North Island Honeymoon & Romance Itinerary: One Week / 7 Days

© THL

Day 1 – Auckland Airport to Waitomo

Travel time: 2 hours

Welcome to the North Island of New Zealand! With only one week to explore, you have no time to lose. So, pick up your rental vehicle and get on the road to Waitomo.

If you’re setting off in the morning, you’ll have a little time to spice up your drive with a 20-minute detour to the Pirongia Forest Park for an excellent bush walk or a 25-minute detour to the gorgeous Hamilton Gardens.

Once you arrive in Waitomo, you’ll have the chance to hop on one of the exciting glowworm tours there. It could be a walking tour through the candlelit caverns of the Footwhistle Cave (on Viator and Tripadvisor), a private cave tour with Glowing Adventures (on Viator and Tripadvisor), or an epic caving adventure with The Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. (on Viator, Tripadvisor and Klook). Compare all of your options in the 8 Best Waitomo Cave Tours.

Romantic Activities in Waitomo

• Delve into the candlelit caverns of the Footwhistle Cave with Cave World Waitomo (on Viator and Tripadvisor)
• Embark on a private glowworm cave tour with Glowing Adventures (on Viator and Tripadvisor)
• Take on a caving adventure with the Black Water Rafting Co. (on Viator, Tripadvisor and Klook)
• Walk to amazing limestone formations on Waitomo’s walking trails
• Tackle the Timber Trail cycle journey together (on Viator and Tripadvisor).

For more explanation, take a look at the 8 Romantic Activities in Waitomo for Couples.

Romantic Accommodation in Waitomo

• Waitomo Boutique Lodge
• Waitomo Orchard Estate B&B
• Abseil Inn
• Woodlyn Park Motel

Check out the 5 Best Romantic Accommodations in Waitomo for more information on these romantic stays.

© NZPocketGuide.com

Day 2 – Waitomo to Rotorua

Travel time: 1h50mins

If your honeymoon/romantic getaway isn’t complete without Hobbits then take a 20-minute detour to Matamata on your way to Rotorua today. Check out the Hobbiton Movie Set tour on Viator, Tripadvisor, Klook and KKday. Otherwise, head directly to Rotorua where you’ll pass through Putaruru. Here, take a 10-minute detour to the Blue Spring/Te Waihou Walkway for its fairytale-like setting of clear water moving through verdant reeds.

Once you reach Rotorua, check-in at your accommodation and experience some of the evening activities, such as seeing the beautiful light decorations of the Redwoods Treewalk or kayaking under glowworms of Lake Rotoiti (more info on Viator and Tripadvisor). We’ll go into more things to do in Rotorua tomorrow.

Romantic Accommodation in Rotorua

• VR Rotorua Lake Resort
• Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort
• Treetops Lodge & Estate
• Solitaire Lodge
• Hamurana Lodge

For more information on our top recommended accommodation, check out the 10 Best Romantic Accommodations in Rotorua.

© Waimarino - Destination Rotorua

Day 3 – Explore Rotorua

There’s so much to do in Rotorua so just take your pick between soaking in natural mineral hot pools, doing a forest ziplining course (more info on Viator, Tripadvisor, Klook and KKday), or a helicopter landing on a volcano (on Viator, Tripadvisor and Klook).

Romantic Activities in Rotorua

• Paddle in a kayak or on a SUP board through a cave of glowworms (more info on Viator and Tripadvisor)
• Enjoy the views and the ride of a guided horse trek (on Viator and Tripadvisor)
• Walk hand-in-hand on Rotorua’s picture-perfect walks
• Unwind in a natural mineral hot pool (on Klook, KKday, Viator and Tripadvisor)
• Roll down a hill in a giant hamster ball together (on Viator, Tripadvisor and Klook).

For more information on each activity, check out the 10 Romantic Activities in Rotorua for Couples.

© NZPocketGuide.com

Day 4 – Rotorua to Ohakune

Travel time: 2h30mins

Crossing the centre of the North Island is quite the journey, so let’s get into it! First, the road between Rotorua and Taupo is full of geothermal wonders. Take your pick from Wai-O-Tapu (more info on Viator and Tripadvisor), Waimangu Volcanic Valley (on Viator, Tripadvisor and Klook) or Orakei Korako (on Viator or Tripadvisor). Some of the free hot pools are also quick detours off this route, as listed in the 5 Free Natural Hot Pools in Rotorua.

