Air New Zealand Air Points - Compact weekend trips from CHC

We are in NZ on a long holiday [but my children are in school].

I am looking for weekend trips that leave late (i.e. after 4pm) on a Thursday or Friday and come back late on a Sunday.

We have been/will be to AKL, Keri Keri, Invercargill/Stewart, Rotorua, Napier, Wellingtion. We will also drive to Queenstown, Nelson, Dunedin, and other places that we can drive to.

Do you know what other places in the Air NZ schedule work from CHC?

Do any international routes happen to work?

Any suggestions.

p.s. I hope to use Aeroplan miles for this.

A drive to the West Coast via Arthur’s Pass and return via the Lewis Pass is one option, especially now the weather improving. It all depends what you want to look at, want to do and how bored the kids will get in a car. Do a google on the West Coast, Greymouth, Westport & Hokitika. Should throw up a few attractions. The coast is quite different to Canterbury.

Another option is to the train across to Greymouth. Leaves from Addington (Chc station) about 8:00 am. Can come back by train or hire a car for the return. No Air NZ flights from Greymouth (only Westport & Hokitika)

The Air NZ route may gives the local flights (http://www.airnz.co.nz/timetablesandflightinfo/routes/new_zealand_routes.htm) Given where you have been or will go by car not much left for a weekend trip.

Any international flight is at least 3hrs (Oz) or more if you up to the pacific islands (Fiji, Tonga etc)

I'll second the West Coast option - drive across Arthur's Pass and either go to Punakaiki or Franz Josef/Fox Glacier. Keep well away from both Greymouth and Westport - Greymouth is, well, 'grey'. And the less said about Westport the better. Hokitika is barely better.

If you're set on flying - try Taupo and have fun around the lake. Depending on the kids age you could even do the Tongariro Crossing which is not far south of Taupo. Be warned though - the Tongariro Crossing is a tough hike.

And if you want to stay South Island, fly (or drive) to Nelson and head into the Abel Tasman National Park - great sea kayaking & tramping (and the tramping is pretty gentle).

This may not fit in with your plans (not sure if you have "done" AKL and surrounding areas yet) but an oft-overlooked area is the Coromandel Peninsula (east of AKL) and is well worth a vist. Two places in particular - Hot Water Beach, where at the right time of day (something to do with the tides) you go the north end of the beach and just a foot or so down in the sand there is, not surprisingly given the name, very hot water.

And the Driving Creek Railway, just north of Coromandel town, is a little beauty. Marvellous little engineering feat, narrow gauge railway up a steep hill, involving various bridges, tunnels, double bridges, and switchbacks ending at the "Eyefull" tower. Owner is an artist/sculptor type who is also dedicated to replanting the Kauri forests that were cut down in early white settlement.

Whitianga is a nice enough "base" to stay at.

I know you can fly to the peninsula from AKL, albeit on very small planes. It's only a few hours drive from AKL as well. Enjoy your trip, hard to go wrong, almost anywhere in NZ is spectacular viewing.

I am looking for weekend trips that leave late (i.e. after 4pm) on a Thursday or Friday and come back late on a Sunday.

We have been/will be to AKL, Keri Keri, Invercargill/Stewart, Rotorua, Napier, Wellingtion. We will also drive to Queenstown, Nelson, Dunedin, and other places that we can drive to.

Do you know what other places in the Air NZ schedule work from CHC?

Do any international routes happen to work? A trip from the mainland to the West Island is an option if you can manage an outbound flight that leaves CHC slightly before 4pm:

CHC-SYD NZ 183 3:45PM 5:15PM (Thursday or Friday)
SYD-CHC NZ 184 6:25PM 11:25PM (Sunday)

Flights out of CHC from 4pm Friday

AKL
BHE
BNE (3:40pm)
DUD
HLZ
HKK
IVC
LAX (Thursday direct, Friday via AKL)
MEL (3:35pm)
NPE
NSN
PMR
ZQN
SYD
WLG

All the other NZ domestic destinations are accessible on Sat am flight.

If go via AKL then short trips to the islands are possible. But not the best season for this right now (too wet and risk of storms).

This may not fit in with your plans (not sure if you have "done" AKL and surrounding areas yet) but an oft-overlooked area is the Coromandel Peninsula (east of AKL) and is well worth a vist. Two places in particular - Hot Water Beach, where at the right time of day (something to do with the tides) you go the north end of the beach and just a foot or so down in the sand there is, not surprisingly given the name, very hot water.

And the Driving Creek Railway, just north of Coromandel town, is a little beauty. Marvellous little engineering feat, narrow gauge railway up a steep hill, involving various bridges, tunnels, double bridges, and switchbacks ending at the "Eyefull" tower. Owner is an artist/sculptor type who is also dedicated to replanting the Kauri forests that were cut down in early white settlement.

Whitianga is a nice enough "base" to stay at.

I know you can fly to the peninsula from AKL, albeit on very small planes. It's only a few hours drive from AKL as well. Enjoy your trip, hard to go wrong, almost anywhere in NZ is spectacular viewing.

