The best camping grounds in Auckland run from beachfront holiday parks a few minutes from the city out to open sanctuary campsites up the coast, so the right one depends on whether you want a powered site with hot showers or a quiet grass pitch behind the dunes. Between them you will find campervan and caravan sites, tent pitches, cabins and self-contained units, along with shared kitchens, laundries and dump stations for longer trips. Takapuna Beach Holiday Park and Red Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park are two of the better known.
1Takapuna Beach Holiday Park
Takapuna Beach Holiday Park sits on the shore of Takapuna Beach on Auckland’s North Shore, with waterfront sites looking across the Hauraki Gulf to Rangitoto Island. The park has been running since the 1930s and keeps a deliberately back to basics setup, pairing camping sites with cabins and self-contained units for two. It suits campervan and caravan travellers who want a beach pitch within walking distance of Takapuna’s cafes, shops and supermarkets.
Services
- Waterfront powered sites for campervans, caravans and sleeper vans
- Tent sites on the beachfront
- Seaview self-contained units with private bathroom and kitchen
- Cosy cabins for up to two people
Highlights
- Beachfront position on Takapuna Beach with views out to Rangitoto Island
- Operating on the same beachfront site since the 1930s
- Pet friendly, with dogs welcome on camping sites under the park’s pet policy
- Free hot showers, shared kitchen and free gas BBQs, all open 24 hours
- Free unlimited WiFi for guests, and a boat ramp next to the park
Location & Contact
Name: Takapuna Beach Holiday Park
Address: 22 The Promenade, Takapuna, Auckland 0622
Phone: 09 489 7909
Website: takapunabeachholidaypark.co.nz
2Red Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park
Red Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park is on the Hibiscus Coast at the base of the Whangaparāoa Peninsula, about 35 minutes north of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. It carries a Superior classification within the TOP 10 network and is built around families, with its own private beach, Jacobs Ladder, 100 metres from the park. Accommodation runs from powered and unpowered grass sites through to cabins, chalets and a deluxe cottage, and the park has a strict no dog policy.
Services
- Powered sites on grass, gravel and concrete pads for motorhomes and caravans
- Unpowered beachside grass sites
- Self-contained cabins and kitchen cabins
- One and two bedroom deluxe chalets and family units
- Deluxe cottage sleeping five
Highlights
- Superior park classification within the TOP 10 network
- Private beach, Jacobs Ladder, 100 metres from the gate
- Kids’ playground, cycle track, flying fox and climbing frame
- Outdoor cinema, park shop and food outlet running seasonally
- Dump station, communal kitchen, laundry and TV recreation room on site
Location & Contact
Name: Red Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park
Address: 23 Marie Avenue, Red Beach, Auckland 0932
Phone: 09 426 4526
Website: redbeachtop10.co.nz
3Auckland North Shore Motels & Holiday Park
Auckland North Shore Motels & Holiday Park is on Northcote Road in Northcote, a short drive from the harbour bridge and Takapuna. It mixes motel rooms and fully self-contained tourist flats with cabins, bunk rooms and powered motor home and tent sites, so it works for families, groups and budget travellers alike. The park is not pet friendly.
Services
- Powered motor home and campervan sites
- Tent sites
- Standard cabins with a double bed and single bunk above
- Bunk rooms sleeping up to eight in single bunks
- Self-contained units and one bedroom family units
Highlights
- Black and grey water dump station on site
- Large tiled park kitchen, tiled communal toilets and showers, and a guest laundry with ironing facilities
- Ample parking space plus a dining area with park benches
- Northcote base within driving distance of North Shore beaches and the Albany Mega Centre
Location & Contact
Name: Auckland North Shore Motels & Holiday Park
Address: 52 Northcote Road, Northcote, Auckland
Phone: 09 481 1200
Website: nsmotels.co.nz
4Touchwood Motor Inn & Inner City Camping Ground
Touchwood Motor Inn & Inner City Camping Ground is on Minto Road in Remuera, close to Remuera town centre, Ellerslie Racecourse and the Auckland War Memorial Museum. The camping ground holds 50 caravan and campervan sites, both powered and non-powered, alongside 20 tent sites in a quiet park-like setting. Self-contained motel units, a year-round outdoor swimming pool and a shared kitchen fill out the rest of the site.
Services
- Powered and non-powered caravan and campervan sites
- Tent sites
- Self-contained motel units with kitchenette and private bathroom
- Family rooms, family doubles and villas for larger groups
Highlights
- Inner city Remuera setting with free on-site private parking
- Year-round outdoor swimming pool available to all guests
- Shared kitchen, lounge and outdoor seating area for campers
- Free WiFi across the site and air conditioning in the rooms
Location & Contact
Name: Touchwood Motor Inn & Inner City Camping Ground
Address: 16 Minto Road, Remuera, Auckland 1050
Phone: 09 524 5126
Website: motorlodge.nz
5Tāwharanui Campground
Tāwharanui Campground is run by Auckland Council inside the Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary, on the north eastern coast of the Tāwharanui Peninsula between Phoenix Reef and Comet Rock. Sites sit behind the sand dunes on flat grass split into six bays by native plantings, with marked access points through to the beach. This is a basic outdoor campground rather than a serviced holiday park, so there is no power supply, no kitchen block and no shop, and every stay has to be booked and paid for in advance.
