Hamilton

Car Rental in Hamilton, New Zealand

If you’re planning a trip of the North Island of NZ and are considering which towns you’ll add to your road trip list, pickup a deal on car hire in Hamilton and start your journey from this beautiful city.

Search our site now to compare prices from trusted auto rental companies like Europcar, Hertz, Avis, Thrifty, Budget and more.

Book in advance online to lock in a low rate on a Hyundai, Kia, VW, Ford, Toyota, Mazda or a host of other vehicles.

Choose your size of vehicle from hatches, sedans, 4x4s and mini vans through to luxury vehicles.

New Zealand’s longest, Waikato River, wounds through the city of Hamilton and divides the city into a university town to the east and central business and shopping district to the west.

Despite the compact downtown area which makes Hamilton very walkable, having a vehicle makes day trip attractions more accessible with so many within an hour or less in all directions.

Hamilton New Zealand, the beautiful Waikato region is practically at your doorstep.

What to see in Hamilton, NZ

Hamilton rose out of the banks of Waikato River which bisects the city east to west.

Hamilton East is home to the highly reputed University of Waikato and therefore throbs with a vibrant university-town feel.

To the west of the river is Hamilton’s CBD and main shopping arteries, a rather walkable area pleasantly packed with dining options, dancing venues and watering holes that make the area a popular destination after-hours.

A more affordable but no less lively option would be to cross the bridge to the other side where drinks are targeted to students partying during the weekends.

By day, drive to Waikato Museum for Maori, New Zealand and international arts.

Then drive to the zoo to come face to face with indigenous avians in a free-flight setting.

You can also view Hamilton from an entirely different perspective, one that would put you on a kayak or a boat while you enjoy the scenic riverside walks peppered with themed gardens and well-manicured paths.

Explore The Shire

Hamilton is best known for what lies at its doorsteps. If Waikato’s verdant pastures, lush rolling hills and general sense of bucolic peace remind you of The Shire, it’s because it is The Shire.

Head east to Matamata, the small village that made it big in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Of course, if you are in The Shire, you should not miss Hobbiton and the Bagginses’ hill dwellings that have been well-preserved after the fictional half-lings exited Middle Earth.

Drive an hour further southeast via Route 27 and you will be rewarded with soothing thermal pools and geysers at Rotorua.

If you want crimson sunsets and surfing action, head to the opposite direction instead to the small beachside town of Raglan, less than an hour’s drive.

Of course, there is always an option to go north to Auckland, New Zealand’s most populous city.

Make the most of your rental car before you drop if off, and take time to know why it is one of the most liveable cities in the southern hemisphere.

You can start with the wine, and cap it off with a sunset cruise.