Curious about the best places to hike and camp in Idaho? Want to plan a tour of New Zealand’s West Coast? Interested in the best places to run in Venice? The Mod Fam has you covered! We’ve traveled to more than 40 countries, lived in Mexico, New Zealand, and several U.S. states. Now, we’re sharing our experiences and travel tips so you don’t have to plan from scratch. Pick your favorite destination and follow our lead for some adventures of a lifetime!
If you’re driving from Queenstown toward the West Coast, be sure to check out Arrowtown; there are plenty of accommodations, from camping or renting a cabin at the local holiday park to private rentals, all just a short drive from the busy streets of Queenstown.
For this part of the trip, we recommend taking a full day to drive the stretch from Makarora to Fox Glacier, with plenty of time to stop at the blue pools and the beaches North of Haast. If you have a little more time, break this up into two sections, camping near Bruce Bay or Haast.
The mountain villages of Fox Glacier and Franz Josef provide access to the two most accessible glaciers on the West Coast. You can easily spend a full day exploring the glacier nature walks and the villages that thrive on the summertime tourist economy. At Fox Glacier, the hike to view the receding glacier has more than doubled since we first started visiting in 2003, due to the stunning retreat of the glacier.
Hokitika is known for its greenstone shops and other tourist attractions. Originally a gold mining town in the 1860s, Hokitika was once one of the most populous New Zealand cities. Even though the original industries have faded, it has become a popular tourist destination along the West Coast, and we recommend spending at least half a day checking out the historical downtown area and gray sand beaches.
