Written by Mod Fam on June 21, 2019

New Zealand Travel Blog and Facts: Top 10 New Zealand Activities

Backpacking . Hiking . New Zealand . Outdoor Recreation . Running . Tent Camping . Travel . Worldwide Travel

New Zealand Travel Blog and Facts: Top Ten Road Trip Activities – South Island and Wellington

New Zealand Travel Blog and Facts. Welcome to our New Zealand Top 10 list, including all our favorite road trip stops throughout the South Island and Wellington. We’ve hand-picked our favorite spots, activities, and must-see locations to help you plan your own kiwi adventure itinerary. Click on any link or photo to read more about that particular segment of our 14-day New Zealand itinerary and for even more recommendations and ideas for your next adventure.

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#1: The Best Backpacking and Tramping in New Zealand

Hiking Abel Tasman National Park

New Zealand Travel Blog and Facts #1. If you’re thinking of either a long day hike or a longer, overnight trek, add Abel Tasman National Park to your list of stops on your two week trip. We’ve hiked the Milford Track, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, and many shorter treks throughout the South Island. The scenic views, secluded beaches, and dense native bush of Abel Tasman make this one of our favorite areas to hike and camp (and we have a lot of favorites in New Zealand!). 

Camping spots in the National Park consist of tent campsites like the one we stayed at in Mutton Cove, and a few huts, both of which can be reserved in advance at the Department of Conservation’s website. New Zealand citizens and residents pay NZ$38 per person per night, and children under 18 years of age stay free. International visitors pay NZ$75 per person, regardless of age. Book early, as there are limited spots available at each of the designated camping sites.

Here are a few of our favorite things about hiking Abel Tasman National Park, our #1 pick for New Zealand Road Trip Activities:

• The sweeping panoramic views of turquoise-blue water.
• Secluded beaches and coves along the hiking track.
• Mutton Cove’s beach camp sites.
• The beautiful sounds of birds singing in the canopy.
• The Whariwharangi Homestead, a bookable camp accommodation.
• Open, sunny sections of track alternating with densely wooded sections.
• Walking barefoot in warm sand after hiking 7 miles.
• Curious Wekas inspecting tents.
• Eating dinner on the beach after a grueling hike.
• Sleeping under the stars on the beach listening to the crickets.
• Waking up to the gentle waves at Mutton Cove.
• Swimming in crystal clear water near Whariwharangi.
• Cresting the hilly track and spotting hidden coves.
• Backpacking overnight with the girls in such an amazing location.

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#2: The Best Geological Formations in New Zealand

The Moeraki Boulders

New Zealand Travel Blog and Facts #2. The Moeraki Boulders are a composite of mud, silt, and clay, held together by calcite, all of which formed under the surrounding cliffs before erosion etched the softer sandy material around the boulders, depositing them on the shore. Many of the boulders have cracked open, some lying half open and exposed like broken eggs on the beach. Others still hold their round shape, while some are just scattered fragments of rock lying on the beach.

The girls ran around the boulders, splashing in saltwater pools and picking up smaller stones and shells that had washed in with the tide. We balanced and jumped from boulder to boulder along the longest chain of them, five or six neatly lined up in a row, just close enough for us to hop from one to the next.

Here are a few of our favorite things about the Moeraki Boulders, our #2 pick for New Zealand Road Trip Activities:

• Crawling inside a giant boulder with a small tide pool in the center.
• Balancing on top of a 4-5 foot tall boulder.
• The informative signs along the interpretive trail leading to the beach and boulders.
• The restaurant, gift shop, and interpretive center on the bluff overlooking the beach.
• Fleurs Place, a trendy restaurant on the point in Moeraki village.
• Shallow tide pools with seaweed, sand crabs, and other little creatures.
• Smaller boulders and driftwood against the sandy cliffs, with warm spots for sitting and picnicking.

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#3: The Best Eco-Tourism Site in New Zealand

Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier

New Zealand Travel Blog and Facts #3. 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. Dozens of adventure tourism companies provide helicopter tours of the glaciers and other packages to explore the glaciers and surrounding mountain region. 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. This time, we took a full morning to hike up to the viewing platform; as you’ll see below, today the glacier is barely visible in the distance, compared to where it sat just ten years ago on the valley floor.

The broad glacial valley shows all the signs of glacial activity; slate and shale litter the valley floor where the glacier has advanced and receded, grinding the rock that isn’t carried away by the runoff stream. Vegetation grows above the line where the glacier recently sat, covering the jagged mountainsides between bare crags and cascading waterfalls.

