Mission Bay and Bucklands Beach are top of a list of holiday hotspots where motorists are getting into strife.
AA Roadservice officer Larry Harbott says congestion heading north of Auckland City is the worst he's seen in his 36 years as a service officer, which has made it more challenging to reach some beach locations.
"At times it's been difficult to access Shakespear Regional Park and Wenderholm Regional Park because of the queues of cars lined up to get in. People are certainly making the most of this good summer weather by heading to the beach."
AA Roadservice says callouts from popular coastal spots soar during the summer holiday period as people head to the beach for a holiday or take a day trip to cool off.
It has released its list of Top 20 coastal locations for AA callouts this summer, with Whakatane placing third equal with 42 callouts.