New Zealand is a dream travel destination - the North and South Islands offer adventure, stunning vistas, many opportunities to sample fine wines and delicious local cuisines. Unfortunately, due to New Zealand’s distance from the United States, New Zealand remains a dream for many. Although Air New Zealand, United and American Airlines offer direct overnight flights from Houston the West Coast, the rest of us have to make do with transfers and a minimum 20 hour travel time. Experienced travelers know that the flight to New Zealand is the easy part - with lie-flat beds in Business Class and new 787 Dreamliner aircraft, you can sleep overnight and wake up ready for adventure.
Clearly, if you want to make your New Zealand Dream come true, you’ll need at least a solid two weeks. And with a little advance planning, you can fit in as much Kiwi adventure as possible. With that in mind, here are my 5 must-do day trips in New Zealand.
North Island
Auckland Skyline and Skytower
Auckland’s international airport makes it the first stop on most trips to New Zealand. Home to 1/3rd of the country’s population, Auckland is considered the cultural and economic capital of New Zealand. Its mild climate, friendly residents, cultural attractions and bustling economy consistently put it atop the “Best Cities in the World to Live” lists.
The best way to get your bearings is at the famous Auckland Sky Tower. The 1076-foot tall structure features panoramic views of the city and its harbor in all directions, three restaurants and free events during school holidays. The observation deck also has free wifi, so you can send plenty of pics and snaps home to make your friends jealous.
If you’re ready to book a trip to New Zealand, I can help you pick the airline with the comfiest seats. Just send me an email with “Fly me to NZ” in the subject line
Sailing Excursion
Auckland is known as the “City of Sails,” with more boats per capita than anywhere else in the world. If you’d like to put to sea, there are a variety of options from placid dinner cruises to introductory rides on an America’s Cup racing vessel, lasting from just a few hours to overnight trips.
If you’d like to arrange a sailing excursion in Auckland, please send me an email and put “Americas Cup in NZ” in the subject line.
A day trip to Waiheke Island
After you’ve seen the Skytower and circled Auckland’s harbor a once or twice, reward yourself with a trip to Waiheke Island. A calm 35-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland, the island is known for its remarkably scenic wineries. My favorite Kiwi vino comes from the Te Rere Winery on Waiheke Island. They welcome visitors, but it’s best to arrange your visit in advance.
If you’d like to visit Waiheke Island and the Te Rere Winery, please send me an email and put “Waiheke Winery” in the subject line.
South Island
Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu
Larger than the North Island, but with only a quarter of the population, New Zealand’s South Island is world famous for its natural beauty and adventure travel. The best jumping-off point to discover both sides of the South Island is Queenstown, a resort town on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.
Sometimes you travel in groups that like to do different things. The boys might enjoy a relaxing swim and a good meal, while the girls want to do something adventurous like jet-boating or paragliding. Luckily, Lake Wakatipu keeps everyone happy with easy access to gastro-tourism and adventures galore.
Bungee Jumping where it all began
If all your friends were jumping off a bridge, would you jump too? You might if you’re at the Kawaru Gorge Suspension Bridge, home of the world’s first commercial bungee jumping operation. If you prefer to see canyons and bridges from above and right-side-up, rather than upside down and from the below, take the Arrow River Bridges Ride, a 16km bike path that crosses the Arrow river four times and ends at a welcoming winery.
If you’d like to book a jump, send me an email with “Throw me off a bridge!” in the subject line.
Milford Sound
Perhaps no spot epitomizes New Zealand’s natural beauty more than Milford Sound. It’s one of the few places on the planet where you can enjoy kayaking in calm, temperate waters while looking at snow-capped mountains. Milford Sound is a short 40 miles from Queenstown as the crow flies, if the crow is hardy enough to cross snow-capped peaks with no roads through them. Most tourists arrive via a 4-hour drive that loops through mountain passes, but if you want to save time I recommend flying home at the end of the day. Not only will you save time, but you’ll be treated to some of the most extraordinary views in the world.
If you’d like to book a flight, send me an email with “Cessna” in the subject line.
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