Good beach with dog exercise area. After crossing to Wellington on theInterisland Ferry, our dog was ready for a run before we travelled north. TryPetone shoreline. The dog exercise area is towards the main road north. Greatstretch for all.

Kaori bird sanctuary is close to the inner city of Wellington and a great place to hike or meander and enjoy the quiet and protected birdlife. There are guided tours or walk for several hours on your own. You will see an old gold mine and a dam. It is not open everyday but is on the busline, if you are, as I was, on public transportation. I found the bus and train transportation in Wellington cheap and easy to use. Look into the daypass for multiple stops all around the city and perime....

Places to stop off and picnic or enjoy the cafe lifestyle.

Kapiti Island is a sanctuary for native birds. Birds like Kaka, Tui and Bellbird are numerous but rare birds like the Whitehead, Saddleback or flightless Takahe can be seen too. Take the coastal track to the north of the island or walk to the summit. See http://www.nzbirds.com/Kaptiisland.html and http://www.kapititours.co.nz/kapiti.htm

This is a small farm with farm animals. There is farm walks available for a small fee. Some nice NZ tourist shops and a lovely cafe and also the Kapiti cheese and ice-cream shop

They run hourly tours of the buildings and show the debating chambers and also show how the building has been make Earthquake safe. They are also open and run tours on Saturday mornings. You may need to book a tour and return later in the day depending on the day.

There are many campgrounds owned by the Department of Conservation (DOC) throughout New Zealand that offer a 'back to nature' style of camping. This site offers: Drinking Water, Toilets

There are many campgrounds owned by the Department of Conservation (DOC) throughout New Zealand that offer a 'back to nature' style of camping. This site offers: Toilets, Drinking water from stream

There are many campgrounds owned by the Department of Conservation (DOC) throughout New Zealand that offer a 'back to nature' style of camping. This site offers: Drinking Water, Toilets, Barbecue, Picnic Table, Rubbish Collection

There are many campgrounds owned by the Department of Conservation (DOC) throughout New Zealand that offer a 'back to nature' style of camping. This site offers: Drinking Water, Toilets, Rubbish Collection