New Zealand Itinerary and Sites recommendations

[Rod Hagen]

Hello all.  I'll likely be visiting New Zealand in February (at the height of Snowboard season here in California?  What the hell am I thinking?!!!).

Plan to visit both islands.  Hoping for more of a sites trip and less of an adventure trip, though I presume I will Bungee at one point.  Just to do it.

I'm not a vineyard, wine-tasting person.  At all.

And I'm not interested in the LOTR World.

When in the South Island, I will probably do the obnoxious fly into Milford sound, take a boat trip, fly back to Queenstown same day to save some time.

In the North Island, is the Glowworm cave worth it?  

Essentially, what I'm doing now in preparation, is pulling things from these two itineraries and trying to figure out what to cut out and, with your recommendations, what to add.  THANKS!

New Zealand Highlights Itinerary | New Zealand

WWW.NEWZEALAND.COM

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This itinerary takes you through some of New Zealand’s most scenic spots over 14 days. Enjoy glowworm caves and geothermal wonders in the central North Island...

 

Auckland to Queenstown highlights Itinerary | Auckland, New Zealand

WWW.NEWZEALAND.COM

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Geothermal wonders, vibrant cities, soaring mountains and majestic fiords are just some of the highlights of this two-week journey from Auckland to Queenstown.

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by Rod Hagen

[+ azdr0710]

three of us were in NZ just weeks before the pandemic started.....it was a fairly rapid-paced 13-day independent highlights tour with a rental car on each island and a spectacular ferry ride from Wellington to the S Island.....we also are not wine people or LOTR people!.......

we had airbnbs at Rotorua, Ohakune, Wellington, Blenheim, Hokitika, and Queenstown....all towns were fantastic in their own ways.....so much to see around every corner of the country....there were also a lot of tourists and camper vans.....NZ is not an utter bargain, but not crazy pricey......

geothermal activity, Maori culture, beaches, glaciers, waterfalls, hikes and backpacks, incredible scenery......so much more......I did the Shotover Jet ride in Queenstown and it was an "iconic" experience, as they say, but somewhat pricey (US$100) and only about 30 minutes long.......

the biggest disappointment (for me) was being weathered-out for the well-known Tongariro hike (I planned to avert my eyes at the LOTR sections!)......we did not go to Christchurch or Dunedin (I was in charge of the itinerary and I thought it might be too flat and out of the way)......didn't go to the glowworm cave(s) - I dunno, just seemed too touristy......didn't do Milford because I think it'd deserve more time than we had (and I feared tours there would be too regimented - I'd like to backpack it if I return)....a Louis Vuitton store in Queenstown was a disappointing surprise.....

 greatest highlight was the Ohakune Carrot Adventure Park (just kidding!).......the Te Papa Museum in Wellington is nearly mandatory and plan to spend at least a half-day there (the Gallipoli exhibit there is incredible).....so much more to discuss......great country and I'm very lucky and grateful to have been there

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by azdr0710

[mike carey]

I went to the glow worm caves on an earlier trip to Aotearoa, it was a family bus tour so we went where were taken. It was interesting and sort of cute, a worthwhile talking point after visiting, but not a 'don't miss' attraction. As azdr said, the Ohakune vegetable statue park is a cute must-photo attraction if you're there, but I wouldn't make a special trip to Ohakune to see it. Stop there if driving through, but not a dedicated trip. There are good consolation walking tracks at the park headquarters at the southern end of the Tongariro track if the weather stops you taking the longer walk (or like me you had no intention of taking it). It's a couple of hours north of Wellington. Christchurch is worth a visit as is the rail trip through the Southern Alps to Greymouth but you can't go everywhere. February is summer (so you'll be too early for snow-boarding in Queenstown) but it can be quite cool anywhere (and it's not called windy Wellington without reason) so pack a wind/shower proof jacket.

[david1710]

I like Christchurch because it really has a character and an impressive culinary scene.

But I am also not a fan of nature, so anything that bears resemblance to a city is on my radar.

Let me know if there is anything I can help with (I am based in NZ).

[ncc1701d]

I only visited NOrth island. Glow cave is worth it albeit you can't take pictures.  I would also go to Rotorua and spend a day or two visiting all the geothermal areas especially Wah O Tapo (that artist template lake is something else). Auckland is ok (seem to still be recovering from pandemic) but Waiheke island is worth a day's visit (if you are wine person)

[+ WilliamM]

On 12/28/2023 at 2:14 AM, david1710 said:

I like Christchurch because it really has a character and an impressive culinary scene.

But I am also not a fan of nature, so anything that bears resemblance to a city is on my radar.

Let me know if there is anything I can help with (I am based in NZ).

I liked Christchurch a lot reminded me of Vancouver Island.

