Top Must-Do Experiences in New Zealand that You Can't Miss
- Laura Hohman
- Apr 26
- 5 min read
A World Away
Ever since watching the incredible scenery in Lord of the Rings, New Zealand has been on my bucket list! This year I was fortunate enough to visit for 10 incredible days.
With so much to explore, I want to pass my top experiences to you and save you some research and time!
North Island
Auckland
Most international flights will land in Auckland. While this is not the capital of NZ (that is Wellington) Auckland is largest city in the country.
We decided to spend 2 nights here to adjust to the timezone and rest up after the 15 hour flight from Washington, USA. After relaxing for a while, we wanted to get out and decided to try this Weta activity in the downtown.
Weta Workshop Unlimited: By Sky Tower
If you also loved Lord of the Rings, the skill and craft of practical VFX is alive and well through the amazing passion at Weta Studios. This was a 90 minute tour with a guide providing fun information, and tons of interactive activities! I wont give away too much, but we had a great time exploring each of the themed rooms and learning more about the process.
Standard tour is $67NZD
Viator Hobbiton + Waitomo Caves Tour
One of the largest tour attractions in the North Island is Hobbiton! Rebuilt during the Hobbit movies, this new set was designed for an amazing experience. The entire Viator trip took most of the day since its a drive to get from Auckland and go south to both locations. Before you can go to Hobbiton, you stop at the store - be sure to snag a cup of coffee!
This full day experience was one of the most expensive on the trip, $220 USD, but well worth the splurge for not have to rent a car or deal with the logistics.
TIP: Be sure to go on the earliest tour you can. This gets BUSY. And people stop for selfies at every single spot, so bottlenecks become real. We arrived on the tour set by 9:30am and I would not wanted to get there any later!
After your hour and a half at Hobbiton, there's a stop for lunch then off to the local Waitomo Caves. This is an underground network of caves with amazing staligmite and staligtite specimens sacred to the Maori. But the real star of the show are the famous glow worms. Bring your glasses so you can see them in all their dim glory, they look like stars in the sky! I dont have any images of this, but it was amazing!
TIP: They will turn off the lights and then ask someone to sing in the caves. Show off your skills!
BONUS: Favorite restaurants in Auckland Recs
Daily Bread - Britomart, https://maps.app.goo.gl/SSeBudV6615yCocD8
Really great cold salads, croissants, coffee, and other pastry treats
Ken Yakitori Bar, https://maps.app.goo.gl/SBeYP85443RWgL1a8
Awesome Japanese skewers
South Island
Queenstown
The adventure capital of the world, Queenstown is an insanely beautiful alpine lake mountain town. This was my favorite place on the entire trip! You can spend atleast 2 days exploring the cute shops, plus all the other activities. But for brevity, here are my can't miss ones!
Skyline is the local gondola that ascends the side of the mountain overlooking the city. Its an incredibly smooth ride (I am afraid of heights) and with the most amazing views. At the top, there is a restaurant, a luge, ziplining, mountain biking, and a viewing platform. Even if none of that is your thing, its worth heading up to see the scenery.
$69NZD per person, round trip
Once at the top, there is the nontraditional option to get down... ziplining! Our group had a ton of fun sliding down the ropes and conquering some fears as we did! This course holds the world's record for the steepest tree-to-tree zipline (maybe dont tell those afraid to do it this upfront... or do)
This is another great Viator trip and well worth the $75NZD pp.
TIP: There is a section of the course where you need to walk for 10 or 15 minutes. This includes loose rocks and uneven ground, plus decline. Be sure you have ok shoes on!
BONUS: Favorite restaurants in Queenstown
Vudu Cafe, https://maps.app.goo.gl/i6LqBXN6zPjDpbFf7
We went here for breakfast and it was soooo good! I got this incredible smoothie yogurt granola bowl, plus the best carrot cake of my life (it was my birthday, so breakfast cake is a must!)
Yonder, https://maps.app.goo.gl/PVPHNqRJZFYWdowe6
This was another lunch spot. Great coffee and HUGE portions. Be prepared.
Fjordland National Park, Te Anau
Most people will visit Milford Sound by ferry or tour boat, I encourage you to do the early morning kayak! There is nothing more magical than seeing the fjords reveal themselves while paddling in silence.
We did the Milford Cruiser package and were on the water around 8:30 am. This is a long drive from the nearest big town, Te Anau, so be ready for a 2 hour drive at 6 am in the dark.
This was another tour at the $200NZD pp.
This is a free one!! About a 10 minute walk from the harbor at Te Anau you hit the free Bird Sanctuary. The coolest part of this was seeing the incredible Takahe, which looks like an animated creature mixed with a dinosaur!
Lake Tekapo
Next we rested for the day in preparation to drive up the Southern Island towards Lake Tekapo from Te Anau. 5 hours later, we hung out until dark to prepare for some stargazing in a Dark Sky Reserve!!
This is an active research and astronomy observatory, so they take their Dark Sky Reserve status seriously! No white lights or cell phone screens are allowed at the summit, so be sure to adjust all your settings before you get on the bus!
The coolest part of this experience for me was seeing the full Southern sky for the first time. I really enjoyed hearing some local Maori constellations as well (The Great Emu and the Fish Hook!)
This one was also $200NZD pp.
TIP: Weather is a big part of stargazing. There's a huge risk here that clouds will come in and block you from seeing the sky. Be flexible with your timing if you can.
Recap
After Lake Tekapo, we dropped the rental car off in Christchurch, then flew back to Auckland before flying back home to the USA.
This trip was amazing, and we had a great time traveling with our close friends for the first time.
When we return to NZ, I want to spend more time in Queenstown, doing the white water rafting, bungee jumping, and other exciting adventure sports. I would also like to get into the mountains and do some hiking.
I hope this was helpful! Leave a comment and let me know if I missed anything or if you go to any of these same places!!
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