Best Camping Grounds in Palmerston North: Powered Sites, Cabins and Forest Camps

Choosing between the best camping grounds in Palmerston North usually comes down to powered sites, tent space, cabins and how far you are willing to drive. The camping grounds in Palmerston North and the surrounding Manawatū take in a city park beside the Esplanade, the coast at Hīmatangi Beach, the Manawatū River at Ashhurst and native forest in the Pohangina Valley, so the setting varies as much as the facilities. Palmerston North Holiday Park and Hīmatangi Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park give a sense of the range.

1Palmerston North Holiday Park

Palmerston North Holiday Park occupies 4.5 hectares of parkland at 133 Dittmer Drive, backing onto the Victoria Esplanade, the Lido Aquatic Centre and the Manawatū River walkway about five minutes from the city centre. The same operators have run it for 26 years, and the accommodation runs from open tent ground through to self contained units. Its size and its sports ground frontage suit families, touring campers and visiting sports teams.

Services

• Non powered tent sites, 65 in total across the grounds
• Powered camper and caravan sites, 75 in total
• Cabins in five grades, sleeping two to six people
• Self contained units and tourist flats with kitchen, toilet, shower and television
• Group unit sleeping seven to eight, with wheelchair access

Highlights

• Run by the same operators for 26 years
• Communal kitchen, laundry and gas barbecue for guests in accommodation without their own
• Adjacent to Ongley Park, the all weather hockey turf and the Lido Aquatic Centre, so sports teams can walk to venues
• Wheelchair access in the group unit and in one of the two bedroom tourist flats

Location & Contact

Name: Palmerston North Holiday Park
Address: 133 Dittmer Drive (off Ruha Street), Palmerston North
Phone: 06 358 0349
Website: palmerstonnorthholidaypark.co.nz

2Hīmatangi Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park

Hīmatangi Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park sits at 30 Koputara Road on the Manawatū coast, roughly half an hour west of Palmerston North and three hundred metres from the beach. Hosts Reuben and Alice run camp sites alongside budget rooms, kitchen cabins, a studio ensuite and self contained holiday units. It suits campers who want sand dunes, surf and fishing without giving up a full facility park.

Services

• Camping sites with power and water, sized for anything from a cyclist in a tent to a couple in a fifth wheeler
• Self contained holiday units with kitchenette, living area and bathroom
• Studio ensuite unit with queen bed, heat pump, deck and use of a Webber barbecue
• Kitchen cabins sleeping four, with a rollaway bed for a fifth
• Budget rooms for shorter or lower cost stays

Highlights

• Part of the TOP 10 Holiday Parks network
• Events and television room holding 70 to 80 people, with a fireplace, used for the Kids Club and the New Year celebration
• Games room with a full size table tennis table, pool table and book exchange
• Dump station on site and electric vehicle charging at a dedicated charger
• Pet friendly outside the summer block, with a patrolled beach two minutes away in summer

Location & Contact

Name: Hīmatangi Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park
Address: 30 Koputara Road, Hīmatangi Beach
Phone: 06 329 9575
Website: himatangibeachholidaypark.co.nz

3Feilding Holiday Park

Feilding Holiday Park is on the rural outskirts of Feilding at 66 Arnott Street, about a 20 minute drive north of Palmerston North. It is locally owned by Luke and Hayley Groombridge and managed by Kristi Atkins, on a spacious site with large trees, a duck pond and a wide tenting area. The bunk rooms and dorm room make it a straightforward choice for larger groups.

Services

• Powered caravan and motorhome sites, with room for buses and large vehicles
• Non powered and tent sites beside the barbecue area, playground and pond
• Twin share cabins with a double bed, television, fridge and seating area
• Private bunk rooms sleeping one to five, not shared between groups
• Dorm room for large groups, with its own kitchen, toilet, television area and outdoor seating

Highlights

• Member of the Holiday Parks Association New Zealand
• Locally owned and managed by Feilding residents
• Two dollar per night discount for New Zealand Motor Caravan Association members on powered and non powered sites
• Office open by appointment, so arrival times are arranged by phone beforehand

Location & Contact

Name: Feilding Holiday Park
Address: 66 Arnott Street, Feilding 4702
Phone: 027 607 1770
Website: feildinghp.co.nz

4Ashhurst Domain

Ashhurst Domain is a Palmerston North City Council campground on State Highway 3 at Ashhurst, 14 kilometres east of the city and set beside the Manawatū River. It is deliberately basic, with powered and non powered sites, pay per use showers and a small kitchen, and the campground was upgraded in 2025. There is no booking system: campers find an available spot on arrival and check in at the office.

Services

• Powered sites charged per person per night
• Non powered sites for tents and campervans
• Pay per use hot showers, paid by payWave
• Small camp kitchen, with barbecue and picnic areas across the domain

Highlights

• Council run rather than privately operated, with fees paid by cash or internet banking following the instructions at the entrance
• Dogs allowed on leash, and the wider domain has tracks for riding horses and walking dogs off leash
• More than 54 hectares of native bush, wetland with an elevated viewing platform, playground and river access
• No booking needed, although large groups are asked to phone ahead as a courtesy

Location & Contact

Name: Ashhurst Domain
Address: State Highway 3, Ashhurst
Phone: 06 356 8199
Website: pncc.govt.nz/Parks-recreation/Parks-and-reserves/Ashhurst-Domain

5Tōtara Reserve Regional Park

Tōtara Reserve Regional Park is the Horizons Regional Council park at 92 Churchill Drive in the Pohangina Valley, about a 40 minute drive from Palmerston North. Camping sits inside 340 hectares of native lowland forest across two grounds, the larger Kererū site with river access and the smaller Kahikatea site opposite, which is closed until further notice after flood damage. It is a seasonal, book ahead campground rather than a year round holiday park.

