Category: New Zealand

Ready to plan your trip? Check out our favorite places and activities in New Zealand – where we spent almost an entire year!

There are tons of great adventures and views on both the South Island and North Island.

10 Months in New Zealand: Highlights of Our Unexpected Extended Trip

It's strange how our perception of a place can change with time. Upon arrival, New Zealand felt like a check in the box – a place we wanted to see before moving on to the next destination. Now, looking back at our time there, it feels like another home. It's a... Read more

Wallabies in Waimate & Steampunk in Oamaru, NZ

One of the most interesting areas in all of New Zealand is Oamaru. We had driven right by on our initial trip to the South Island, but upon our return, we heard about the Victorian architecture and overall Steampunk theme there and we knew we had to check it out.... Read more

Unforgettable Little Blue Penguins Tour in Akaroa

When we got the official Visa acceptance notification and realized we'd have an additional six months in New Zealand, we knew our mission: see as many penguins as possible. We had tried with no luck at some of the popular viewing areas earlier in the year, but this... Read more

Pleasantly Surprised by New Plymouth, NZ

Our original plan for visiting the New Plymouth area was to explore Mount Taranaki, but we really enjoyed this area much more than we realized we would and (due to weather) ended up seeing far more of it than we realized! Staying at Oakura Beach Although the New... Read more

Mount Taranaki’s Wilkies Pools Hike – A Lush Adventure!

Some of our favorite hiking memories were poorly planned, last-minute adventures that went nothing as we expected. And the Wilkies Pools Hike in the Mount Taranaki (aka Egmont National Park) area was a prime example of the magic of spontaneity. When we looked up and... Read more

Mangawhai Heads Cliff Walk – A Favorite NZ Hike

In New Zealand's Northland area, there are some fantastic hikes and beach walks. But the Mangawhai Heads Cliff Walk combines both, which makes it so wonderfully special. You'll just have to check the tides to make sure you will be able to walk on the beach! Mangawhai... Read more

Finding Clarity on the Stunning Hooker Valley Track in Mount Cook

When we arrived in the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park area in mid-March, we weren't in the best headspace. The weather was bad, we were exhausted, and outside New Zealand the world as we knew it was shutting down due to the pandemic … and NZ wasn't far behind... Read more

Visiting Hobbiton in New Zealand (Amidst a Pandemic)

What's that famous Lord of the Rings quote about going out your front door? ‘Dangerous business,' indeed. Pandemic or not, sometimes travel plans just fall apart. Whatever you had expected turns into a crumpled heap of disappointments and you just have to make... Read more

Falling in Love with Dunedin, NZ, During Lockdown

Now that we are allowed to move about in New Zealand again, us tourists turned temporary residents all ask each other the same question: “Where did you end up during lockdown?” While some were at hostels sharing rooms and meals with other backpackers, we... Read more

Settled & Safe in New Zealand During the Pandemic – NOT Stranded

We've read so many stories of fellow travelers stranded abroad during this crisis who our hearts just go out to. Their flights were canceled, they couldn't afford the high prices, or they just don't have another option. But, that isn't our story. Yes, leaving New... Read more