A Celebration of our Marriage
Things To Do
Rangitoto Island Ferry Ride & Hike - 1 day
Rangitoto is a Volcano island visible from Auckland. It makes a fantastic day trip from the city to take a ferry over and hike up to the crater!
Piha, Muriwhai & West Coast Beaches - 1 day
A great day trip from the Auckland area, Piha is a beautiful black sand beach on the west coast. A great place to relax and enjoy a unique stretch of New Zealand's coastline. Be careful though - that sand gets hot! Muriwhai and other west coast beaches are also worth the drive and are not far from our venue.
Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours - 1 day
This one is self explanatory. If you're a Lord of the Rings fan (or honestly even if you're not) this is not one to miss! It is 1/2 days drive from Auckland and pairs well with a trip to Rotorua.
Waitomo (Glow Worm) Caves - 1 day
Another amazing day trip from Auckland! We cannot recommend this experience enough. This was a bucket list item for Brian before we met and it truly delivered. We did a giant rappel into a water-filled cave that we climbed and swam through, with glow-worms lighting the ceiling of the cave like stars. If you're not up for *quite* that much adventure, you can also do a more mellow hike into the caves, take a boat ride, or try black water tubing (floating in an innertube through a cave).
Rotorua - Geothermal Hikes, Redwood Forest, and Cultural Maori Experience - 2-3 Days
Rotorua is a North Island town with a number of excellent attractions about a 1/2 days drive from Auckland. It is an active geothermal area with some very cool hikes, spas, and hot pools. Additionally, it is the best place to learn about the native Maori people. The cultural experiences let you see performances such a the famous Haka and poi ball dances. Finally, we thoroughly enjoyed hiking in the redwood forest. There are also lots of adventure activities such as ropes courses, sky walks, and zip lines. If you visit, it is worth staying a couple of days and picking out a few favorite activities. When we visited, we had good luck booking an Airbnb in a residential area. There are lots of hotels available, but it's worth paying attention to the exact location as certain streets in Rotorua are less desirable.
Hot Water Beach & Coromandel - 2-3 days
Coromandel is a "vacation spot" within New Zealand, and Hot Water Beach is one of the highlights of the area. Plan to spend a couple of days in this area if you come out this way. Be sure to go to the beach during the right tide - when you dig into the sand here, you can create your own hot pool from the warm water that comes up through the sand.
Cape Reinga & Northland - 2-4 days
Cape Reinga is at the northern tip of the North Island, where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. Take a road trip up the winding the winding roads of Northland stopping for hikes to waterfalls, sand dunes, beaches, and stunning costal views. You'll drive Mangawhai (a required stop for our visits to New Zealand) and through the small towns where Kristen's grandparents and great-grandparents grew up. At the Cape you can watch the turbulent waters where the ocean currents meet. There is a highly recommended bus tour that drives along the famous and rugged 90-mile-beach.
Tāne Mahuta Walk - 1 day
Beautiful walk through to the famous Kauri tree, this is a great hike to plan for it you are exploring Northland.
Milford Sound / Piopiotahi & Fjordlands - 3+ days
Fjordlands is one of the stunning National Parks on the South Island, with Milford Sound being a highlight (as well as the final destination of the well known "Milford Track"). It is accessible via flight into Queenstown and a car rental assuming the roads are open. Explore the fjords by foot, boat, or even helicopter/airplane tours - the earlier you book the better! Allow for extra driving time as, it may seem like a short distance but it is deceiving. What looks like 45 minutes can be a 2 hour drive!
Stewart Island / Rakiura - 3+ days
Although we have not been, the southern most part of New Zealand is also a great place to visit! Stuart Island is one of the only places you can see the famous Kiwi birds at night. If you're visiting this area be sure to include the Bluffs. To visit in any reasonable amount of time you'll need to fly from Auckland and rent a car on the South Island. And let us know about your trip - we would love to visit one day.
Marlborough Wine Region - 3+ days
If you are a fan of Sauvignon Blancs, there is no better place in the world to go wine tasting that Marlborough! This is another place that we have not *yet* visited, but it is on our list. Despite being on the north side of the south island, we still recommend flying from Auckland vs taking the ferry.
West Coast - 3+ Days
If you are looking for hikes through tropical jungles, alpine terrain overlooking glaciers, and the stunning Southern Alps that New Zealand is famous for, then making the drive up the South Island's west coast is a necessity. This area has waterfalls and hikes just off the road as well as amazing and adventurous backpacking trails. There are hikes of all difficulty levels as well as helicopter rides up to Fox glacier (and other sites). Fly into Queenstown and rent a car to drive over the beautiful Haas pass and up the coastal road. Camp, backpack, or stay in hotels along the way. We enjoyed this area much more than Mt Cook village (we recommend skipping that one for more time on the west coast).