Lakefront Carpark, Rotorua
Overnight Campervan Parking
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Lakefront Carpark, Rotorua
Self-Containment Warrant and Responsible Camper stickers must be displayed at all times on your vehicle.
Please take your rubbish with you.
Alcohol may not be consumed in any public places.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
Rotorua Lakes CouncilCouncil organisation |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Rotorua Region ▷ Rotorua |
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Categories |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Freedom Camping
Nearby
Reviews
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4.5/5
There are three Campervan parks near the church, get in there if you can There are another five parks and two disabled parks that you will drive passed first but just keep going.
When we stayed here there were people that parked in those unmarked parks and looks like they were ok. It was kinda noisy throughout the night with cars and people and talking, as it was Friday night, and then the recycling truck came through at 3am.
The toilets are open all night and are about a 2min walk.
Lake looked so beautiful in the morning if the sun is out. Super close to the city too!
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3.5/5
Good spot to explore the city.
Be there early!! We arrived at 10.30, as was the other van. There are only three official spots and by noon all were taken. The signs aren’t very clear about where you can park. So other vans stayed the night as well, as far as we know they did not get fined. We talked to someone from the local government. There are three parkingspots next to the church with a campersign on the ground, those are the official spots. Nearby there is a playground with plenty toilets and drinking water. The toilets are open at night. No showers. There were guards at night because of the youth near the playground. It really is just a parkinglot but a good way to explore the city.
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0.5/5
Unsure if they have recently changed the rules for parking here but there are actually only 3 parking space here.
A council worker came round in the evening and explained we would have to move on.
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5.0/5
The Park-Sign is dificult to understand.
We asked someone official and found out, that there are just 3 Spots for overnight Camping. So be careful not to get a fee. Otherwhise it is one of the nicest spots I've been in the Northisland and the one in Rotorua withour smell. Nearby the City center, to the lake and good Toiletts!
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3.5/5
Stayed for one night after finding the one in town was full.
Good spot, close to public toilets and nice view over the lake. Slightly unclear in the car park with the number of freedom camping spots. Good location to explore Rotorua on foot.
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4.0/5
Très peu de place mais nous avons eu la chance d'avoir la dernière en arrivant en milieu d'après midi Les toilettes sont propres mais loin Proche du centre ville et des restaurants
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5.0/5
We arrived at 6pm at the other free camp in Rotorua which was already full.
Then decided to go here, best choice of the day!!
Looks like there are only 3 spots, but we parked at the lane next to the spots which seems also to be allowed. Nice lake view, clean toilets, but the best thing about the spot is that you don’t have the smell of sulphur. Stayed here for 2 nights to enjoy Rotorua!
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1.5/5
Noisy.
Cars with music came and went all night. Fighting outside. Walking distance to main town centre and toilets
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3.0/5
Stayed 1 night May 2023.
Convenient location for walking around town. Construction in the parking lot so only 2 designated spots that are next to another frequently traveled 2 lane road. Some street noise from passing traffic during the night.
Nearby public toilets are open during the day and were very clean. Toilets locked at night.
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4.5/5
Nice place with a seaview, toilets are close to the place.
Unfortunally No showers and just 3 parking lots.
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3.5/5
Very nice location by the lake.
There is a public toilet 150m away. Clean and open all time. The Eat Streat is about 400m away.
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4.0/5
Great little spot near the lake front, easy to park in.
There are not many designated campervan spots and ive never seen one free. Though there were only a couple designated spaces there were about 20 campervans parked in the area for the long weekend. Nice clean toilets a little walk away (the end of the carpark not for campervans). No dump spot or water.
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4.5/5
There are three Campervan parks near the church, get in there if you can There are another five parks and two disabled parks that you will drive passed first but just keep going.
When we stayed here there were people that parked in those unmarked parks and looks like they were ok. It was kinda noisy throughout the night with cars and people and talking, as it was Friday night, and then the recycling truck came through at 3am.
The toilets are open all night and are about a 2min walk.
Lake looked so beautiful in the morning if the sun is out. Super close to the city too!
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3.5/5
Good spot to explore the city.
Be there early!! We arrived at 10.30, as was the other van. There are only three official spots and by noon all were taken. The signs aren’t very clear about where you can park. So other vans stayed the night as well, as far as we know they did not get fined. We talked to someone from the local government. There are three parkingspots next to the church with a campersign on the ground, those are the official spots. Nearby there is a playground with plenty toilets and drinking water. The toilets are open at night. No showers. There were guards at night because of the youth near the playground. It really is just a parkinglot but a good way to explore the city.
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0.5/5
Unsure if they have recently changed the rules for parking here but there are actually only 3 parking space here.
A council worker came round in the evening and explained we would have to move on.
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5.0/5
The Park-Sign is dificult to understand.
We asked someone official and found out, that there are just 3 Spots for overnight Camping. So be careful not to get a fee. Otherwhise it is one of the nicest spots I've been in the Northisland and the one in Rotorua withour smell. Nearby the City center, to the lake and good Toiletts!
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3.5/5
Stayed for one night after finding the one in town was full.
Good spot, close to public toilets and nice view over the lake. Slightly unclear in the car park with the number of freedom camping spots. Good location to explore Rotorua on foot.
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4.0/5
Très peu de place mais nous avons eu la chance d'avoir la dernière en arrivant en milieu d'après midi Les toilettes sont propres mais loin Proche du centre ville et des restaurants
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5.0/5
We arrived at 6pm at the other free camp in Rotorua which was already full.
Then decided to go here, best choice of the day!!