Services
- Unpowered grass camping sites for tents, campervans, caravans and buses
- Vault toilet blocks in each bay, one with a wheelchair friendly cubicle
- Treated bore water taps around the campground, safe to drink
Highlights
- Inside the Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary and beside the Tāwharanui Marine Reserve
- Marked beach access points cut through the dunes
- Main park gates open 6am to 9pm during daylight saving and 6am to 7pm outside it, with a combination code for the campground gate sent on booking
- Dogs, other pets and fires are prohibited at all times
- Bookings open six months ahead, with a maximum stay of seven nights from 20 September to 1 June
Location & Contact
Name: Tāwharanui Campground
Address: 1181 Takatu Road, Tāwharanui Peninsula, Auckland
Phone: 09 301 0101
Website: aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/en/parks-recreation/stay-at-park/find-accommodation/accommodation-details/79.html
Camping Grounds in Auckland at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Takapuna Beach Holiday Park | Takapuna | Beachfront position on Takapuna Beach with views out to Rangitoto Island |
| Red Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park | Red Beach | Superior park classification within the TOP 10 network |
| Auckland North Shore Motels & Holiday Park | Northcote | Black and grey water dump station on site |
| Touchwood Motor Inn & Inner City Camping Ground | Remuera | Inner city Remuera setting with free on-site private parking |
| Tāwharanui Campground | Tāwharanui Peninsula | Inside the Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary and beside the Tāwharanui Mari... |
How to Choose the Right Camping Ground in Auckland
- Match the site to your setup: a powered site with a concrete pad suits a large motorhome, while a tent does better on flat grass with a water tap nearby.
- Check what is shared and what is not, since some parks provide a full kitchen, laundry and hot showers while regional park campgrounds offer little more than a toilet block and a tap.
- Work out how far you want to drive, because a beachfront pitch on the Hibiscus Coast or the Tāwharanui Peninsula means a longer run back into the city than a site in Takapuna, Northcote or Remuera.
- Read the pet policy before you book, as parks range from dog friendly to a strict no dog rule and council campgrounds usually ban animals outright.
- Look at the extras that matter to your group, such as a dump station, playground, swimming pool, seasonal shop or a games room for wet weather.
Frequently Asked Questions About Auckland Camping Grounds
What is the difference between a holiday park and a campground?
A holiday park is a commercial site with serviced facilities, usually powered sites, hot showers, a communal kitchen, a laundry and cabins or units alongside the camping areas. A campground in a regional park is far more basic, often with only a toilet block and water taps, no power and no kitchen. The trade off is setting and price, since the basic sites tend to be the ones on the quietest stretches of coast.
Do I need to book a camping ground in Auckland in advance?
Yes for regional park campgrounds, where you can only camp in a designated area you have booked and paid for, and bookings open six months ahead. Holiday parks will often take a walk in when there is space, but over summer, long weekends and school holidays the coastal parks fill early. You can see what is available and make a booking through Auckland Council’s park accommodation pages.
Can I stay overnight in a campervan in a regional park?
Only in the designated campgrounds and self-contained vehicle parking areas, and only with a booking. Certified self-contained vehicles have their own overnight parking areas in several regional parks, with different rules and prices from the tent campgrounds. Auckland Council sets out where you can park and what certification you need on its campervan camping page.
How much does camping in Auckland cost?
Regional park campgrounds are priced per person and sit at the low end, with Tāwharanui charging $18 per adult and $7 per child a night, and infants free. Holiday parks are priced per site or per unit rather than per person, and rates move with the season, so a powered site in peak summer costs considerably more than the same site midweek in winter. Cabins and self-contained units sit above site rates again.
Which camping grounds are closest to central Auckland?
Remuera and Northcote both put you within about ten to fifteen minutes of the city centre, which makes them practical for concerts, sport and airport connections. Takapuna is a little further but gives you a beach on the doorstep. If you want open coast and native bush you are looking at an hour or more, north towards the Hibiscus Coast and Tāwharanui or west towards the Waitākere beaches.
Can I take a dog camping in Auckland?
It depends entirely on the site. Some holiday parks are openly pet friendly and allow dogs on camping sites under a written pet policy, others allow pets only on powered and unpowered sites by prior arrangement, and some have a strict no dog rule anywhere on the grounds. Regional park campgrounds inside open sanctuaries prohibit dogs and other animals at all times, because the fenced reserves protect ground nesting birds.
What should I bring to a basic campground?
Assume nothing is supplied beyond a toilet and a tap. Bring your own cooking gear and gas, water containers, rubbish bags, a torch and warm bedding, and pack a solar shower if you want to wash, since many campgrounds have no shower block. Fires are commonly banned outright, so a portable cooker rather than a fire pit is the safer plan.
Are Auckland camping grounds open year round?
Most commercial holiday parks operate through the year, and winter is the quietest and cheapest time to stay. Council campgrounds stay open but often run reduced capacity over winter, and access can be limited by park gate times. Coastal sites are exposed, so check the forecast and pick a sheltered bay if you are camping in a tent outside summer.
How We Chose the Best Camping Grounds in Auckland
Every business in this guide was found by searching for camping grounds in Auckland, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Auckland, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.