A Beginner's Guide to New Zealand

First of all, if you are reading this, I am so happy that you are going to New Zealand (either for real or in your imagination). It has been Andrew's and my favorite trip so far. The people are wonderful, the culture is very relaxed and friendly, and the food is to die for! Here are a few of our recommendations and highlights:

1. Pick up a good general travel guide book. It may seem corny and touristy but our guide was so helpful in picking out the best places to eat in town. I believe that we got Fodor's. We always kept our book in our day pack so that it wasn't too obvious that we were tourists. :D Also, if you are curious about seeing LOTR filming locations pick up a copy of The Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook by Ian Brodie (http://www.amazon.com/The-Lord-Rings-Location-Guidebook/dp/1869504917). 

2. Visit Matamata and Hobbiton: We went to Matamata and stayed at the chestnut lane cottage (http://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g676237-d2039237-r156728510-Chestnut_Lane_Cottage-Matamata_North_Island.html). Kathleen was wonderful and the stay included a homemade (homegrown) breakfast. We stayed in Matamata for two nights and went to the Hobbiton movie set. This was great! It was like walking through an English garden and all the sets are there and just like in the movie. Go in the mid to late morning so that it is still cool when you tour the set and eat lunch at the cafe after (their lamburger is amazing). The tour prices include a free beer at the Green Dragon Inn.

3. Rotorua: Not our favorite stop, the place stunk horribly and it was too warm to really go and do any hot springs. Located nearby is the Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland. Overall, it was kind of a disappointment if you are used to the beauty and stunning colors of Yellowstone. However, it is a part of the NZ geography and you may want to say that you saw it just to say that you saw it. :)

4. Mt. Ruapehu: This is an active volcanoe with a ski resort on its side. The scenery is dramatic and lovely with its lava fields. If you get there early enough in the day, you can take a ski lift to the top. Otherwise there are trails that you can hike. Along the trails is where LOTR filming took place. We did a day trip to Mt. Ruapehu from Matamata. 

5. Napier: We took the long way from Matamata to Wellington and drove through the coastal town of Napier. This was a precious little city. The whole city was leveled by an earthquake in the early 1900s and was rebuilt almost entirely in 1920s/1930s art deco fashion. We walked around the outdoor shopping centers and ate ice cream looking at the architecture.

6. Wellington: Wellington was a great place for shopping and food. The best food in town is at the Backbenchers Cafe. This restaurant is right across from Parliament and several MPs go there. Their pork belly is to die for! Also, another great place to eat is Chow, they serve amazing Thai food. We recommend going to Te Papa Museum. This is a great place to learn about NZ's history. Mt. Victoria is a great place to hike in Wellington and is also the filming location of the "Get Off the Road/Mushrooms" scene in the LOTR. There are several rainforest walks outside of Wellington (this is where scenes from Rivendell were filmed, the filming location was lack luster but the rainforest and swinging bridge were awesome). The best hike was Putangirua Pinnacles (this is where the paths of the dead were filmed in LOTR) and was very dramatic. Finally, if you can see a movie at the Embassy Theatre, it is well worth the price. This is the theater where all of the LOTR and Hobbit films debuted.

7. Christchurch: Christchurch is still very much devastated by the earthquake that hit the city a few years ago. The church that made Christchurch famous can't even be seen as the whole city square/center is closed due to the devestation and the fact that it is a red zone. There were some nice places to eat in the area and a neat packing crate mall. But, overall, it was pretty depressing. We shortened our stay from 4 nights to 3 nights because there was nothing to do in the area. However, one of our favorite guided tours was with Hassle Free Tours. They took us on a day trip to the place where Edoras was filmed in LOTR. The most gorgeous 360 degree views of mountains and protected land. We highly, highly recommend this tour. Even if you aren't into LOTR, this was stunning. http://www.hasslefreetours.co.nz/tours/lord-of-the-rings

8. Queenstown: WOW! This was an amazing town and an amazing area. We stayed in Te Anau to be closer to Fiordland National Park. However, we did have a great time walking around the city and shopping. This is where you can spend thousands of dollars on adventures. The best money we spent, and the most amazing tour we took, was a helicopter tour over LOTR locations. They have several tour options to choose from (not just LOTR) and most will land you on top of a glacier and let you walk around. It is stunning. The pilots filmed most of the shots for LOTR and the Hobbit movies. http://www.glaciersouthernlakes.co.nz/scenic-flights/queenstown-flights.html. A helicopter tour is one of the only ways to truly experience the southern NZ alps. The mountains are so steep that you have to be a true mountaineer to explore them. Plus, if you only have a short amount of time, it is the best way to see the most of the mountain range.

9. Milford Sound/Fiordland National Park: We drove to Milford Sound and it was very dramatic and amazing. The drive was a bit intimidating but overall breathtaking. The views on the drive almost trivialized the actual location. But, well worth it!

10. Auckland: We flew in and out of Auckland and therefore road tripped the whole of New Zealand in three weeks essentially. We explored the beaches and the city. The SkyTower is a fun way of seeing the whole city and Piha beach was very dramatic and beautiful.

Well, those are the highlights as best that I can put together without writing an actual book. If you want to see more pictures from our trip, check out my picture post New Zealand Trip Highlights.

I hope that I haven't completely overwhelmed you guys with information! Best advice: start in the North Island and then go to the South Island. The landscape is so amazing in the South Island that it will make everything up North not nearly as cool (even though it is!). Enjoy the food and try a flat white (coffee beverage), it is the cafe drink of choice for most Kiwis. Also, tea and scones were amazing there and typically consumed around mid afternoon. There are also tons of wineries and vineyards in all areas with delicious wines. 

So, there is my beginner's guide to New Zealand. Have a great time and send me pictures!