New Zealand has always been my trip of a lifetime – one of those trips I have always dreamed of. And, I am not going to lie that is largely due to Lord of the Rings. Yep, nerd alert, but be prepared for a lot of posts on LOTR in the coming weeks! Being in North America, New Zealand isn’t the easiest of destinations to get to, so it is often overlooked. Europe and the Caribbean probably being the most popular for Americans. Then, New Zealand has to fight with Australia – an entire continent that everyone has heard of whereas New Zealand unfortunately, not so much – at least not until Lord of the Rings. In fact some people I talked to thought New Zealand was part of Australia! (Don’t tell Kiwis that!) Well, people are seriously missing out because New Zealand is AMAZING! There is so much to see and do and that is where planning comes important!
New Zealand isn’t the cheapest country to visit, although it is certainly cheaper than Australia. So, make sure you figure out your budget beforehand when planning a trip to New Zealand. This was my most expensive trip to date, but I knew that going into planning my dream trip that it would be. There are also other things to consider, such as time of year, where to visit, and so much more! Here is everything you should know when it comes to planning a trip to New Zealand:
When should you go to New Zealand?
As New Zealand is located in the southern hemisphere, its seasons are opposite than those in the northern. We decided to go in February which is the end of their summer and still full winter here in Chicago. If you are into winter sports, skiing, snowboarding, etc. then you are going to want to go in the months of June-September which is the height of their winter. If you are like me and want to avoid the snow (I get enough in Chicago!) and want to swim and relax, December-February is your best bet. just remember, however, that that is their summer, meaning peak tourism. Flights and accommodation will be much higher compared out out-of-season rates. When planning a trip to New Zealand, figuring out when the best time to go for you and your plans is best. You can certainly get great deals if wanting to go out of season, but the weather may not be the best.
How do you get there?
Welp, obviously flights are the answer here, but New Zealand isn’t the easiest place to get to. Unless you are lucky enough to live in California (LAX and SFO), Honolulu, or Houston, you aren’t getting a direct flight and may have multiple stops along the way. Go figure, a year after I went to New Zealand, they announced that there will be a direct flight from Chicago to Auckland now. Guess I have to go back! We flew to Houston and then to NZ which is a 15 hour flight and back through San Francisco which is about an 11 hour flight. This trip is not for the faint of heart, so if you do not like long flights you may want to segment it, i.e. To LA, then to Hawaii, then to Fiji/New Zealand.
Air New Zealand obviously has the most flights to and from NZ and it was the flight I wanted most. They jumped to the top of my radar thanks to fleets with Lord of the Rings and Hobbits on them, and for their hilarious safety videos, that win awards all the time. They are partnered with United, so if you are Mileage Plus or Star Alliance Member, this airline would behoove you. I am a American Airlines/One World gal myself, thanks to many flights on Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong, but I couldn’t pass up Air New Zealand. It didn’t disappoint. 🙂
Where do you start in New Zealand?
Depending on what airline you take, Auckland is going to be more times than not the city you fly into. There are some flights to Wellington (North Island) or Christchurch (South Island) if stopping in Hawaii, but all US airlines fly into Auckland. I think it is a great place to start, if touring the North Island, because you can do so many day trips from Auckland and then get to the rest of New Zealand easily. As we were doing both islands, there was no doubt we would fly in and out of Auckland. The only downside is you have to pay for luggage if you fly in country, just like the US but it doesn’t cost too much to do it.
How do you get around?
This will completely depend on where you are going. If you are spending time in just the North Island you can take day tours from Auckland and Wellington pretty easily, or there are buses to get you where you want. South Island is a bit different because the transportation is lacking compared to the north and it isn’t easy to travel around. If you truly want to explore the South Island besides Queenstown, you are going to want to rent a car. We took the ferry from Wellington to Picton, took a bus to Nelson, and picked up a rental car there. We drove throughout the South Island, from Nelson to Kaikoura to Franz Josef Glacier and finally to Queenstown. It was definitely a lot of driving but SO worth it. This is how you see more of the beautiful countryside and more of New Zealand than you probably normally would.
What should you see?
EVERYTHING! Seriously, New Zealand is simply amazing. It has something for everyone – extreme sports, islands, fantastic food and people, Middle Earth, beautiful scenery and so much more. Visually, New Zealand is the most beautiful country I have ever been to. Everyone should visit there if you can. I wish I had a whole month or even longer because we could only see the highlights. If you are on the North Island, Auckland, Bay of Islands, Hobbiton, Waitomo Caves, Rotorua, and Wellington are all places that can’t be missed. For the South Island, Kaikoura, Christchurch, Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, Milford Sound, and Queenstown, just to name a few. As you can see, there is SO much to see and do in New Zealand. Planning a trip to New Zealand isn’t as easy as you thought, as a result!
Where should you stay?
In New Zealand there is something out there for everyone! Whether you are low-budget and need hostels or luxury is your game and you need 5-star hotels, New Zealand has that and everything in-between. New Zealand obviously isn’t the cheapest country, but there are reasonable hostels and hotels. Auckland and Queenstown are going to be your most expensive cities, but you can find great deals on Agoda, Priceline, and other travel websites. AirBnB is also another good option, although there aren’t as many options compared to other countries and they go fast during peak seasons. We literally stayed in everything from nice, brand new hotels, to hostels, to the best AirBnB Bed and Breakfast to a hotel where I literally thought we were going to die…. Accommodation is going to be your biggest expensive outside of your initial flight to New Zealand, so keep this in mind when planning your budget.
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Obviously there is a lot that goes into planning a trip, but I hope some of these steps above help you when you starting planning a trip to the beautiful country of New Zealand.
Was this helpful? Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments below!
