Tauranga - Hobbiton and Rotorua in one day?

[~*Lou*~]

We will be in Tauranga in January 2024 (8.15am to 5.45pm).

 

If we rented a car (2 families of 4, so 2 cars!), is it possible to visit both Hobbiton and Rotorua on the same day or is that too ambitious and we should just focus on one or the other?

 

If we did get to Rotorua, where exactly do we want to visit? It's the geothermal gems of mud pools/geysers/natural hot springs that appeal most. 

 

I do realise we can't "do it all."

 

Many thanks

Lou

[Over from NZ]

Nup. Trying to do too much. It's a good hour drive from Tauranga to Hobbiton. Say by the time you've got off the ship.. picked up the car etc.. it's 9am. Hobbiton just after 10am. At least a couple of hours there and then lunch. Say that's 1pm. An hour to Rotorua.. it's 2pm. It's a good hour from Rotorua to Tauranga and you'll have to drop off the car and be back well before departure time. You won't get time to see much in Rotorua at all. Pick one (my pick would be Hobbiton) and if you're back early - Tauranga is a really cool port to spend time in anyhow.

[taxatty]

On 1/23/2023 at 12:32 AM, ~*Lou*~ said:

 

 

If we did get to Rotorua, where exactly do we want to visit? It's the geothermal gems of mud pools/geysers/natural hot springs that appeal most. 

 

I do realise we can't "do it all."

 

Many thanks

Lou

Here--south of Rotorua.  https://www.waiotapu.co.nz/. It takes around 1 1/2 hours to see with a lot of easy walking.

 

[roscoe39]

in addition you would need to be on a tour of Hobbiton - you can't wander around on your own. It would be an added pressure to get there exactly at your tour time - and I know of people who have missed the start time and being unable to "catch" up the tour as there are only set times you can enter the park. Having said that which ever you choose to do, Rotorua or  Hobbiton both are  pretty terrific.

[SueMo]

On 1/26/2023 at 8:29 PM, taxatty said:

Here--south of Rotorua.  https://www.waiotapu.co.nz/. It takes around 1 1/2 hours to see with a lot of easy walking.

 

I've been doing some research on the different geothermal parks in Rotorua.  I found a travel blog that describes the different parks and gives the pluses and minuses of each.  I found it to be very helpful in our decision making!  https://www.2aussietravellers.com/rotorua-geothermal-park/