Services

• Powered camping sites, with rates starting from two people per night
• Non powered sites for tents and campervans
• Ablution blocks with hot showers and flushing toilets, both of which have been used by campers with wheelchairs
• Electric barbecue areas and a fire pit
• Bush chapel with log seating, bookable through the Reserve Manager for events such as weddings

Highlights

• Managed by Horizons Regional Council, with camping booked online in advance
• Camping grounds open each year from Labour Weekend through to Easter
• 340 hectares of native lowland forest with walking tracks, nature trails and river swimming holes
• Adventure playground at the Kererū ground, designed to read as an extension of the bush beside it
• No dogs anywhere in the reserve other than disability assist dogs, which must be raised at the time of booking

Location & Contact

Name: Tōtara Reserve Regional Park
Address: 92 Churchill Drive, Pohangina 4884
Phone: 021 242 1654
Website: totarareserveregionalpark.co.nz

Camping Grounds in Palmerston North at a Glance

How to Choose the Right Camping Ground in Palmerston North

• Decide how far out you want to be. A city park puts the Esplanade and the Lido within walking distance, while the coast, Ashhurst and the Pohangina Valley are a 15 to 40 minute drive.
• Check the powered site situation before you commit. Motorhomes, caravans and anyone running a fridge, heater or CPAP machine need power, and the number of powered sites varies widely between grounds.
• Match the facilities to your group. Communal kitchens, laundries, games rooms and dump stations are standard at holiday parks but pared back or absent at council and regional park grounds.
• Confirm the dog rules first. Some grounds are pet friendly, some allow dogs only on a leash, and conservation focused reserves may not permit them at all.
• Check the season and the booking method. Regional park grounds can close over winter and require an online booking, while some council grounds run first in, first served with payment on site.

Frequently Asked Questions About Palmerston North Camping Grounds

How much does camping in Palmerston North cost?

Council and regional park grounds are the lower cost end, generally charged per person per night and often in single figures for a non powered site. Holiday parks charge more for a site and price cabins, units and flats separately, usually with a rate for the first occupant and additional charges for extra adults and children. Rates are published on each operator’s own site and change from season to season, so confirm before you travel.

Do camping grounds near Palmerston North allow dogs?

It varies, and it is the question most likely to catch people out. Some grounds welcome dogs, some allow them only on a leash and restrict them during the busiest summer weeks, and a conservation reserve may exclude all animals except disability assist dogs to protect native birds. Always check before you book rather than on arrival.

Which towns and suburbs are these camping grounds actually in?

They spread across Palmerston North and the wider Manawatū. Dittmer Drive is inside the city near the Esplanade, Ashhurst is 14 kilometres east on State Highway 3, Feilding is about 20 minutes north on Arnott Street, Hīmatangi Beach is roughly half an hour west on the coast, and Pohangina sits about 40 minutes north east in the valley below the Ruahine Ranges. If you want to stay closest to the city centre and its cafes, museums and gardens, the city park is the one to look at first.

Do I need to book a camping ground in Palmerston North?

Holiday parks take bookings and a deposit is commonly required to hold one, particularly over Easter, Labour Weekend and the Christmas period, when a minimum stay may also apply. A regional park campground can require an online booking before you arrive. A council campground may work on a first in, first served basis where you simply find a spot and check in, though large groups are usually asked to give notice.

What is the difference between a holiday park and a council campground?

A holiday park is a commercial operation with a reception, cabins or units as well as sites, and shared facilities such as a kitchen, laundry and games room. A council or regional park campground is a public facility with fewer built amenities, usually toilets, showers and a small kitchen, priced accordingly. The Department of Conservation explains the same grading approach across its network on its campsite information pages, which is a useful way to picture what a basic site does and does not include.

Can I freedom camp instead of staying at a campground?

Freedom camping is regulated under the Freedom Camping Act 2011 and by local bylaws, which set where you may stay, for how long, and whether your vehicle must be certified self contained. Councils in the Manawatū designate specific sites for self contained vehicles and limit consecutive nights. If you want power, a hot shower and a kitchen, a campground is the simpler answer.

Is there camping near the Manawatū Gorge and the Te Āpiti wind farm?

Ashhurst sits at the eastern approach to the gorge on State Highway 3, so a campground there puts the Manawatū River, the gorge tracks and the wind farm lookouts within a short drive. The Pohangina Valley is the other direction to consider if you are heading for the Ruahine Ranges rather than the gorge itself.

What should I bring that a camping ground will not supply?

Most parks in the region ask campers to bring their own bedding, or at least sheets and towels, even when pillows are provided, and linen hire is often a separate charge. Cooking pots, pans and utensils are usually your own responsibility in a communal kitchen. Coins are worth carrying for laundry machines, and some showers are metered rather than included in the site fee.