going in august. Bringing along my 8 mth old baby (by then). We like scenery.. Visit hobbitons.. Donno what else is interesting at the north. Is there Fergburger?
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August will still be winter, but in the North it's not so bad (around 0-10 degrees at night, so make sure you bring warm clothes especially for your baby).
I did a drive up to Auckland from Wellington when I was there, about 13 days total, but I don't think you will need to drive so far south since there's really not that much there unless you are really keen on visiting the cafes and Te Papa museum in Wellington
I've never explored the North of Auckland, so perhaps other bros can weigh in too. For Hobbiton, I suggest you base yourself nearer, like in Rotorua, and go for the first tour in the morning (9.30am) as it gets crowded after that and you can't really take nice pictures.
Around Auckland, I'd hit Piha beach (about 1hr west of Auckland city) for the black sand beach, and perhaps Rangitoto and Waiheke islands (vineyards).
Then head south towards the middle of North Island. Waitomo caves below Hamilton was quite an experience for me - I did black water rafting there but not suitable for your baby. There are guided boat tours though so perhaps can look at those! The glowworms hanging on the cave ceilings give a rather surreal experience.
For scenery, you can't go wrong with Rotorua and Taupo. Red wood forest in Rotorua is majestic, the Green and Blue lakes also quite good on a sunny day (rare in winter though). Then there's the thermal pools and Maori cultural experiences, and of course the Skyline and Luge offer some pretty good views of the surrounding. Tauranga is also nearby and I've heard Mt. Maunganui is pretty good. If you're feeling up to it, can visit Cathedral Cove, but it is a bit out of the way.
Taupo is quite a small city, but Huka Falls, Craters of the Moon and very nice places to visit for the scenery. Of course, Lake Taupo is also a must-see as Singapore can fit inside it
From Taupo you can venture south a bit to see the three volcano mountains - they should still be snow-peaked. The desert road has a pretty good view of the 3 volcanoes.
Don't try to hit too many places, better to spread out your time and enjoy NZ! Even along the state highways, there are plenty of scenic rest stops where you can just stop for a while to snack and have a short rest. With 9 days I think you can cover these few places comfortably spending 2-3 days at each place.
Also check out
http://holidayhouses.co.nz for some nice accommodation alternatives! Just remember to clean up after yourselves and don't leave too huge a mess