New Zealand’s North Island.

Itineraries

Eat & Drink

Salt

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

Garage Project

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.

Eat Streat

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.

Brantry Restaurant Taupo

There are lots of places to eat in Taupo – you can wander around and find one. But this one is a cut above.

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Rita

In Are Valley right next to the garage project. Fixed three coarse menu so be sure you like what’s being served before deciding.

See

Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve (Cathedral Cove)

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.

Geothermal Valley Te Puia

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.

Old St. Pauls Cathedral

Beautiful church constructed mostly of Kauri wood. Nice on the outside, breathtaking on inside.

Hot water beach

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.

Orakei Korako

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.

Auckland (War Memorial) Museum

Fantastic collection of Maori artifacts / buildings , but a whole lot more.  (seek out the Moa skeleton – hunted to extinction the birds were 9 feet tall). Lots of stuff to see – allow a couple hours

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Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongarewa)

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.

Tongariro National Park

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.

Hobbiton Movie Set Tours

OK we admit it – cheesy as this may sound we really enjoyed a visit to the Hobbiton movie set. It helps that I’m a huge dork and fan of the Lord of the Rings but they actually did a nice job with this tour. You wander around the shire with guide and they do the the time to explain some of the movie magic.

Kelly Tarlton Sea Life

Worthwhile aquarium on the water in Auckland. Interesting polar exploration exhibit and aquarium

Do

Auckland Free Walking Tours

A great introduction to Auckland (and New Zealand in general). Your guide will show you the best sights in Auckland and provide invaluable recommendations for the rest of your time here.

Sailing on Lake Taupo

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

Stay

Flaxmill Cove B&B

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

Grand Hotel Mercure

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

Ponsonby Manor Guest House

Nice homey inn in Ponsonby. Parking is easy on site. There are a lot of restaurants, bars, etc in the neighborhood but it is too far from downtown to walk – which may be a disadvatgae

Pohutu Vista B and B

Nice lodging on hill overlooking Rotorua. It’s a bit out of town and a bit hard to find but a nice place to stay

Sails on the Lake

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)

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Peace and Plenty Inn

Consider staying in this lovely B and B in Devenport – a lovely victorian village just across the harbor from downtown Auckland with easy ferry connections to downtown

Hilton Lake Taupo

Nice rooms (with a balcony) but a bit far from town to recommend it highly.