[mike carey]

14 hours ago, WilliamM said:

I liked Christchurch a lot reminded me of Vancouver Island.

For a momentary tangent, if you want to chalk up airline experiences and Emirates A380 first class is one of them, they operate Sydney to Christchurch as an add-on to one of their Sydney flights. It's only three hours so not the full EK long haul first class experience, but you can book the two fifth-freedom sectors for cash as either an EK fight or as a Qantas code-share. If you have miles with an airline program that offers you reward flights on Emirates you may be able to find seats there. Qantas FF members can also book reward seats via the QF web site. Despite QF selling the sectors for cash on a QF flight number, they may only show up in reward searches as EK, so if your airline partners with QF but not EK you may not be able to find reward seats.

[+ WilliamM]

9 hours ago, mike carey said:

For a momentary tangent, if you want to chalk up airline experiences and Emirates A380 first class is one of them, they operate Sydney to Christchurch as an add-on to one of their Sydney flights. It's only three hours so not the full EK long haul first class experience, but you can book the two fifth-freedom sectors for cash as either an EK fight or as a Qantas code-share. If you have miles with an airline program that offers you reward flights on Emirates you may be able to find seats there. Qantas FF members can also book reward seats via the QF web site. Despite QF selling the sectors for cash on a QF flight number, they may only show up in reward searches as EK, so if your airline partners with QF but not EK you may not be able to find reward seats.

I was visiting a friend in New Zealand, wasn't concerned with  points

[+ Charlie]

34 minutes ago, WilliamM said:

I was visiting a friend in New Zealand, wasn't concerned with  points

I think Mike was replying to Rod Hagen, not to you.

[+ JEC]

Went to NZ pre-COVID, was in NZ 3 nights as part of a larger Tahiti/Australia/NZ trip.  Have friends who link in Auckland who played tour guide for us, which was great.  I honestly cannot recite details of exactly where we went/what we saw, but generally (1) NZ is stunningly beautiful (2) NZ is sleepy - not a lot going on (3) Auckland, their largest city, is small, sleepy and not that much to do.  If you are an outdoorsperson, NZ is a paradise.   If you like vibrant city life and culture, not so much.  I hear NZ is a lovely place to live, I'm sure I could adapt to living there and slowing down my pace and expectations......in time.  Enjoy your trip!

[+ sf westcoaster]

I bungee jumped in both Auckland and Queensland. If you plan on doing one jump, do it in Queensland.

[mike carey]

9 hours ago, sf westcoaster said:

I bungee jumped in both Auckland and Queensland. If you plan on doing one jump, do it in Queensland.

Queensland (state in Australia) or Queenstown (town on the South Island NZ)?

[+ sf westcoaster]

28 minutes ago, mike carey said:

Queensland (state in Australia) or Queenstown (town on the South Island NZ)?

Queenstown

[Rod Hagen]

It was a wonderful trip.  Thank you all for your suggestions and recommendations. 

 

For anyone who finds this thread later,

1. Do the Bungee Jump outside Queenstown, off the bridge; nobody who bungee jumps safely regrets it.  Everyone who considers bungee jumping, then doesn't do it, regrets it. 

2. Although the Botanical Gardens is amazing, you can skip Christchurch, but if you don't then the 6-hour drive b/w Christchurch and Queenstown is worth the time.

[mike carey]

17 hours ago, Rod Hagen said:

It was a wonderful trip.  Thank you all for your suggestions and recommendations. 

 

For anyone who finds this thread later,

1. Do the Bungee Jump outside Queenstown, off the bridge; nobody who bungee jumps safely regrets it.  Everyone who considers bungee jumping, then doesn't do it, regrets it. 

2. Although the Botanical Gardens is amazing, you can skip Christchurch, but if you don't then the 6-hour drive b/w Christchurch and Queenstown is worth the time.

Christchurch is a beautiful city, although there's nothing 'must see' about it, and it has that in common with a lot of places. Australia is playing New Zealand in a cricket test at the moment (day three will be on Sunday, and Australia had the advantage at the end of day two), and that is being played at Hagley Oval which is in the same area of parkland where the botanical gardens are. Hagley Oval is a new test cricket ground, the previous venue at Lancaster Park was damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and the area was deemed unsafe to build a new stadium.

I agree with Rod, that driving anywhere in the South Island is a joy. @azdr0710 @tristanbaldwin and I drove from Picton (the ferry terminal from the North Island) to Queenstown down the west coast and it was a great trip.

[Rod Hagen]

What I found most interesting about Christchurch was their response to that horrible earthquake.  I don't particularly like the direction the city has taken, but I absolutely get it:  money needs to be made, tourists need to come back.

Edited March 9 by Rod Hagen