6th Day - Auckland City Tour & Hot Water Beach

6th Day New Zealand Road Trip

Sylvia Park Mall - Rainbow's End - Hot Water Beach

Like previous day, we make and prepare meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We very enjoyed the full kitchen facilities We started the day with breakfast at sylvia park motel garden / bbq area. Absolutelly, we love this hotel although it's on busy street and location close with everything but the room is very quite. The staff helpful, friendly and respect.We have resting very comfortable along the night after have the long activity yesterday.
Only with 5minutes drive from sylvia park motel we arrive on sylvia park mall. On the way we through countdown, burger king and fuel station. At this mall we visited many store, but we only shop on store with baby supplies, unique culinary, Nz souvenir, and cloth store. For travelling convenience like find flight or hotel at sylviapark mall you can visit flightcenter or statravel store. If you need internet connection on your trip you can visit vodafone store.
My wife need to try NZ chocolate ( i think the great chocolate is from swiss not from Nz , but it's ok ) and we found some chocolate store. But from many store, we only meet chocolate with alcohol free at Butlers ( My family not drink alcohol ). At the butlers we buy some chocolate.
And there is my shopping costs at sylvia park
Vodafone : $70
Butlers chocolate : $22
The Body Shop : $35
Tank Juice : $25
Kebab On Queen : $32
Backdoor : $59
Baby Factory : $47
Habitualfix : $25
TGNZ Shop : $91

After pay a lot damage cost on sylvia park we go to rainbow's end. Distance betwen sylvia park and rainbows end only 10km and through Southern Motorway can reach in 15km. Entry with auckland multipass, free for adult but  we must buy ticket $39 for my baby ( Age two until 13 years ).
Arrive on rainbows end immediately we go to Kidz Kingdom. For security rainbows end make height restriction for ride. With these regulation and already afternoon we can't try all ride. At this park we try Kidz Kingdom, Family Karts, Motion Master, Pirate Ship, Cinema 180.
Finished try some ride on rainbows end time is 4pm. And our next destination is far enough. Hot Water Beach. We make plan stay at Top 10 Holiday Park Hot Water beach, an this place is approximately 150km, 2.5 hours drove and ussually it will be longer cause take a picure in many places. Sunset time is 7.30 pm , When i make itinerary we has been estimated until afternoon on rainbows end. With my wife we make my rule from this road trip is entrance hotel before sunset. We make rule cause two reason, once is my baby not to tired and we not loss the beautiful sightseeing during the jouney. We have considered stay at manukau city near rainbows end, lake waikare or transit on thames. But it will be waste  the time. So we make decision go to hot water beach this day. If you will stay at manukau you can add auckland botanic garden as your itinerary for this day.
One of the reason we go to top 10 holidays park this day is cause have the unique room design. If you stay on weekdays, this hotel has great offering midweek special price. We arrive on sunday and we got price $114 from $150 if you stay at weekend. We choose Deluxe family villa with one queen size bed+ two single beds, ensuite bathroom, and full kitchen facilities .All facilities is modern and very clean. I dont understand why this hotel offering same price for deluxe family villa, deluxe villa, and ensuite units. Although each room has different facilities.

Budget 6th Day
Sylvia Park Mall $406
Rainbow End $39
Deluxe Villa , Top 10 Holiday Park Hot water Beach $114 ( Midweek special 2 adult 1 child )
other $100
Total NZD $659

5th Day - Auckland City Tour ( MOTAT - Auckland Zoo - Snow Planet )

5th Day New Zealand Road Trip

Auckland City Tour ( MOTAT - Auckland Zoo - Snow Planet )

We started today with making lunches for the whole day. With self cooked and simple food like instant noodles, rice, egg we only pay $20 for breakfast, lunch and dinner for my, my wife and my son. Ponsonby backpacker provide full equipment kitchen with can be used with other traveller. This hotel also give free tea or coffee. You also can enjoy the ponsonby with bike that you can hire at this hotel. After take shower with hot water ( at ponsonby backpacker hot water available 24hours ) we start the 5th day trip.
First destination is Auckland Zoo, approximately 5km from ponsonby backpacker. On the way we through Ponsonby road the shopping area, but look like we left too early, almost all shops are closed. After Ponsonby road we through richmond road. At Richmond rd you will passed woolworths supermarket, and accross the woolworths there are many restaurant some of them Hell Pizza the Unique original New Zealand Pizza, Noodle canteen, and fruit world.
On my itinerary , this morning i just go to Museum ot Transportation and Technology ( MOTAT ), before we spend the day during the day until evening at Auckland Snow Planet. But on the way we look sign for Auckland Zoo, and my son need go there.  And absolutely not disappointed , i think Auckland Zoo is more beautiful than othe zoo in New Zealand. At this zoo you can look the from asia animal like sumatra tiger, oceania animal like kangaroo and wallaby, new zealand typical animal like Kiwi until rare animal Galapagos tortoise and many else. If you have many time you can follow any attraction offered by this zoo.
Motat have two sites, on Meola Road and Great North Road. Motat Great North Road only 1km from auckland zoo, and with there traffic condition only within 5minutes. and there available free tram services between two sites every day. Out from zoo on 12pm, we dont have time to visit all sites. So i only visited motat on Great North Road, on this place we look ancient bus and train collection etc. If you need visit Auckland Zoo And Motat i suggest you provide a full of day.
Next destination is Snow Planet, distance from motat great north approximately 35km. Only need 40minutes through northern motorway. When through the bridge yo will see beautiful sightseeing. Beautiful bridge construction complement beautiful view of the auckland city with skytower on the right, maybe this more beautiful when you pass the bridge when sunset.
Snow Planet suitable as end of holiday destination, 365 day snowplanet offering the real snow and open until midnight on friday and until 10pm for other day. Although not cheap, snowplanet give unforgettable moment on your holiday. Maybe this is the exhausting day but i look my son always have laugh all the time on snowplanet. With the average temperature around -10C , believe that's very cool place, so dont forget bring your own jacket and pants although you cant rent there. Ski, Snowboard, snowtubing will close of your vacation this day perfectly.
Near from snowplanet site, we pass indoor gokart center, its will be nice if you like automotive especially races. In front of the gokart centre we look bumper boats, maybe its like the bom bom car but on the water. Next time we go to snowplanet again we will try gokart center.
Out from snowplanet time 8pm o'clock , its long vacation day with full activity and ofcourse is tiring especially for my son so it's different when i full drove a car and my son more sleep.
Every day when i look place for stay we find the hotel/motel wich nearest with tomorrow destination ofcourse we consider about the facility and price. So at 5th day after long activity vacation, and our tomorrow first destination is Sylvia Park, we find hotel nearest the sylvia park, although sylvia park is approximately 50km from snowplanet. After searching on the internet i found 2 hotel nearest sylvia park. Once is Waipuna Hotel And Conference the star hotel with best price and the other Sylvia Park Motel. Waipuna hotel offering more luxury room, but i choose sylvia park motel to stay this night because all room have full kitchen facility include stove, necessary facility for me cause everyday we make our breakfast, lunch and dinner before start the trip. Sylvia park is also very close with countdown supermarket approximately  only 300m, and open from 6am until midnight.

Budget on 5th Day
Auckland Zoo  $50
Motat $32
Snow Planet Family Pass Combo 4Hour $188
Snow Planet Family Snow Tubing Incl. Boots $96
Snow Planet Locker For dry clothes $14
Sylvia Park Motel $105
other $100
Total : NZD $585