Bay of Islands with kids, motorhome edition

Base this day from Paihia if you can. It keeps the driving short, puts the boat trips on your doorstep, and saves you taking a wide motorhome into Russell streets just because the map looked easy.

This note sits under the Bay of Islands region page and pairs well with the Auckland to Bay of Islands drive guide or the Bay of Islands round-trip route. January is the peak squeeze; February is often the easier warm-weather month for families.

Get the regional planning note that pulls these Bay of Islands with kids picks into a half-day plan, or reply with your dates if you'd like a planner to slot Bay of Islands into your wider trip.

Paihia is the practical hub. From the town centre you are 2 km, about 5 minutes, from Waitangi Treaty Grounds; 6 km, about 10 minutes, from Opua; and 16 km, about 20 minutes, from Kawakawa on SH11. Those are child-friendly distances after the longer Auckland approach.

For a motorhome, a compact 2- to 4-berth is the nicest fit around Paihia and Russell. A 6-metre-plus vehicle is fine on SH11, but town parking gets awkward in school holidays. If you are still choosing a layout, read the Travelling with kids guide before you decide how many belted seats and beds you really need.

Overnight, Bay of Islands Holiday Park is about 6 km, 8 minutes, from Paihia and is easier for a larger vehicle than tight town-centre parking. Russell TOP 10 Holiday Park works well if you want to sleep on that side of the bay, but take the Opua to Okiato vehicle ferry rather than driving the long inland road. The ferry adds a short crossing, but it saves a slow winding drive.

Start with Waitangi Treaty Grounds, 2 km or 5 minutes from Paihia. It has roomier parking than the waterfront and gives children space to move between the waka, meeting house, museum areas and lawns. Caveat: around Waitangi Day on 6 February, traffic and access change, so do not treat it as a normal sightseeing stop.

After that, walk or drive back to Paihia Wharf for a dolphin watch or Hole in the Rock cruise. The wharf is central, but motorhome parking nearby is limited. In January, aim to park before 9.30 am or leave the motorhome at your holiday park and walk in. Boat trips are weather-dependent, and younger children can struggle if the swell is up past Cape Brett.

A good family order is simple: Waitangi first, boat second, beach third. Reversing it often means sandy kids on a long cruise or tired children inside the Treaty Grounds when they need food.

For most families, the Paihia to Russell passenger ferry is the cleanest option. It runs from Paihia Wharf to Russell Wharf and takes about 15 minutes. From Russell Wharf, Long Beach, also signposted as Oneroa Bay, is about 1.2 km away, a 15 to 20 minute walk with children. Take snacks and towels, because you will not want to march back and forth twice.

If you need the motorhome in Russell, drive 6 km, about 10 minutes, from Paihia to the Opua ferry ramp, cross to Okiato in about 10 minutes, then drive 7 km, about 10 minutes, into Russell. Allow 35 to 45 minutes all up with loading. The practical caveat is space: Russell village streets and beachside parking are not designed for big vehicles in the middle of a summer day.

Paihia Beach and Te Tii Bay are the easier no-ferry beach options. They are 0 to 2 km from central Paihia, under 5 minutes by road, and better for a quick swim before dinner.

Kawakawa Hundertwasser Public Toilets are 16 km south of Paihia, about 20 minutes on SH11. Children usually find them funny, adults usually want the photo, and nobody needs more than 20 minutes there. The caveat is parking. Kawakawa's main street can be busy, so use proper marked spaces and avoid stopping where the vintage railway line runs through town.

For supplies, Woolworths Paihia is close to the centre. Kerikeri is 23 km north of Paihia, about 25 minutes, and has larger supermarket choice if you are stocking up before continuing south or north. Top up fuel before leaving the bay if your next leg is back toward Auckland or across Northland.

Freedom camping rules in Northland are not casual. If your vehicle does not meet self-contained certification requirements, use a holiday park. Even with certification, check the Freedom camping Northland guide before assuming a beach reserve is legal. New Zealand drives on the left, and foreign licences in English are valid for up to 12 months; if yours is not in English, carry an IDP or approved translation.