Located just 30 minutes out of Christchurch, Straight 8 Estate has been straddling the top of the Canterbury Plains since the mid-1980s. Photo / Straight 8
This summer, campervan owners should head to these stunning New Zealand destinations, where overnight stays cost virtually nothing, writes Anna Sarjeant
Freedom camping has a bad rep, but if we’re honest, we miss being able to sleep wherever we see fit – for a price that’s right.
In what might be NZ’s best-kept secret, those with a self-contained motorhome or campervan can stay overnight at a handful of vineyards, pubs and diners for less than a drink.
This is where you’ll find them.
Cost: A donation
Somewhat fittingly, “Le Gra” is Celtic for ‘with love’ and the Gearys, a family of three heading the operation at Le Gra Vineyard, live by this very sentiment. The winery opens its arms to visitors in Wairarapa, from those popping in for a tasting, to wine-lovers in need of a B&B, complete with crisp sheets and a spa pool. There is also overnight parking available for a limited number of self-contained campervans. Guests are simply asked to make a donation to the Starship Foundation. Most of your holiday kitty will likely go on Nicky Geary’s platters, made – with love – from local and homemade delicacies, including handmade preserves and just-plucked fruit sourced from the vineyard’s orchard.
Cost: A bottle of wine (not compulsory but inevitable)
What do you get when you mix a former All Black with the fertile plains of Takapau in Hawke’s Bay? The answer is 30 years of award-winning NZ wine. John Ashworth and his oldest son, Leith, continue to project their combined passion for wine and winemaking into Junction Wines, a hand-harvested and sustainable winery in the Hawke’s Bay region. Drop in for a tasting any time of the year (winter is by request) and check out the on-site rugby room, complete with memorabilia from John’s AB era. No need to put a cork in the festivities either – those in self-contained motorhomes are welcome to park up and stay overnight.
Cost: Haggle
Located just 30 minutes out of Christchurch, Straight 8 Estate has been straddling the top of the Canterbury Plains since the mid-1980s. Famed for Rose, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, drop by the cellar door for tastings and to pick up a selection of local cheese and craft beer. Your hosts at Straight 8 encourage visitors to enjoy a picnic amongst the vines, as well as overnight stays if you’re in a self-contained campervan. It’s best to get in touch before your arrival to arrange your stay, but considering the vineyard also spurs on haggling at its cellar door, generosity is as free-flowing as the wine in these parts.
Cost: Dinner, wine and a good time
John Hill Estate doesn’t charge a cent for motorhomes to stay on its vineyard, but most guests book through Okay 2 Stay, a nifty subscribed membership programme that puts members in touch with participating properties for an annual fee of $50. Overnight visitors are encouraged to stay on one of the vineyard’s open days and make use of the restaurant, partake in wine-tasting (complete with cheeseboards) and relax with drinks and snacks at the bar. None of which you’ll find a hardship.
Alternatively, reserve a parking spot and/or restaurant booking via the vineyard’s website or contact the restaurant directly.
The fun doesn’t stop at the wine, either. The estate also boasts a complimentary petanque court and landscaped gardens, and in the summer, there’s archery, laser clay target shooting and lawn games. For something special, keep an eye out for the vineyard’s live music events or request a walk in the vines, complete with a picnic arranged by staff.
Cost: The entire week for $50
Hamilton’s Classics Museum is accessed via the Jukebox Diner, a 1950s-themed American diner where you can suck on a Foxton Fizz Float and live out your wildest Grease fantasies. Once you’ve had your fill of Elvis crooning on the wireless, step inside a wonderland of classic cars from the same era, including a gleaming collection of retro petrol pumps and old-school memorabilia from the days we all wish we’d lived through. A one-minute drive from the centre of Hamilton and the city’s myriad attractions, it’s an ideal base for an overnight stay, with $15p/n slots available in the car park. Campervans must be self-contained and if you plan to have fluffy pancakes every morning for seven days, a full week’s stay costs just $50.
Cost: From $35 p/night
It’s easy to have one too many pints in the pub, especially when it’s an Irish pub, but that’s not an issue if you find yourself at Murphy’s. Located in Drury, just 40 minutes south of Auckland CBD, Murphy’s Law Irish Bar boasts all the Gaelic trimmings, including proper pints of Guinness and bangers and mash on the menu, made with Irish pork sausages no less. An institution since 1926, with a roaring fireplace in winter and a beer garden for summer, you might find it hard to get back on the road. In which case, don’t. For as little as $35 per night – unheard of this close to The Big Smoke – powered sites are available on a gated gravel campground. Wi-Fi is included and pets are welcome, so you might as well bring the entire clan along for the shindig.
When there's nothing as far as the eye can see, you may appreciate the company.