Looks like there are only 3 spots, but we parked at the lane next to the spots which seems also to be allowed. Nice lake view, clean toilets, but the best thing about the spot is that you don’t have the smell of sulphur. Stayed here for 2 nights to enjoy Rotorua!
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1.5/5
Noisy.
Cars with music came and went all night. Fighting outside. Walking distance to main town centre and toilets
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3.0/5
Stayed 1 night May 2023.
Convenient location for walking around town. Construction in the parking lot so only 2 designated spots that are next to another frequently traveled 2 lane road. Some street noise from passing traffic during the night.
Nearby public toilets are open during the day and were very clean. Toilets locked at night.
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2.5/5
[April ‘23] There’s building work currently so you will be woken to general building noise.
Otherwise quick central spot gets the job done. Toilets well maintained. 3 ‘official’ spots but they don’t mind use of the regular car parking spots next to them too. Security came to check self containment status but was super chill. Let an absolutely massive campervan park up by the Club building so.. not super bothered. It’s ‘kay.
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2.5/5
Only 3 places!
We were not lucky enough coming at 3pm... The area looked calm and quiet.
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4.5/5
Nice place with a seaview, toilets are close to the place.
Unfortunally No showers and just 3 parking lots.
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3.5/5
Very nice location by the lake.
There is a public toilet 150m away. Clean and open all time. The Eat Streat is about 400m away.
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4.0/5
Great little spot near the lake front, easy to park in.
There are not many designated campervan spots and ive never seen one free. Though there were only a couple designated spaces there were about 20 campervans parked in the area for the long weekend. Nice clean toilets a little walk away (the end of the carpark not for campervans). No dump spot or water.
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3.0/5
Quiet place to rest your soul after a busy day enjoying this country.
Cold, wet and full of mosquitoes, but it's a lake at the end of the day, so comprehensive. A pity that it didn't have a bathroom, really missed it.
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3.5/5
Great location and stunning sunsets and sunrise.
Easy to get to Eat Streat and the main part of town. Pretty hit and miss with the people you will encounter here but overall a nice place to park for a night or 2 while in Rotorua.
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4.0/5
Great spot!
Only three spots, we took the last one at 5pm. We had a peaceful night and 24h toilets just a 200m
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3.5/5
3 carparks for overnight parking.
If these are full, DO NOT GO TO HATUPATU DRIVE parking area as suggested in previous posts. This is not a camping area and you will be moved on.
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2.5/5
ONLY 3 SPOTS!
We thought the other spots, left of the parking description, were also for overnight camping.
Exactly what Charlotte says underneath. We were also guided to that other spot. Even though the place was big and with toilets nearby, there was a intense sulfid smell and some people who stayed up late. It seemed like some people (maybe homeless) settled there as if it was their home.
However, we were happy we got friendly moved to a spot with overnight camping.
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4.0/5
After reading some reviews here we went straight to Hatupatu carpark.
It's not entirely clear if it's a freedom camping spot as there were no signs related to camping, but it was very busy there with at least 30 campervans and motor homes plus two tents. The coastguard drove through around 8:30pm but didn't take any notice of all the parked vehicles. The toilets were open when we needed them (20:15 and 07:00) and didn't appear to have been closed during the night. In the evening we had no trouble with bugs but there were swarms of them in the morning. It's a beautiful place to park up for the night and we would recommend staying here if you're looking for a site near Rotorua.
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2.0/5
Only 3 spots, which were full when we came early afternoon, therefore the few points.
We went to hatupatu car Park, which is also right at the lake 5 Minutes drive away.
Pretty nice view over the lake there too. Need to be fully selfcontaint. There are flush Toilettes, but rather dirty. All in all for free a good campsite 7/10 for that.
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2.0/5
Place is only for three cars, right next to the road and batrooms are pretty far, but not bad.
We left and went to hatupatu car par, since we read it is nice and more quiet with bathrooms and it is allowed to sleep there. During the night I suppose locals came several times to wake up everybody by car horn and load music. Very bad experience with rotorua.
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2.5/5
Only 3 spots, a 4th can fit, but no marking on the ground.
I parked there and was sent away. Guy told me I can park next to the toilet block, which is like 100m away. So I stayed there and had no more trouble. Yes, that's stupid, but who cares?!
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3.0/5
Only 3 spaces which were all full when we got there about 5pm.
We ended up parking next to the designated spaces as there were a few other campers already there. Toilets a short walk away.
We did however get woken up by security about midnight and asked to move (fair enough we weren't meant to be there!).
Thankfully they were friendly and moved us to a car park further round the lake which was much nicer! Right next to a toilet block, next to the lake and away from main road. Called Hatupatu car park.
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4.0/5
Only three spots but we were lucky and got one of them.
Stayed here for two nights. Even tho In a parking lot it felt super safe with security driving at night. Super popular every other minute people came in their campers to see if it was free so we got super lucky. Very nice and central. Toilets is a short walk but nice and clean.
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2.5/5
This site has only three spaces which are basically filled up first thing in the morning.
We tried twice and didn’t get in. Very quick access ;1-2mins walk) to lake and 5-10mins into town centre. If planning to go, aim to be there early and have a back up option
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4.5/5
This spot we found was less crowded.
Security car did drive by which was good. Still good company around. You are under street lights, but thats fine
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3.0/5
Got here early, around 12:30 pm and snagged the last of only three spots.
No shade, so your vehicle will be in the sun all day. Never mind. Looks across some asphalt on the lake. Can restroom s maybe a 150 to 200 meter walk. Curious why Rotorua doesn't offer more Freedom Camping.