Over the past few years of living in New Zealand, we’ve been lucky enough to visit some pretty amazing campgrounds. One of the very best camping trips we took this summer was to Maraehako Campground. Located in the Eastern Bay…
Piha Beach: Where Mountains Meet the Sea
Just under an hour from Auckland lies one of the North Island’s most magnificent treasures: Piha Beach. Piha Beach is just one of the many stunning places in the Waitakere Ranges, a subtropical chain of mountains covered in jungly forest…
The Best Things to Do in Napier: a Travel Guide to New Zealand’s Art Deco Capital
Napier, in the Hawkes Bay region of New Zealand’s North Island, is a wonderfully pleasant place to visit. While Napier is now a mecca for anyone seeking a bit of the good life, a haunting past precedes the city we…
3 Beautiful Waterfall Walks in Tongariro National Park
With an otherworldly volcanic landscape, epic mountains, lush beech forests, stunning waterfalls, and heaps of great day walks, Tongariro National Park is a must-visit region on New Zealand’s North Island. One of the best ways to experience the natural beauty…
A Fairytale Hike on New Zealand’s North Island: The Te Waihou Walkway (Blue Springs)
In the middle of New Zealand’s North Island you’ll find one of the best easy hikes the country has to offer: the Te Waihou Walkway. The Te Waihou Walkway is an out-and-back hike that leads to Blue Springs, a place…
6 Awesome (Free and Low Cost) Hot Springs around Taupo and Rotorua
The North Island of New Zealand is chock-full of natural hot springs, thanks to a volcanic landscape that’s created an abundance of geothermal activity. The regions of Taupo and Rotorua are particularly rich in geothermal wonders, including some…
Hiking in an Enchanted Forest: Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park
In the heart of the North Island stands a forest unlike any other: the Whirinaki Forest. It’s one of the world’s last remaining prehistoric rainforests and it’s the most peaceful, mystical forest we’ve ever set foot in, with tons of…
A Treetop Wonderland in the Coromandel
One winter weekend, Tyson took me away for a night with no indication of where we were going. We hopped in the car from our Auckland apartment on a Saturday morning and hit the road, and it was…
These Hidden Coves Near Waihi Beach are Well Worth the Hike
Hidden just around the corner from Waihi Beach are a couple of stunning beach coves – both sheltered by looming pohutukawa trees with pristine sand, clear waters and not a house in sight. Both require a hike to get to…
Exploring Wellington’s Wine Country: New Zealand’s Best Under-the-Radar Wine Region
Just over an hour east of Wellington’s CBD is an incredibly charming wine region set amidst sheep-dotted plains and the Tararua mountain ranges. Martinborough, New Zealand is a little paradise for wine lovers – it’s what we’d imagine the…
The Best Campground in the Wellington Region: Holdsworth Campsite and the Rocky Lookout
The DOC-run Holdsworth Campground is kiwi camping at its best: this spot is no-frills but with all the essentials, set in a beautiful wilderness area but easy for all to enjoy and access. On our first visit here, we’ve…
Matapouri Beach + Motutara Farm in Northland, New Zealand
Update: Mermaid Pool has been indefinitely closed, as it was being inundated with visitors who were trashing it. It’s taking a much-needed rest from humans. We still highly recommend visiting Matapouri Beach (without going to Mermaid Pool) and Motutara Farm…
