All Bridge & Wickers holidays are tailor-made and no two are the same. We have made some accommodation suggestions, however we will tailor your quote to your preferred standard and style of accommodation.

Although it looks tiny on the map compared with its neighbour, we would hesitate to suggest a ‘head to toe’ two-week trip for families with young children because of the time you’d be spending in the car. But we would strongly recommend choosing one of two more focused approaches, one on North Island, one on the South. Those lucky enough to take more time off can easily stitch the two together and enjoy the full Kiwi works at a leisurely pace.

Days 1 and 2 - AUCKLAND

Ease into your holiday by taking the lift 700ft up to the top of the Sky Tower, the tallest structure south of the Equator, to put everything into perspective. And dare the kids to walk on the alarming glassfloored viewing gallery (although if your family’s like ours, it will be the kids daring the parents!). You could also enlist on an America’s Cup yacht for an exhilarating sail around the harbour, a fitting introduction to the ‘City of Sails’.

On the second day consider taking the thirty minute ferry hop to Waiheke, a gorgeous, toytown island in the middle of the Hauraki Gulf. It’s a world of beaches, forests, farmlands and boutique vineyards, including Mudbrick where you can enjoy a great lunch with views of the distant sea beyond a corduroy of vines. Your two nights will be spent at Quay West Suites in a two-bedroom suite - many with views of the Waitemata Harbour.  

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Days 3, 4 and 5 - THE COROMANDEL

Collect your hire car and head for the Coromandel Peninsula, about a two-hour drive from Auckland. It’s a place of landscapes as lush in parts as the Caribbean and thickly matted with natural rainforest, in others more like natural parklands. And there are miles of spectacular coast to complement the countryside, including the surfing seaside of Whangamata, where even the inexperienced can have a go by renting a wetsuit and boogie board from ex-world champion Dean Williams before casting off into the gentle surf. You should also take the kids to Hot Water Beach - after digging yourself a hole in the sands at low tide you can settle into your own natural hot tub, the thermal waters oozing up from eight million-year-old volcanic rocks (spades can be rented locally!). You’ll stay in a one bedroom apartment at Grand Mercure Puka Park with separate bedroom and sofa bed in living room. Its pool and restaurant with a bush setting make it especially appealing for families.  

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On one day we would recommend the whole family go on a Kiwi Dundee adventure, taking in the Peninsula’s natural highlights, from glow worm caves to a walk through a kauri forest.

Days 6 and 7 - ROTORUA

Rotorua is a primeval soup kitchen of bubbling cauldrons and wild stinky geysers, a world still in the making. It’s also a hub of Maori culture with regular performances of costumed song, dance and the famous haka used to intimidate all visiting rugby teams. You can also test your nerve on a range of heart-thumping activities, including such lesser known pursuits as ‘zorbing’ (rolling down hills inside transparent spheres) and ‘luging’ (careering down a winding track on a cart).

Your two nights are spent at Koura Lodge in a Lakeview family suite, located on the tip of Kawaha Point with great views of the lake.  

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Days 8 and 9 - TONGARIRO

This unique volcanic landscape is a World Heritage Site, steeped in Maori legend and famous for its starring performances as Mordor and Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings. You’ll stay in Bayview Chateau Tongariro in a family room.

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Days 10 and 11 - WELLINGTON

Wellington has the buzz of a cosmopolitan, lifestyle city yet the intimacy of a small town, all tightly packaged in a prime waterfront location with a horseshoe of green hills as its backdrop. The number one family sight has to be the Te Papa museum, a bold work of architecture full of national treasures. You can explore on a guided tour that includes the museum, or one that takes you to the home of Peter Jackson - outside glimpse only - and the film studios, as well as locations used in the Lord of the Rings. Your base will be in a two bedroom suite at the Museum Hotel opposite Te Papa.  

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Day 12 Homeward bound

You could, of course, continue your New Zealand journey by taking the ferry across Cook Strait and stepping straight into Day 3 of the South Island itinerary, making a three-week trip in all. Or, if you just want to add a few days, we would suggest flying or driving from Auckland up to the Bay of Islands, home to Ninety Mile Beach, the old whaling town of Russell and the historic Waitangi Treaty grounds.