetworkNZ parksNotes
TOP 10 Holiday Parks52 locationsParks graded Classic, Superior or Premium. TOP 10 Club: $55 for 2 years, 10% off stays.
Tasman Holiday Parks13Mostly North Island, plus parks across Australia.
Hampshire Holiday Parks8Mostly Otago. Three carry TOP 10 branding.

Holiday Parks New Zealand (holidayparks.co.nz) is a separate industry association with a searchable directory of member parks, including independents.

Booking tips

  • Book summer early. The summer school holidays, Waitangi weekend and Easter are busy times at beach and lake parks.
  • Read the cancellation policy. TOP 10 parks give a 75% refund if you cancel 72 hours or more before arrival, and no refund inside 72 hours.
  • Compare direct and network sites. Membership discounts usually apply only when you book through the brand.
  • Check prices on the booking page. Holiday park rates change by season, day and site type, so we don't list them here.

Holiday parks we've profiled

See all ten profiles, including DOC and council campgrounds, on the camping hub.

Sources

  • Park and network websites: TOP 10, Tasman, Hampshire and Holiday Parks New Zealand

Campsite profiles in this guide

Visitors digging hot pools in the sand at Hot Water Beach, about 700 m from the holiday parkHoliday park

Hot Water Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park

Hot Water Beach, Coromandel Peninsula

A Premium-classified TOP 10 park about 700 m from Hot Water Beach, where you can dig your own hot pool for two hours either side of low tide.

CoromandelTOP 10 Holiday Parks (Premium)
A lake reflecting trees in Kuirau Park, a minute's walk from the holiday parkHoliday park

Tasman Holiday Parks – Rotorua

Central Rotorua, next to Kuirau Park

A family holiday park in central Rotorua with a heated mineral pool and hot tubs, a one-minute walk from Kuirau Park's free geothermal reserve.

RotoruaTasman Holiday Parks
Golden autumn poplars on the shore of Glendhu Bay, Lake Wānaka, with mountains beyondHoliday park

Glendhu Bay Holiday Park

Glendhu Bay, Lake Wānaka

Hampshire describes it as Wānaka's only lakefront holiday park: a lakeside campground on the road to Mt Aspiring National Park, about 15 minutes from Wānaka township.

WānakaHampshire Holiday Parks (also listed on the TOP 10 website)
Arthurs Point and the Shotover River gorge, seen from the Moonlight TrackHoliday park

Queenstown TOP 10 Holiday Park

Arthurs Point, Queenstown

A Superior TOP 10 park at Arthurs Point, 7 km from central Queenstown and 14 km from the airport, with a free shuttle into town.

QueenstownTOP 10 Holiday Parks (Superior)

Check before you go

Prices, pet rules, closures and road access change. Confirm current details for Holiday parks on the official page before you book or travel.

Holiday Parks New Zealand