New Zealand – Outdoorsy Things to do in Queenstown

New Zealand – Outdoorsy Things to do in Queenstown

Honestly, what can’t you do in Queenstown??! It’s an outdoorsy mecca with multiples of any offering – adrenalin activities from bungee jumping to paragliding, hiking in town and access to the Great Walks, scenic drives and views, and relaxing options like the onsen pools. Queenston 

New Zealand – Bungee Jumping from the Kawarau Bridge

New Zealand – Bungee Jumping from the Kawarau Bridge

“I’m still falling!!!(!!)!!!” I clearly remember internally screaming while mid-bungee jump. Perhaps it shouldn’t surprise me, but it’s a long fall! Since you’re reading this post, you can believe I did it. I went bungee jumping to celebrate my birthday while on the South Island 

New Zealand – Te Anau Scenic Flight with Southern Lakes Helicopters

New Zealand – Te Anau Scenic Flight with Southern Lakes Helicopters

If there is ever a place to take a scenic helicopter flight, it’s New Zealand. Honestly, the word “scenic” feels like an understatement when describing the dramatic landscapes that make up the Fiordland area of the South Island. So for this blog post, when I 

New Zealand – Fjord Exploring on a Milford Sound Cruise

New Zealand – Fjord Exploring on a Milford Sound Cruise

After experiencing the magic of the fjords in Norway, I knew I NEEDED to cruise the Milford Sound on the New Zealand South Island. Milford Sound is technically a fjord carved by glaciers and features dramatic mountains, waterfalls, and ocean wildlife. You can experience the 

New Zealand – Exploring the Hooker Valley Track at Aoraki/Mt. Cook

New Zealand – Exploring the Hooker Valley Track at Aoraki/Mt. Cook

The Hooker Valley Track at Aoraki/Mount Cook is one of those hikes that did not disappoint. As the name suggests, the trail leads you up a valley carved by glaciers to a lake at the base of Aoraki/Mount Cook. Yes, Hooker Lake is scenic, with 

New Zealand – Outdoorsy Things to do in Wanaka

New Zealand – Outdoorsy Things to do in Wanaka

With iconic Instagram sights like Roy’s Peak and #ThatWanakaTree, you might be surprised to find out that Wanaka is NOT an over-run tourist stop. Sure, there will be a line of photographers with tripods during each sunset to capture the #ThatWanaka tree, but the small 

New Zealand – Hike to Wanaka’s Famous Viewpoint: Roy’s Peak

New Zealand – Hike to Wanaka’s Famous Viewpoint: Roy’s Peak

There’s a good reason Roy’s Peak Lookout is famous. It draws people from across the globe to haul themselves 4-miles uphill on switchbacks through near-vertical agricultural fields for one reason – the view. And the view is spectacular. At the Roy’s Peak lookout, a ridge-top 

New Zealand – Mt. Maunganui Hike

New Zealand – Mt. Maunganui Hike

You can’t go to the town of Mt. Maunganui without hiking to the top of Mt. Maunganui, also known as Mauao. Well, at the very least you cannot go to the town of Mt. Maunganui without seeing Mt. Maunganui. But I highly recommend hiking it. 

New Zealand – Maori Rock Adventure – Kayak Lake Taupo

New Zealand – Maori Rock Adventure – Kayak Lake Taupo

We traveled to the city of Taupo in New Zealand on our roadtrip from Auckland to Wellington. It’s one of the largest cities we stopped in along the way, with a population of around 32,000. Lake Taupo is New Zealand’s largest lake and is a 

New Zealand – Vegan Eats!

New Zealand – Vegan Eats!

Vegan Eats Let’s start by telling you some basics for ordering food in the beautiful land of Kiwis: Kiwi – refers to a bird or a person from New Zealand Kiwifruit – refers to the little oval fruits which are delicious when cut in half 

New Zealand – Napier and Wine Tasting in Hawke’s Bay

New Zealand – Napier and Wine Tasting in Hawke’s Bay

We stopped for a day and night in the cute town of Napier on our route from Auckland to Wellington. Wine tasting in Hawke’s Bay is a must when you are in the area. Napier is famous as being an art deco town. A lot 

New Zealand – Waitomo Glowworm Caves

New Zealand – Waitomo Glowworm Caves

If you are in Waitomo, consider taking a caving tour. There are quite a few glowworm and caving tour companies, but I’m happy we chose Spellbound! We almost went for the blackwater rafting, but ultimately decided to do the Waitomo Glowworm Caves tour. First tours 

New Zealand – Hobbiton / Matamata

New Zealand – Hobbiton / Matamata

The story is that Peter Jackson was flying a helicopter over NZ when he spotted the Alexander sheep farm. He insisted that it needed to be the filming location for the Shire. The farmers allowed him to insert some temporary buildings for the first set