There are two things that always make me happy - exploring new places and sharing these places with my family. That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to explore the South Island with my husband and toddler. We absolutely loved the three wonderfully long weeks we spent driving around the South Island in the new Wilderness Compact Plus motorhome visiting new spots and revisiting a few old favourites. The nights were cosy in our well insulated motorhome and the home-cooked meals were incredible (in my humble opinion!) We embraced the open road and we chased the sun for the best weather. It was a trip of a lifetime and one we will never forget. Our daughter is still asking us to go back to the motorhome.

While living in a small space with a toddler may be daunting to some, it’s a joy to watch the world through their eyes, to see them grow and learn while travelling and get excited about waking up in a new place each morning. Sure, life on the road with young kids has its challenges - like scheduling naptime, finding alone time and sitting still during the long drives, but exploring New Zealand with your little ones is more than worth it.

During our Wilderness trip, we visited plenty of toddler-friendly locations. In this article, I’ll share the best ones as well as a few tips on keeping the family happy while holidaying in a motorhome or campervan.