For a break full of fun whānau time and easy adventures, it’s hard to beat the combination of bike trails and holiday parks.
For a truly relaxing holiday, forget the endless driving, air travel, poky motels and vanilla Airbnbs in favour of leafy holiday parks and bike trails.
The explosion of cycleways, cross-country trails, mountain bike parks and pump tracks has turned New Zealand into a bikers’ dream. The 23 Great Rides offer particularly scenic options of all lengths and levels of difficulty, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to holiday riding.
Pairing with them perfectly are classic Kiwi campgrounds, which have evolved into crowd-pleasing, all-season accommodation providers offering everything from camping sites and low-cost cabins through to lodges and luxe apartments. All within big, green grounds with plenty of room to spin your wheels.
Many holiday parks are also official ‘cycle hubs’ offering bike-friendly extras such as secure storage and e-bike charging as well as contacts for local mechanics, shuttles and tour operators. Some even offer their own on-site bike hire.
Start planning some pedalling with these popular cycling and holiday park combos across Aotearoa.
See the best of Hawke’s Bay by bike
Fabulous food and wine, fine art deco architecture, gorgeous weather and mostly flat terrain make the Bay a brilliant place for biking all year round. Avail yourself of its ample attractions on the Hawke’s Bay Trails, 200km of mostly off-road exploration between Napier, Hastings and Havelock North.
In Napier, Kennedy Park Resort has heaps of practice room for novice riders. Set in leafy grounds with excellent group accommodation and family-friendly facilities, it also sports a heated pool, jumping pillow and adventure playground.
First published by Stuff. Click here to read the full article.