Car Rental New Plymouth Airport

New Plymouth is a city on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island, a four and a half-hour drive from Wellington. New Plymouth is known for its sunny climate, Egmont National Park, long walking trails and bustling city activity. So, whether you are passing through on a New Zealand road trip or planning on an extended stay, New Plymouth has a lot to offer. With a fun zoo, museums, restaurants, galleries, beaches, parks, reserves and more to offer, you will never be short on activities to do or places to drive in your rental car.

Many overlook New Plymouth when it comes to travel destinations in New Zealand, which is a shame because it offers so much. It is surrounded by the beautiful Taranaki Region of New Zealand, most known for the mountain that bears its name, Mount Taranaki, which is perhaps the most stunning mountain in New Zealand. A conical dormant volcano is an ever-present feature in New Plymouth. 

A great time to travel to New Plymouth is during rhododendron season. With many of the parks having an abundance of the flower, it makes quite the spectacle during the October-November blooming season.

Use Your Car Hire to Experience the Best of New Plymouth

With the awe-inspiring backdrop of Mount Taranaki , you know a trip into nature is never far away, but the city of New Plymouth itself has much to offer. The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery is a contemporary art gallery on Queen Street in New Plymouth. The gallery has one mission, to present meaningful and cutting-edge art from artists both at home and abroad. Home to the works and exhibitions of Len Lye and now the Len Lye Centre, it’s the first of its kind to be dedicated to a singular artist in New Zealand. The gallery is open seven days a week, so it’s easy to slot into your itinerary anytime. 

A fun, free, activity is the Puke Ariki Museum, a knowledge hub comprising a museum, library, research centre and store. The museum runs exhibitions and displays interesting topics, from Christopher Aubrey’s Taranaki illustrations to marine biology and reef health. The museum does offer some paid experiences, such as the historical walk. However, if you wish to learn more about New Plymouth, the guided tour is a great way to do it. 

Find Natural Sanctuary in New Plymouth With a Rental Car

New Plymouth is a treasure trove of natural activities and fun. Start with the Brooklands Zoo, a short drive on your hire car from the CBD. With free entry, the zoo houses an extensive range of biodiverse animals. From reptiles and amphibians to birds, farmyard animals and exotic monkeys, and some animals most people have never heard of, such as the cheekily named Red-rumped Agouti, a small rodent from South America. You can bring your own food to the zoo or purchase some snacks from the stalls, just don’t feed the animals. 

The main activity and reason people travel to New Plymouth is Mount Taranaki and Egmont National Park, around an hour’s drive from the CBD in your car hire. The park offers walks for every level, from short strolls to hikes that can take multiple days to complete. Mount Taranaki is New Zealand’s most popular mountain and most climbed summit. If you want to experience the best of the park and mountain in one day, then the Pouakai crossing is the best bet. It is a 17-kilometre hike that takes the average person around 10 hours to complete. Make sure to get up early because it can get dark quickly, and there’s not much point in walking in such spectacular scenery when you can’t see anything! 

Be sure to drive around and see everything the New Plymouth area offers; whether you’re there for a few days or just passing through, there are loads of activities in New Plymouth.