Here are a few of our favorite things about Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier, our #3 pick for New Zealand Road Trip Activities:

• Viewing two of the world’s glaciers (relatively) up close.
• Hiking through a glacial valley where the glacier extended as recently as 10 years ago.
• The dramatic, jagged edge of blue ice.
• Hiking along a glacial stream.
• Informative signs illustrating the science and recent history of the glaciers.
• The contrast of native bush and slate where the glacier once cut through the valley.
• Hiking with the girls to an important world ecosystem.
• Seeing first-hand the impact of climate change.
• Learning how glaciers expand and contract.

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#4: The Best Historical Site in New Zealand

Waiuta, a Gold Mining Ghost Town

New Zealand Travel Blog and Facts #4. From Brunner, it’s another hour Northeast to the ghost town of Waiuta, a former gold mining town that residents abandoned in the early 1950s after the town’s primary mining shaft collapsed. At its peak, Waiuta was home to about 600 people. The skeletons of many structures are still visible today, some beautifully preserved and others just chimneys and foundations slowly disappearing into the surrounding landscape. The town pool sits on the edge of the development, and rusting equipment sits in open fields where it was left nearly 70 years ago. We brought a picnic lunch and played in the fields around the center of town for several hours; plan at least two or three hours if you want to wander the streets and really get a feel for the abandoned ghost town.

Waiuta is a bit of a drive off the main highway, but there are several access points to reach the mountain town. We approached from the West, just past Ikamatua, first driving past the Blackwater School before winding up the narrow, steep road that leads higher and higher to Waiuta.

At its peak, Waiuta was home to about 600 intrepid miners, families, children, and other entrepreneurs who made the mountain town home. The mine produced 750,000 ounces of gold and extended almost 900 m. below ground. In 1951, the mine shaft collapsed, and with it, the entire town (though not as suddenly). When the mine was no longer operational, most of the residents moved out, in many cases leaving possessions behind before slowly disassembling their homes and taking them away piece by piece. Today, a few of the original homes can be seen as they were in the mid-Twentieth Century. Others have been reduced to rubble by the ravages of time; brick chimneys have survived less hardy building materials that were removed or have long since vanished.

A few miles down the hill from Waiuta to the West sits the one-room Blackwater School. Visitor donations contribute to its upkeep, and some great educational artifacts can be seen in glass display cases inside. If you approach Waiuta from the West, you’ll come to the Blackwater School about half way up to the town, near some existing homes and farms.

Here are a few of our favorite things about Waiuta, our #4 pick for New Zealand Road Trip Activities:

• The well-maintained and easy-to-navigate grounds of the mountaintop ghost town.
• The preserved buildings and original smokestack at the main mine complex.
• The grassy walking paths between the town swimming pool and other central buildings and structures.
• The grassy hills and broad streets that make it easy to picnic and explore.
• The mountain views for miles from Waiuta.
• The Department of Conservation historical information signs.
• Reproduced photos by Czech immigrant Joseph Divis, who documented Waiuta in its heyday.
• The relics (stone chimneys, metal equipment, and buildings).
• The windy mountain road leading to Waiuta.
• The nearby Blackwater School, a one-room schoolhouse.
• Pretending to go to school at the Blackwater School.

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#5: The Best Beach in New Zealand

Bruce Bay and Other West Coast Beaches

New Zealand Travel Blog and Facts #5. Smooth round rocks line the shore, glinting in the bright afternoon sun. Coming from the cold Northern Hemisphere in early spring, the summer warmth and bright seaside sunshine felt particularly good as we kicked off our shoes and dug our toes into the warm sand. After a few sprints up and down the grassy dunes, the girls promptly began combing the shore for the best polished stones and shells. They found perfectly round white stones and grey, tossed and polished in the never-ending cycle of sand and waves.

I couldn’t believe how much greenstone lay on the shore. Plentiful chunks of the rough stone in all shapes and sizes littered the beach. Nyah had read about how to spot the best pieces of greenstone and which grade of sandpaper would give the stone the very best finish.

We were tempted to set up camp right there on the beach; if we hadn’t already planned to spend time at Fox Glacier further North, we probably would have set up the tent somewhere along the beach at one of the campgrounds near Bruce Bay or any number of other beach-access spots along that stretch of coastline.

Here are a few of our favorite things about Bruce Bay and the West Coast beaches, our #5 pick for New Zealand Road Trip Activities:

• Dramatic coastal landscapes, with crashing waves, grey sand beaches, driftwood, and native tall grasses growing in the surrounding dunes.
• Sweeping sand dunes.
• Greenstone and other stones and shells lining the beach.
• Nearby walking paths, freshwater streams, and native bush.
• Clean and updated facilities.
• Broad beaches that were not overrun with visitors.
• Plenty of space to run and play on the warm sand and cool waves.
• A welcomed break on the drive up the coast.