Stop by Taupo for its cool cafes or one of the 10 Romantic Activities in Taupo for Couples. Then it’s a super scenic drive alongside New Zealand’s largest lake until you reach Turangi.

After Turangi, stop by Lake Rotopounamu for its lush native forest and gorgeous lake views. Take a picnic to have on one of the lake’s three beaches.

Keep your fingers crossed for a clear day to soak in the magnificent views of three dramatic volcanoes. Take a 15-minute detour to Whakapapa Village where you’ll find short walks like that to Tawhai Falls, as well as the 2-hour Taranaki Falls Track.

Finally, you’ll reach Ohakune which is your base for exploring the volcanic landscape of the Tongariro National Park. Get yourselves a bit to eat using the recommendations in The Honeymoon Guide to Ohakune.

Romantic Accommodation in Ohakune

• Nightsky Cottage
• Powderhorn Chateau
• Ruapehu Country Lodge
• Tongariro Suites
• Snowman Lodge and Spa

For elaboration on each accommodation, check out the 10 Best Romantic Accommodations in Ohakune.

© Visit Ruapehu

Day 5 – Explore Ohakune

If the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is on your honeymoon must-do list, today is your chance to do it with shuttles providing access to the Crossing from Ohakune. Check out the Tongariro Crossing Accommodation and Transport: A Practical Guide to plan your hike.

Other highlights of the area include the awesome cycle trail of the Ohakune Old Coach Road, as well as the multi-day canoe trip known as the Whanganui Journey. If you don’t have the time for a multi-day trip, however, day trips on the Whanganui River to the Bridge to Nowhere are worth it.

Romantic Activities in Ohakune

• Tackle the Tongariro Crossing together
• Test your teamwork in a canoe on the Whanganui Journey
• Experience the Ruapehu scenery on a horse trek
• Cycle the Ohakune Old Coach Road
• Learn to ski together on Mt Ruapehu.

For more details on each experience, check out the 7 Romantic Activities in Ohakune for Couples.

© Unsplash

Day 6 – Ohakune to Wellington

Travel time: 3h40mins

Set your sights on the capital city of New Zealand, Wellington. But first, you have a long drive ahead, which you can break up by stopping by a few quirky towns, such as Taihape with its giant gumboot sculpture and Bulls with its many “bull” puns. Stop for a stroll hand-in-hand along the beaches of Queen Elizabeth Park in Paraparaumu before finally reaching Wellington.

You might have time to enjoy some of the free stuff like wandering around the romantic Botanic Garden or visiting the national museum of New Zealand, Te Papa. Check-in at your hotel and treat yourselves to dinner following the recommendations in The Honeymoon & Romantic Getaway Guide to Wellington.

Romantic Accommodation in Wellington

• Copthorne Hotel Wellington
• Rydges Wellington
• Naumi Studio Wellington
• Quest on Johnston
• Grand Mercure Wellington

For more information on each accommodation, see our 10 Best Romantic Accommodations in Wellington.

© NZPocketGuide.com

Day 7 – Explore Wellington

It’s your last day on the North Island and your final chance to explore Wellington. Of course, what you can do depends on what time you need to leave, but we’ve listed some ideas below.

Romantic Activities in Wellington

• Walk hand-in-hand through the Botanic Garden
• Join the love birds in the Zealandia Ecosanctuary (more info on Klook, Viator and Tripadvisor)
• Learn something new together in the city’s museums
• Be whisked away in the romantic helicopter tour with champagne (on Klook, Viator and Tripadvisor)
• Join a foodie tour, whether it’s a chocolate factory tour or cocktail tasting.

For more information on each activity, see 10 Romantic Activities in Wellington for Couples.

Either fly back up to Auckland if you’re leaving the North Island via Auckland International Airport. Alternatively, spend the whole day getting back up to Auckland on a romantic train journey on the Northern Explorer. Find out more on Viator or Tripadvisor.