Top Easter getaways revealed: Where are Kiwis going over the long weekend?

It seems a growing portion of Kiwis are looking for something a little more cosmopolitan.

Looking to go away over the Easter break? Well, it seems there’s a trend emerging in Kiwis’ travel itineraries over the long weekend, with many opting for a city getaway.

Kiwis are heading to major metropolitan areas - both internationally and domestically - this Easter, according to research from Booking.com.

Easter this year falls on the weekend of March 29 to April 1, and many Kiwis have planned accordingly, searching for possible getaways that the whole family can enjoy.

Site searches throughout February reveal that a growing number of Kiwis are searching for city breaks over Easter. In the top spot is Auckland, which has increased in popularity compared to this time last year.

While the City of Sails seems to be the place to be this Easter, Rotorua has nabbed second place, which is no surprise considering it was named one of the world’s top 10 trending destinations. In third place was Queenstown.

Queenstown came in third on the top 10 list.

Top 10 places to visit over Easter: International and domestic

1. Auckland
2. Rotorua
3. Queenstown
4. Taupō
5. Wellington
6. Christchurch
7. Sydney
8. Gold Coast
9. Tauranga
10. New Plymouth

While many Kiwis are opting to keep things local this year, some found their wanderlust taking them across the Ditch - and even further across the globe. However, a trend for international travel this year saw hopeful holidaymakers seek out more manageable vacations that require just a few hours of air travel.

Sydney nabbed the top spot as the most-searched international getaway, and several Australian destinations made the top 10.

However, the biggest up-and-comer is Hong Kong, which has jumped 12 places, to tenth spot , since last year.

Unsurprisingly, Nadi and Rarotonga in the Pacific islands are also a firm favourite for the Easter period.

Sydney's waterfront and downtown at night.

Top 10 places to visit over Easter: International

1. Sydney (increased three places compared to 2023)
2. Gold Coast
3. Melbourne
4. Rarotonga
5. Brisbane (increased one place)
6. Tokyo
7. Nadi (increased five places)
8. Singapore
9. Seoul
10. Hong Kong (increased 12 places)