Whether you are pitching a tent for the weekend, plugging a caravan into power or looking for a bay before an early ferry, the best camping grounds in Wellington range from full-service holiday parks to riverside bush sites. Camping grounds in Wellington and the wider region offer powered and non-powered sites, camp kitchens, laundries and dump stations, and several of the options below sit in the Hutt Valley and Porirua rather than the city itself. They include Wellington TOP 10 Holiday Park at Seaview and Wellington’s Kiwi Holiday Park in Upper Hutt.
1Wellington TOP 10 Holiday Park
Wellington TOP 10 Holiday Park is a family owned and operated park at Seaview in Lower Hutt, about 15 kilometres from central Wellington, with camping sites alongside cabins and motel units. Powered and non-powered sites sit among pohutukawa trees, and reception runs a full information desk that also sells Interislander and Bluebridge ferry tickets. It caters for individuals, families, couples, business guests, school groups and teams.
Services
- Powered and non-powered sites for campervans, motorhomes and tents
- Motel and self-contained units
- Kitchen cabins and bunk cabins
- Group accommodation for school groups and sports teams
- Interislander and Bluebridge ferry ticketing at reception
Highlights
- Family owned and operated
- Three separate communal kitchen and dining areas
- Three toilet and shower blocks
- Private spa available for hire, with one free session for TOP 10 members
- Air cushion, games room, Sky TV room and fun bike hire on site
Location & Contact
Name: Wellington TOP 10 Holiday Park
Address: 95 Hutt Park Road, Seaview, Lower Hutt
Phone: 04 568 5913
Website: wellingtontop10.co.nz
2Wellington’s Kiwi Holiday Park
Wellington’s Kiwi Holiday Park sits in a quiet bush setting at 45 Akatarawa Road in Upper Hutt, hosted by the Giles family beside Harcourt Park and Te Awa Kairangi, the Hutt River. Grass and hard-surface powered sites take caravans, motorhomes and campervans, with flat tent sites for unpowered camping and cabins and motel units for guests who want a roof. Upper Hutt town and the Brewtown entertainment hub are five minutes away, and the city and ferry terminals about 25 minutes.
Services
- Powered campsites for campervans, caravans and motorhomes
- Flat, grassy unpowered tent sites
- Standard and family cabins, plus a cabin on wheels
- Renovated, standard and family motel units
- Sports team and group accommodation
Highlights
- Pet-friendly powered and non-powered sites by prior arrangement
- Wheelchair-accessible communal bathrooms and kitchens
- Drive-in dump station and vehicle wash-down bay on site
- Camp shop stocking free-range eggs from the park’s own chickens
Location & Contact
Name: Wellington’s Kiwi Holiday Park
Address: 45 Akatarawa Road, Upper Hutt
Phone: 04 526 7400
Website: wellingtonsholidaypark.co.nz
3Cuba Street Motorhome Park
Cuba Street Motorhome Park offers powered overnight parking for self-contained campervans and motorhomes at the end of Garrett Street in Te Aro, a minute’s walk from Cuba Street. It is a self-service site with no bookings and no amenities block, so it suits travellers whose vehicle is already certified self-contained and who want to be in the middle of the city rather than on a holiday park. A current electrical warrant of fitness is required before connecting a vehicle to the power supply.
Services
- Powered overnight parking for self-contained motorhomes and campervans
- Nine powered bays allocated first come, first served
- Pay-by-plate payment on arrival, with no reservation needed
Highlights
- Powered bays in Te Aro, a minute’s walk from Cuba Street
- Check in from 4pm and check out by 8am, with early or late options for an added charge
- Bays are regular vehicle size at roughly 2.5 metres by 5 metres, suiting smaller campers
- Ten minutes’ drive from both inter-island ferry terminals
Location & Contact
Name: Cuba Street Motorhome Park
Address: 30 Garrett Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Phone: 0800 774 637
Website: cubastreetmotorhomepark.co.nz
4Camp Elsdon
Camp Elsdon is a charitable incorporated society running a youth camp and campground on 5.5 hectares at Elsdon in Porirua, at the entrance to the Rangituhi / Colonial Knob Scenic Reserve. Alongside the lodge, dormitories and cabins there is a campground with powered and non-powered campervan sites and tent sites, plus kitchens, a laundry and a dump station. It runs differently from a commercial holiday park: the office is open 2pm to 5pm on weekdays, check in falls inside those hours unless arranged, and no dogs or cats are allowed because the camp adjoins a conservation area.
Services
- Powered and non-powered campervan sites
- Tent sites
- Cabins, dormitories and the Kowhai Lodge
- Group and school bookings for 20 to 90 plus people
- Dining hall and Ed Hall for group use
Highlights
- Operating since 1954, originally as the Elsdon Methodist Youth Camp
- Kitchens, laundry and campervan dump station on site
- One kilometre from Porirua city centre and 1.5 kilometres from Porirua railway station
- Resident miniature ponies that guests can feed
Location & Contact
Name: Camp Elsdon
Address: 18 Raiha Street, Elsdon, Porirua 5022
Phone: 04 237 8987
Website: campelsdon.co.nz
5Kaitoke Regional Park Campground
Kaitoke Regional Park is a Greater Wellington Regional Council park off Waterworks Road, 12 kilometres north of Upper Hutt, where the camping area sits beside the Pākuratahi River in lowland rainforest. This is a self-registration council campground rather than a staffed holiday park: no sites can be booked, fees are paid at Cloudpark machines by credit or debit card, and a Park Ranger checks payment daily. The Rivendell filming site from The Lord of the Rings is a short walk from the carpark.
