Waikato and Coromandel
HubSouth and east of Auckland, the Waikato and the Coromandel Peninsula hold some of the North Island's best-known stops: Hobbiton, the Waitomo glowworm caves, Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach. All of them are about 2.5 hours or less from Auckland. Book Hobbiton and cave tours before you set off, and plan beach days around the tides.
Quick facts
Plan it:The 10-day North Island road tripThermal Explorer road tripThree weeks in New Zealand
Waikato and Coromandel on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)Drive times are routing estimates without stops. Prices and rules were checked for each guide; follow the link for the official sources.
Official links for Waikato and Coromandel
All useful linksHamilton Airport (opens in a new tab)
Waikato's airport, useful for Hobbiton, Waitomo and the central North Island.
BUSIT (Waikato) (opens in a new tab)
Public buses around Hamilton and the Waikato.
The Coromandel (opens in a new tab)
Official guide to the Coromandel, including Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach.
Waikato NZ (opens in a new tab)
Official visitor site for the Waikato, including Hobbiton, Waitomo and Hamilton.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (opens in a new tab)
The official source for road rules, licences, vehicle licensing and state highways.
NZTA Journey Planner (opens in a new tab)
Live road conditions, closures, webcams and a journey planner for state highways.
More Waikato and Coromandel guides
WaikatoWaitomo glowworm caves: which cave tour to book (and the free alternatives)
AucklandThe best day trips from Auckland: Hobbiton, Waitomo, the Coromandel and closer escapes
North IslandThe 10-day North Island road trip: Auckland to Wellington the fun way
NationwideThree weeks in New Zealand: the both-islands itinerary
North Island