Where am I – Road tripping with the family around New Zealand
Duration – Two weeks
Suitable for – Anyone who wants the freedom to explore New Zealand’s independently
I loved spending December 2024 with the family in New Zealand. It was a great time of year to visit, spending lots of time in stunning natural landscapes and vibrant cities in perfect summer weather. From beginning in Auckland’s waterfront, to cruising through the fjords of Milford Sound, this trip was full of scenic drives, adventure, and lovely towns. Here is a breakdown of my highlights and some must-visit spots for a New Zealand getaway!
Auckland: City, Waterfront & Waiheke Island
Staying at the lovely Grand Chancellor Hotel in Auckland, it was the perfect base to explore the city’s best sights. I loved Auckland — it has a great CBD, a lovely harbour, and pretty beaches similar to Sydney, just with fewer crowds. We had three nights at the Grand Chancellor, and I started the mornings off with a visit to Best Ugly Bagels, one of the renowned cafés for delicious brekky bagels. One of the full days in Auckland was spent dedicated to exploring the city, visiting the bustling Viaduct Harbour and the surrounding Waterfront area, which is a great spot lined with dining options and harbour-side cafés, perfect for scenic strolls. Later in the day, we visited One Tree Hill which is a historic volcanic peak in the middle of Auckland, with panoramic views over the skyline. This was a great spot to walk around at the peak and take in the lovely views. A late lunch in Ponsonby was a great way to see this vibrant neighbourhood, known for its trendy cafés, boutique shops and historic homes, with the lively Ponsonby Road featuring galleries, restaurants and bars. We opted for some yummy Japanese food at the Ponsonby Central which is an area that blends charm with modern energy making it a popular local and visitor spot.
Our second day in Auckland consisted of a lovely visit to Waiheke Island which was definitely a highlight of my time in Auckland. Waiheke was an easy 40min ferry ride from the Auckland waterfront and is known for its lovely beaches and mild sunny weather, almost like a separate microclimate from Auckland. I loved our day trip to this Island, and had some fun experiences, like the Eco-Zip Adventure which included adventure ziplines and an immersive forest walk over the heart of the Waiheke wine country, given Waiheke is renowned for its world-class wineries. We enjoyed the remainder of the day at the Ostend Markets and a nice dip at the Ontetangi beach, before taking the ferry back to Auckland.
Christchurch & Akaroa
The following morning, we took a short 1hr 20mins flight from Auckland to Christchurch which was the starting point for our South Island road trip. Christchurch was a cool city, a lot smaller than Auckland, but was very interesting given it is a fascinating mix of history but also urban regeneration projects following the 2010-2011 Earthquakes. Two days of sightseeing around Christchurch was a great amount of time to see the highlights, including the lovely Botanical Gardens, a great green space within the city, Hagley Park and Quake City (a museum dedicated to the resilience of the city after the devastating Earthquakes). One of my favourite food spots was the Riverside Market in Christchurch, which was a popular food hall along the city’s lovely Avon River, offering great produce and delicious diverse dinner options. Nearby was also the delicious Chiwahwah Mexican Restaurant and The Welder Boutique café. On our last full day in Christchurch, we picked up our hire car and drove to Akaroa for the day, a quaint French-influenced coastal town known for its harbour. There were some lovely restaurant options and coastal walks around this town, and it was also a very scenic drive from Christchurch.
Lake Tekapo & Aoraki/Mount Cook
The next few days were some of my favourites during the trip. Lake Tekapo is located about 3 hours from Christchurch and is a stunning turquoise lake with a backdrop of the Southern Alps, serving as a great base to explore this mountainous region. The town has some lovely dining options as well as scenic walks around the lake. The Church of the Good Shepherd is an iconic photo stop, where I also had a dip in the freezing cold - it was super refreshing though!! Our full day in Lake Tekapo consisted of an early departure to make the most of exploring for the day. The Hooker Valley Track was a super 10km walk, through the alpine landscape, across swinging bridges, and glacial rivers. Despite being quite foggy during the hike, the landscape was still stunning! Luckily the clouds cleared later in the day, and we were able to see the stunning Aoraki/Mount Cook while exploring the Tasman Glacier and Lake Pukaki.
Wanaka
Leaving Tekapo, we had lunch at the cute Mint Folk & Co. in Twizel, and drove through the famous Lindis Pass, a prominent mountainous route with sweeping golden landscapes, before making a lovely stop at the Clay Cliffs of Ōmarama. These cliffs were incredible to see and highly underrated!! They had towering rock formations that felt like something out of a set. I then had the next few days to explore the lovely town of Wanaka, which had a laid-back atmosphere and incredible scenery. We visited That Wanaka Tree on the lakefront, the famous lonely tree in the lake, before undertaking the Mount Iron Walk, a great short hike with stunning mountain views over the town. In the town of Wanaka, we had some lovely meals at restaurants like FuDog, Burrito Craft food trucks and the Kai Whakapai Eatery & Craft Beer Bar. Exploring Lake Hawea was also a peaceful escape from the crowds.
Arrowtown, Te Anau & Milford Sound
We then continued onto Te Anau, via the stunning Crown Range and historic Cardrona Hotel (one of New Zealand’s oldest pubs) which were fabulous stops. We visited Arrowtown for lunch in this well-preserved gold rush-era town. It is super packed but a lovely place to visit! Later in the afternoon, we continued onto Te Anau, which was a great overnight base to explore Fiordland. A day trip to Milford Sound was a highlight which included a bus ride from Te Anau, followed by a 2-hour cruise over this fjord. I was amazed by the cascading waterfalls, breathtaking landscapes, high mountain peaks, and the wildlife-like fur seals. This was a one-in-a-lifetime experience!!
Queenstown
After the amazing time in Fiordland, we drove back up towards Queenstown, our base for exploring this region over Christmas. Queenstown is a great tourist hub and a lovely place to spend Christmas in a natural setting. We stayed in Frankton up the mountain, overlooking the lake with serene views of the peaks. One of our highlights was the Queenstown Skyline Gondola and Luge rides which had panoramic views from the top, followed by a lovely dinner up the mountain on Christmas Eve. Some of the other highlights included a visit to Glenorchy, a town located on a very scenic drive around the lake from. We spent Christmas with a visit to Clyde and Cromwell, visiting some extended family which was lovely. These are two cute colonial towns with lots of history and old buildings. Another must-visit was Ayrburn, a super new development just 20 minutes outside of Queenstown, called the “new Arrowtown”, which is a fabulous farm restoration with lovely restaurants, a delicious bakehouse, a café and a wine cellar, offering great food and a vibrant atmosphere.
Ultimately, this 2 week New Zealand road trip was one of my favourite trips to date, given I loved the mix of vibrant cities and stunning natural landscapes. New Zealand is a super country to visit and nice and close to Melbourne, with great weather in the summer. There are so many options for outdoor activities, like hiking, road-tripping through mountains, wine tasting or simply absorbing the scenery. I can’t wait to return to New Zealand, in the future, maybe to explore more of the North Island!