We have two trips planned:
Trip 1
CHC-Rotorua...arrive noon
Rotorua hotel
Rotorua hotel
Whitianga
AKL-CHC...depart 5pm

Trip 2
CHC-Rotorua...arrive 10am
Taupo hotel
Napier hotel
Napier-CHC...depart 5pm

Question: would you leave trip 1 it 'as is' or would you not stay in Rotorua the second day?

Trip 1
CHC-Rotorua...arrive noon
Rotorua hotel
Rotorua hotel
Whitianga
AKL-CHC...depart 5pm

Question: would you leave trip 1 it 'as is' or would you not stay in Rotorua the second day?

Is that four days / three nights? So the first "Rotorua hotel" is the arrival day?

If that's the case I would stay both nights in Rotorua, which will give you the afternoon of the arrival day, and all the next day, to see some of the many sights there. With your kids in tow the luge, AgriDome and Whakarewarewa village are probably all must-do's. Then you drive to Whitianga on day three? And from there to AKL on day four? If so that makes sense, the afternoon / evening / next morning in Whitianga is probably about right.

Is that four days / three nights? So the first "Rotorua hotel" is the arrival day?

If that's the case I would stay both nights in Rotorua, which will give you the afternoon of the arrival day, and all the next day, to see some of the many sights there. With your kids in tow the luge, AgriDome and Whakarewarewa village are probably all must-do's. Then you drive to Whitianga on day three? And from there to AKL on day four? If so that makes sense, the afternoon / evening / next morning in Whitianga is probably about right.

We have two trips planned:
Trip 1 [4 days 3 nights]
FRI CHC-Rotorua...arrive noon
FRI Rotorua hotel
SAT Rotorua hotel
SUN Whitianga hotel
MON AKL-CHC...depart 5pm

Trip 2
FRI CHC-Rotorua...arrive 10am
FRI Taupo hotel
SAT Napier hotel
SUN Napier-CHC...depart 5pm

Question: would you leave trip 1 it 'as is' or would you not stay in Rotorua the second day?

We have two trips planned:
Trip 1 [4 days 3 nights]
FRI CHC-Rotorua...arrive noon
FRI Rotorua hotel
SAT Rotorua hotel
SUN Whitianga hotel
MON AKL-CHC...depart 5pm

Trip 2
FRI CHC-Rotorua...arrive 10am
FRI Taupo hotel
SAT Napier hotel
SUN Napier-CHC...depart 5pm

Question: would you leave trip 1 it 'as is' or would you not stay in Rotorua the second day?

Trip 2 could be broken into several trips.

From Taupo, you could do the Tongariro Crossing/National Park, sight see around Taupo etc, this is a 2-3 day trip in itself.

Napier could be a trip, Hawkes Bay wineries could be included in that trip or as a side trip. A drive out to Ocean Beach or Pourere Beach is well worth it. I have always been a Hawkes Bay Fan.

Another trip, could be fly to Napier, then drive north to Wairoa/Mahia Peninsula area.

Not sure if you are choosing between two trips?

Anyway, with trip 1, I think stay Rotorua night 1, then drive to Whitianga on the afternoon of the next day. Gives time for a look at Rotorua (the hot mud springs), then the Coromandel bits (as described earlier). About 3 - 4 hours drive from Rotorua - Whitianga. Note that the roads on the Coromandel peninsula are generally very winding so allow extra time.

We stayed at Motel Mana-Nui in the heart of town, walking distance to everything, found it quite adequate, (if you stay there ensure you get the "new" rooms, built recently), but I'm sure there are many other nice places there to stay.

Enjoy your trip.

Cheers

I am an Oz,but lived in NZ for more than 20 years, and seen most of it.
A weekend trip to Oz is just a trip to another city if you go to Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane. To go anywhere else that is spectacularly Australian requires a large amount of flying.

I would certainly recommend Rotorua, Taupo etc, but I strongly agree with other people on this thread to visit the West Coast - it is very isolated by Kiwi standards, it has some marvellous people, a strong wild Irish tradition which is unusual for Kiwiland and the scenary is spectacular, but different to Otago.

I haven't been there for some time, but if you email me direct, I think I could put you in touch with some old friends that would look after you and show you around.

While you can fly to towns on the coast, I would strongly recommend either driving, or going by train.

So far we have done:

Bay of Islands to the Cape to AKL
Stewart Island
Tranz Alp rail Hotitika
Hammner Springs
Kaikura
Akaroa
Lake Tekapo
Dunedin
Te Anau
Wanaka
Fox Glacier
Westport
Nelson
Blenheim

I also have scheduled:
Rotorua to AKL
Rotorua to Napier
Wellington

What else do we want to make sure we don't miss?

So far we have done:

Bay of Islands to the Cape to AKL
Stewart Island
Tranz Alp rail Hotitika
Hammner Springs
Kaikura
Akaroa
Lake Tekapo
Dunedin
Te Anau
Wanaka
Fox Glacier
Westport
Nelson
Blenheim

I also have scheduled:
Rotorua to AKL
Rotorua to Napier
Wellington

What else do we want to make sure we don't miss?

In my books, Queenstown is a must see. It is quite close to Wanaka so perhaps you have been already. Glad you have been able to visit so many of NZ's areas.