The Backyard Bucket List New Zealand - Motorhome Republic

It’s time to dust off your bucket list in 2022 because Motorhome Republic has crunched the data to reveal the true top hidden gems in New Zealand and they’re sure to ignite your wanderlust!

We’ve created the ultimate ‘Backyard Bucket List’ that contains 50 of the most unusual, hidden, fantastic and awesome locations in the country, to encourage Kiwi’s to explore these hidden gems that await on our very own doorstep.

By analysing data from Atlas Obscura, a global travel community and database of the world’s most wondrous places, we discovered the most coveted and popular, but least actually visited locations, revealing a list of true hidden gems that a relative few have actually seen!

Venture to go see the location that claims the longest place name in the world, can you memorise Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauo tamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronuku pokaiwhenuakitanatahu? Or, explore the magic of nature by adventuring into the Waipu Caves that are home to a galaxy of glowworms that hide within.

Check out Motorhome Republic's full Backyard Bucket List below and discover the top true hidden gems broken down by island. Save the maps links below to your phone, or make sure you’ve got a pen and paper handy and let's explore and go adventure!

North Island

1. Hobbiton
2. The Tree Church, Ohaupo
3. Waitomo Glowworm Caves
4. Gibbs Farm
5. Electrum
6. Kapiti Island Nature Reserve
7. Putangirua Pinnacles
8. Waipu Caves
9. Te Wairoa Buried Village
10. Longest Place Name - Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauo tamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronuku pokaiwhenuakitanatahu
11. Mrs Chippy Monument
12. Rere Rockslide
13. Toothbrush Fence
14. Frying Pan Lake
15. Devil's Bath
16. Wrights Hill Fortress
17. Lake Rotomahana
18. Airplane McDonald’s Taupo
19. Browns Island
20. Hundertwasser Toilets
21. The Waterworks Waiau
22. Muriwai Gannet Colony
23. Hiakai
24. Rivendell
25. Cape Reinga Te Rerenga Wairua
26. Moniac Machine
27. Stonehenge Aotearoa

South Island

28. Spiritual Centre Of The Universe
29. Lone Tree Of Lake Wanaka
30. Tunnel Beach
31. Pupu Springs
32. Slope Point
33. Little Paradise Lodge
34. Split Apple Rock, Tokangawha
35. Dunedin Museum Of Natural Mystery
36. Demolition World
37. Mount Sunday
38. Bunsen
39. Dark Sky Project
40. Beverly Clock
41. Lanyop Gallery
42. The Lost Gypsy Gallery, Papatowai
43. Vanished World Centre
44. Okains Bay Maori Colonial Museum
45. Linton Mosaic Sculpture Garden
46. The Alexander Piano, Dunedin
47. Hokonui Moonshine Museum
48. Fox Glacier
49. Steampunk HQ

Campbell Island

50. The World's Loneliest Tree, Campbell Island

Research Methods

Motorhome Republic analysed Atlas Obscura data for over 100 hidden, bizarre and unusual locations in New Zealand to discover the places that the most people ‘wanted to visit’ but the least people had actually ‘been’ to reveal the true hidden gems of NZ! The top 50 were then used to compile Motorhome Republic's backyard bucket list and were categorised by location type and island. Data correct as of January 2022.

See also our Australia Backyard Bucket List for inspiration from across the ditch.