Great craft brewery in (you guessed it) an old garage / filling station. Located at the heart of Aro Valley; The Taproom at 91 Aro Street features the ever changing line up of GP’s freshest and best.

Lovely restaurant with great atmosphere (eat outside overlooking to boats) and food in Whitianga

Great, sort of funky place for breakfast or another meal. A better deal than breakfast at the hermitage.

Nice place to eat right on beautiful mission bay

Eat Streat is a covered street with a dozen restaurants with outdoor (and indoor) dining all next to each other. The variety makes it easy to stroll and pick a spot for dinner.

Good craft beer selection right on the wharf in Queenstown

This is a 70 acre complex that encompasses an old village area where the Maori of the area originally had a large settlement. The area has a lot if interesting geysers and hot springs but the Maori cultural show and other Maori exhibits ( carving school, weaving school) were the highlights.

Don’t miss the spectacular beach. Park at the Hahei parking area and ride the bus (5$ NZ for parking and bus) to the trailhead. From there it’s a 1:30 minute return walk to the beach. You will wan’t to swim there – change at the changing rooms at the car park before you head out.

An underground river of hot water flows from the interior of the earth to surface in the Pacific Ocean at Hot Water Beach – a long beautiful white beach located between Tairua and Whitianga. The stunning beach overlooks the Pacific Ocean and offshore Castle Island, with Pohutukawa lined cliffs at either end of the beach.

The National Museum in Wellington is free in a great attraction. Thereare a variety of floors that explore different things including a great World War 1 exhibit that focuses on Gallipoli, as well as sites and artifacts from the Maoris, the natural and other historical features of New Zealand.

This national park encompasses there large volcanoes in the center of the north island an hour and a half south of Taupo. Tongariro is most famous for the Tongariro Alpine crossing, billed as the best day hike in the world. It’s a challenging 12.5 mile one way  hike up from forest through lakes, volcanic flows, alpine scenery, and hot springs.

Orakei Korako is a geothermal area between Rotorua and Taupo. You take a short ferry across a lake to a huge terrace of limestone with a trial up through active geysers. It’s a bit out of the way and quite colorful.

Most people day trip into Milford sound. We suggest doing yourself a favor and sleep on the boat. You arrive at 16:30 and have a cruise around the sound, anchor, go for a kayak, have a great dinner and the next morning see the rest of the sound.

New Zealand is the adrenaline capital of the world – be sure and  take a jet boat ride on the Shotover river  – you’ll go roaring inches away from sheer walls of the canyon. The boat drivers clearly enjoy their job and it really is quite a blast.

This is one amazing adventure. You walk through beech forest then above the tree line with spectacular views all around. Then arrive at a three star hotel (they call it a “lodge”), where you are greeted with a drink and shown to your room with en suite shower.

10 km return – 3 hours –  mostly flat through amazing Alpine scenery, across there large suspension bridges above glacial rivers to the a lake with icebergs at the base of Mount Cook. One of the best day hikes in the world.

Consider a delightful 2.5 hour sail with Sail Barbary on this beautiful alpine lake under the volcanoes of Tongariro national park.

New Zealand is the adventure capital of the world and just one visit to the AJ Hackett website will convince you that these people are crazy. This is where modern bungy jumping was invented – from the Kawarau bridge near Queenstown.

Wonderful room in a lovely setting near Whitianga. Room, grounds, view and nearby beach are amazing

This is one of the nicest places we have ever stayed.. The grounds are gorgeous. You can stay in a room in the main in or better still grab one of the cottages. The setting is a large lawn on a bluff over the Shotover River, with flowers all around.

What a great spot just a short walk from downtown Nelson. The friendliest folks running it you’d ever want to meet and a level room and great breakfast. Highly recommended.

This is the only lodging in Mt Cook National park and it sure is in a spectacular location. Rooms are comfortable and view is to die for. As might be expected from a big hotel catering to tourists there are a variety of dining options.

Stylish yet relatively affordable home in a nice part of Wellington. Parking is available

Well located (right on the beach in Taupo – a fairy short distance to downtown, well rated, with a variety of accommodation types (apartments, suites, one and two bedroom)