Road Trips
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The Thermal Explorer Highway.
A central spine through the North Island’s volcanic heart. From Auckland south to Hawke’s Bay, mostly along State Highway 1 and 5. Steam rises from the ground, lakes fill old craters, mountains stand sharp against the sky. I’ve driven it north to south and back. Summer brings clear days for hikes, winter fog in the…
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The Pacific Coast Highway New Zealand
New Zealand’s east coast run along the North Island. Not one straight highway, but a chain of roads — State Highway 2 mostly — linking Auckland south through Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, to Hawke’s Bay. Pohutukawa trees fringe the edges in December, red against blue water. The drive mixes tight coastal curves with flat vineyard…
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One road. Two coasts.
The right way to open a New Zealand journey. The Twin Coast Discovery Highway. It’s an 800-kilometer loop starting and ending in Auckland, threading through Northland. One road touching two coasts — east and west. No rush, just the steady pull of beaches, forests, and quiet bays. You’ll drive it clockwise or counterclockwise. Most go…