Services
- Unpowered tent and campervan camping across a large designated camping area
- Six powered sites across from the Ranger’s office
- Four campground shelters with treated drinking water, sinks and covered seating
- Electric barbecues in the shelters at no extra charge
Highlights
- Open for camping 365 days a year on a first come, first served basis
- Campfires permitted on the riverbed away from tent sites
- Dogs welcome in the campground when kept under control
- Unpowered sites $8 per adult per night and powered sites $16 per adult per night
- Main Waterworks Road gate closes at 6pm from April to September and 9pm from October to March
Location & Contact
Name: Kaitoke Regional Park Campground
Address: Waterworks Road, Kaitoke, Upper Hutt
Phone: 0800 496 734
Website: gw.govt.nz/parks/kaitoke-regional-park
Camping Grounds in Wellington at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Wellington TOP 10 Holiday Park | Seaview | Family owned and operated |
| Wellington's Kiwi Holiday Park | Upper Hutt | Pet-friendly powered and non-powered sites by prior arrangement |
| Cuba Street Motorhome Park | Te Aro | Powered bays in Te Aro, a minute's walk from Cuba Street |
| Camp Elsdon | Elsdon | Operating since 1954, originally as the Elsdon Methodist Youth Camp |
| Kaitoke Regional Park Campground | Kaitoke | Open for camping 365 days a year on a first come, first served basis |
How to Choose the Right Camping Grounds in Wellington
- Decide whether you need a powered site. Caravans, motorhomes and anyone running a fridge or heater will want power, while a tent on a grass site rarely does.
- Check whether the campground takes bookings. Holiday parks reserve sites in advance, but council campgrounds and the central motorhome park are first come, first served, which matters over long weekends.
- Match the amenities to your setup. A certified self-contained van can use a site with no amenities block, whereas tent campers need toilets, showers and a camp kitchen.
- Confirm the pet policy before you arrive. Some parks take dogs on selected sites by prior arrangement and others allow no animals at all.
- Work out where you actually need to be. Sites near the ferry terminals suit an early Cook Strait sailing, while Hutt Valley and Porirua grounds put you closer to bush walks, rivers and cycle trails.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wellington Camping Grounds
How much do camping grounds in Wellington cost?
Prices vary widely by type. A council campground such as Kaitoke charges by the person, at $8 a night for an adult on an unpowered site and $16 on a powered one, with children half price. Central powered motorhome parking runs to $35 for a standard overnight stay. Holiday parks quote per site and per person and vary by season, so it pays to check current rates when you book.
Which camping ground is closest to Wellington city centre?
Cuba Street Motorhome Park sits inside the central city, at the end of Garrett Street off Cuba Street in Te Aro, and it takes self-contained vehicles only. If you want a full camping ground with kitchens and showers, the nearest are in the Hutt Valley, with Seaview in Lower Hutt around 15 kilometres from the city and Upper Hutt roughly 25 minutes’ drive.
Do I need a self-contained certificate to camp in Wellington?
Not at a holiday park or a council campground, where toilets and other facilities are provided on site. You do need certification for the central Wellington motorhome park, which accepts self-contained vehicles only, and for freedom camping anywhere the local council permits it. Check your certificate is current before travelling.
Can I camp with a dog near Wellington?
Yes, but the rules differ by ground. Kaitoke Regional Park welcomes dogs in its campground provided they are under control and do not wander through other sites, and Upper Hutt’s holiday park allows dogs on selected powered and non-powered sites when arranged in advance. Camps that adjoin conservation land often ban dogs and cats outright.
Are there campsites near Wellington with river swimming or bush walks?
Kaitoke Regional Park has swimming spots on the Pākuratahi River and a network of short walks and day tramps through lowland rainforest. In Porirua, the Elsdon campground sits at the entrance to the Rangituhi / Colonial Knob Scenic Reserve with bush walks and bike tracks climbing to harbour views, and the Upper Hutt park backs onto riverside paths along Te Awa Kairangi.
Which suburbs are Wellington camping grounds in?
They are spread around the harbour and the valley rather than clustered in one place. Te Aro sits in central Wellington, Seaview serves Lower Hutt and Petone, Akatarawa Road and Kaitoke cover Upper Hutt and the northern end of the valley, and Elsdon serves Porirua and the northern suburbs. Pick the one nearest the part of the region you are visiting, since driving between them can take 45 minutes or more.
Can I book a campsite in advance?
It depends on the operator. Holiday parks and the Porirua youth camp take bookings online or by phone, and group bookings usually need a deposit. Kaitoke Regional Park does not take bookings at all and fills up between Christmas and New Year and on Wellington Anniversary and Waitangi weekends, so arrive early over those periods.
What other camping options are there around the region?
The wider Wellington region also has backcountry and vehicle-accessible campsites in forest parks and reserves, including several within an hour’s drive of the city. Details of those sites, their facilities and any fees are published by the Department of Conservation.
How We Chose the Best Camping Grounds in Wellington
Every business in this guide was found by searching for camping grounds in Wellington, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Wellington, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.