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#6: The Best Short Day Hike in New Zealand

The Blue Pools

New Zealand Travel Blog and Facts #6. The NZ Department of Conservation (DOC) has information on its website about the blue pools track, directions, and the surrounding beech and podocarp forests. To get to the blue pools, drive along the Haast Highway North from Makarora about 5 miles (8.5 km) to the blue pools carpark. The hike to the suspension bridge and the higher bridge that overlooks the pools is just under a mile (1.5 km) and descends about 150 feet (50m) from the road.

DOC recommends an hour for the return trip, but you can easily spend several hours in and around the pools if you’re prepared for the sandflies. (We’ve tried natural products with eucalyptus and Vitamin B3 supplements to deal with sandflies, but nothing works quite as well as repellent with deet). If you’ve never experienced sand fly bites, be prepared for itchy, blistering bites that take several days to subside. Ben always has some type of allergic reaction to the sand fly bites, and it takes twice as long for his to heal.

The banks are littered with smooth, round stones, and the glacial mineral runoff refracts the sun’s light to create the most beautiful blue water imaginable. If it wasn’t for the hordes of sandflies, this would truly be paradise. Even with the small, biting insects that enjoy swarming and biting chunks of tender flesh if you stop moving for three seconds, this is one of our favorite spots on the way to the West Coast. A steep but gradual trail leads down from the highway to a series of walkways and bridges that end above deep, swirling pools of blue, the water rushing down and carving out the rock beneath the surface of the water.

Here are a few of our favorite things about the blue pools, our #6 pick for New Zealand Road Trip Activities:

• The cold, turquoise-blue water and the two bridges overhead.
• The smooth, round stones on the banks of the river.
• The well-maintained path and walkways to and from the pools.
• The lush podocarp forest from the highway down to the river.
• Watching people jump into the freezing water from the main bridge.
• Playing on the beach along the river.
• Stretching our legs on the West Coast drive.

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#7: The Best Restaurant in Queenstown

The Cow Restaurant

New Zealand Travel Blog and Facts #7. Our favorite restaurant has to be the Cow, a small, dimly lit “pizza and spaghetti house” tucked away in one of the alleys of central Queenstown. Fresh baked bread, delicious dishes, and a warm and inviting location make this one of Queenstown’s best out-of-the-way restaurants.

Right in the heart of Queenstown, down a winding side alley, sits a small, narrow entryway to the Cow. The Cow is so unique it has its own street name: Cow Lane. If you spend all your time in line at Fergburger (which is also highly recommended, by the way), you’ll miss this hidden gem, a real Queenstown original. The outside seating sits cozily between two tall buildings with stone exteriors, which provide some respite from the hot summer sun. From the outside seats, you can see right up to the gondola and mountaintop recreation area with its bungy jump and boxcar race track. (If you’re feeling super adventurous, sign up to paraglide off the mountain. The views are epic, and Ben spent nearly 20 minutes in the air from liftoff to touchdown).

We’ve come to the Cow every time we’ve visited Queenstown for at least the last 15 years. I would describe the food as comfort food: good-sized portions of pasta and homemade bread and a good selection of beer and wine make this a reliable favorite. Inside, the dark decor reminds us of an old English pub or a converted stable, complete with a large stone fireplace and dark wooden beams.

Here are a few of our favorite things about the Cow Restaurant, our #7 pick for New Zealand Road Trip Activities:

• Fresh-baked, warm, homemade bread.
• A good selection of local wines from Central Otago, Marlborough, and other New Zealand wine-growing regions.
• Perfectly-cooked pastas and delicious sauces.
• Cozy outdoor seating.
• Cozy indoor seating.
• The best stone fireplace and mantle in Queenstown.
• A private street called “Cow Lane.”
• An inviting interior with dark wood beams and an old pub feel.
• A view of the mountains and the Queenstown gondola from the outside patio.
• Chalk board walls in the bathrooms (chalk provided).

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#8: The Best New Zealand Wilderness Accommodations

The A-Frame Cabins and Nature Walks at Makarora West

New Zealand Travel Blog and Facts #8. When we got to Makarora West, we pulled in to the lodge just off the main highway, which didn’t exist until after a pioneering family decided to build the accommodations and tourist park in the 1960s. The New Zealand government carved out the highway and connected utilities, and today the plot sits right next to wilderness preserve etched with scenic trails and gravelly riverbeds. We circled a few cabins before we arrived at our cabin for the night: a rustic, A-frame cabin with red and white exterior and matching decor.

Makarora West and the Department of Conservation have maintained easy-to-walk trails leading away from the tourist centre and cabins. We quickly moved from meadow clearings into young forests and then into older growth forests further away from the highway and development. The girls climbed on fallen trees and ran down the trail, their shouts of excitement drowned out by the din of insects overhead. What better way to start off the day than with a nature walk through native bush, complete with the deafening sound of crickets and frequent visits from inquisitive fantail birds who would flit down to branches right next to us and hop around while the girls cooed with excitement. This was a great short walk through podocarp forest to get us all a little more acclimatized.

Here are a few of our favorite things about Makarora West, our #8 pick for New Zealand Road Trip Activities:

• Rustic, yet comfortable A-frame tourist cabins at the edge of the West coast and Mt. Aspiring National Park.
• Maintained walking paths that lead from the property into native bush and connect with Department of Conservation trails.
• Fantail birds that perch nearby and curiously flit around.
• Great coffee.
• Full accommodations with a restaurant, lodging, and a small shop with supplies and other items for purchase.
• Recreation and activity options, either guided or not.
• Close access to the blue pools and other hiking.

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#9: The Best New Zealand Architecture

The University of Otago’s Clocktower Building and Campus

New Zealand Travel Blog and Facts #9. Dunedin is one of the South Island’s two largest cities (Christchurch is the other large city, four hours North) and home to the University of Otago, one of New Zealand’s top-ranked research universities. The university campus combines new architecture and old, including the iconic clocktower building that houses administrative offices across the Water Leith from classroom buildings and glass-covered, contemporary architecture. If you stay in Dunedin, it’s worth walking around campus; start at the library with its four-story Oamaru whitestone exterior and walk along the central path through campus to the wide bridge over the Leith. Continue down through the covered archway near the clocktower and the Gingerbread houses before crossing back over the Leith to the large red sculpture and a gorgeous view of the clocktower building from the grassy lawn on the Leith.

Here are a few of our favorite things about the University of Otago, our #9 pick for New Zealand Road Trip Activities:

• The classical architecture of the clocktower building and surrounding buildings that date to the 1800s.
• The modern/contemporary architecture of newer buildings across campus.
• The bustling campus, with students, faculty, staff, and visitors roaming the grounds.
• The Water Leith, a stream that flows through campus from the nearby Botanic Gardens.
• The grassy sitting area on the bank of the Leith with a view of the Clocktower.
• The main library, with its Oamaru white stone facade and soaring interior spaces.
• Nearby attractions like the Otago Museum, George Street, and trendy restaurants a few blocks from campus.
• Coffee stands and pastries at the university’s cafe kiosks.
• Lectures and events open to the public.
• Music, theater, and other events.
• Concerts and sports at the Forsyth-Barr Stadium, at the edge of campus.

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#10: The Best Free Outdoor Recreation in New Zealand

Waterfront runs at dusk and dawn in Wellington and Queenstown

New Zealand Travel Blog and Facts #10. It’s always fun to wake up in a new place; a new city, an unfamiliar landscape, a fresh wilderness perspective or urban space to explore. Our plan heading to Wellington included time between Motueka and Picton, with plenty of time to stop and explore along the way, despite the long drive. Adding the three-hour ferry ride across Cook Strait to Wellington made for a long travel day, and we arrived at our hotel around 10 pm. We woke up refreshed and ready for our Wellington adventures. I got out as the sun rose for a short run around Lambton Harbour, from the city centre toward Matairangi and the Mount Victoria Lookout.

In Queenstown, walking West along the esplanade, you will eventually run out of hotels and shops and buildings before coming to a small roundabout that leads up toward the Queenstown Mercure Resort Hotel and other properties or Northwest to Glenorchy. At that roundabout, a small walking path leads up into the hills from the Northeast. This is a tiny arm of the Ben Lomond Scenic Reserve, a much larger nature preserve and recreational area beyond the city limits. I found this hilly trail while out for an evening run; dirt paths criss-cross the narrow arm of the preserve with the surrounding hillside properties and feels surprisingly secluded for how close to town it really is. There are plenty of hiking, biking, and recreational trails in the area, but for something close and secluded, this section of Ben Lomond is a great find.

Here are a few of our favorite things about running in Wellington and Queenstown, our #10 pick for New Zealand Road Trip Activities:

• Starting the day with an invigorating run along the water.
• Ending the day with an invigorating run along the water.
• Watching the sun rise and set over Queenstown and Wellington, golden light on the cityscapes and surrounding mountains.
• Feeling like a local while exploring new parts of both cities.
• Watching fishing boats sail at dusk and dawn.
• Seeing different parts of Queenstown and Wellington that we otherwise wouldn’t have seen on foot.
• Seeing the Remarkables and other mountain peaks from different elevations and vantage points.
• Discovering the Ben Lomond Scenic Reserve at the edge of Queenstown.
• Discovering Wellington’s self-guided pier walking tour, the waterfront recreation facility, and an early morning race around the harbor.