10 Best Places to Visit in New Zealand

Set against the shores of the deep blue Lake Wakatipu and hemmed in by the jagged peaks of The Remarkables mountain range, Queenstown is celebrated as New Zealand's center for adventure. But it is more than just a place for thrilling activities; it's a sophisticated destination for a family trip or a seniors' tour.

The luxury in Queenstown is the ability to go from wild, heart-pounding nature to sophisticated, world-class comfort in a single breath. The city offers active exploration alongside opportunities to enjoy the arts, celebrated wineries, and a cosmopolitan food scene. Its varied offerings are exciting, matched by the impressive scenic drama for which this alluring, year-round destination is known.

Highlights

• TSS Earnslaw Steamship: Feel the cool lake mist on your face as you ride the historic TSS Earnslaw, hearing its deep steam whistle echo off the surrounding mountains.
• Skippers Canyon 4x4 Tour: Grip the roll bar as your 4x4 vehicle navigates the narrow, crumbling ledges of this historic gold-mining road, looking straight down into the deep, rushing Shotover River.
• Shotover River Jet Boat: Feel the rush of cold air and the spray on your face during a high-speed jet boat ride, skimming with precision over shallow, rocky riverbeds and between narrow canyon walls.
• Remarkables Hiking: Hike a high-altitude trail in summer, from December to February, breathing in the thin, crisp alpine air and gaining a wide-open perspective of the entire Wakatipu basin far below.
• Arrowtown: Stroll down the preserved main street of nearby Arrowtown, smelling the sweet baking from cafés and walking under avenues of bright gold and red leaves in autumn, from March to May.

Best time to visit

For snow sports, visit during the winter, from June to August. For hiking, wine tasting, and lake activities, the warm, long days of summer, from December to February, are ideal.

Best for

Adrenaline-seekers and luxury travelers who want non-stop activity paired with fine dining and exceptional scenery.

Find more inspiration for planning your perfect trip by taking a look at our Marvelous Highlights of New Zealand’s South Island.

Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, is defined by its unique geography. Set upon a narrow isthmus between two harbors, this "City of Sails" is dotted with dormant volcanic cones and fringed by emerald bays, giving you easy access to the Hauraki Gulf and popular island getaways.

Auckland’s luxury lies in this unique configuration, as it means you can easily trade the cosmopolitan buzz of the downtown area for a white-sand beach or a vineyard lunch on a secluded island within the hour. The city spreads from its active harbors and coastlines into temperate forests, creating a mix of green reserves and coastal access. This setting is accentuated by a dynamic food, coffee, and contemporary arts culture.

Highlights

• Sky Tower Observation Deck: Stand on the thick glass floor panels of the observation deck, feeling a sense of vertigo as you look straight down at the city streets 610 feet below.
• Waiheke Island Wineries: Take a 40-minute ferry to Waiheke Island, sipping a crisp sauvignon blanc at a hilltop vineyard while overlooking the bright blue water and the distant city skyline.
• Rangitoto Island Summit: Walk across the uneven, dark volcanic rock of Rangitoto Island, feeling the sun's warmth on the black stone as you climb to the summit for a 360-degree view.
• Viaduct Harbour: Feel the pull of the wind on a sailing cruise or walk the Viaduct to smell the salt air mixed with the diverse aromas from its many waterfront restaurants.
• Auckland Museum: Step into the quiet, grand halls of the Auckland Museum to see intricately carved Māori treasures and hear the echoes of Pacific histories.

Best time to visit

The summer months of December to February are perfect for enjoying the beaches and islands. However, the city's mild climate makes it a pleasant year-round destination.

Best for

Urban explorers and foodies who want a cosmopolitan city experience as a gateway to islands, wine, and coastal landscapes.

For more ideas, see our sample North Island New Zealand Tour: Cities to Volcanoes itinerary.

Rotorua is the primary center for Māori culture and geothermal wonders in New Zealand. The air is alive with the hiss of steam vents and the distinct scent of sulfur rising from geysers, bubbling mud pools, and silica terraces. This region is one of the world's most accessible windows into the living geological forces that shaped New Zealand and the deep, enduring cultural heritage of the Māori people.

You can find remarkable scenery at every turn, from active geothermal parks to serene lakes and deep forests. Māori culture remains an integral part of life here, with local tribes offering moving performances and insights into their heritage, history, and connection to this unique landscape.

Highlights

• Te Puia: Feel the ground rumble just before the Pohutu Geyser erupts, sending a tower of hot water into the air, while nearby, you can smell the fresh-cut wood at the Māori Arts and Crafts Institute.
• Wai-O-Tapu Champagne Pool: Look into the steaming, bright orange-fringed Champagne Pool, feeling the warm vapor on your skin and seeing the surreal, almost unnatural-looking colors.
• Waitomo Glowworm Caves: Sit in complete silence on a private boat as you glide through the cold, dark Waitomo Caves, looking up at a ceiling lit by the silent, blue-green pinpricks of thousands of glowworms.
• Hobbiton Movie Set: Push open the round, brightly-painted door of a hobbit-hole at the Hobbiton movie set, smelling the chimney smoke and the sweet cider at the nearby pub.
• Tamaki Māori Village: Feel the intense heat and smell the savory, earthy aroma as a traditional hangi feast is pulled from the ground, followed by the powerful, rhythmic chant of a Māori haka.

Best time to visit

Year-round. The geothermal attractions are impressive in any weather. The cooler months of April to September can make the hot pools even more inviting.

Best for

Culture enthusiasts and travelers fascinated by unique geological activity and Māori heritage.

Our sample North Island Coast to Coast Tour for Seniors can take you to the heart of Rotorua.

Abel Tasman National Park may be New Zealand's smallest national park, but it perfectly captures the country's coastal spirit. It's home to one of New Zealand’s "Great Walks," a track that hugs the coastline. The park unveils its luxury through its concentration of New Zealand's most sublime coastal features: golden-sand beaches, calm turquoise waters, and lush native forest, all in one place.

This is a gorgeous destination with plentiful chances for relaxation and adventure, where golden-sand beaches are wedged between forested hills and the gentle, lapping tide. Clear streams wind through mossy valleys and granite formations punctuate the shoreline, creating exceptional views.

Highlights

• Hike the Coast Track: Walk a section of the famous track, feeling the soft, leaf-strewn earth underfoot and hearing the complex, melodic calls of tui and bellbirds from the forest canopy above.
• Kayak to Split Apple Rock: Dip your paddle into the calm, turquoise water on a sea kayak, guiding your craft so close to the weather-worn granite of Split Apple Rock you can touch its cold, smooth surface.
• Tonga Island Marine Reserve: Listen to the barks and grunts of New Zealand fur seals, watching them sun themselves on the warm, dark rocks or navigate the waves.
• Te Waikoropupu Springs: Visit the quieter Golden Bay to see these sacred springs, marveling at the unnatural clarity of the water. It is so clear you can see every blade of grass waving in the current.

Best time to visit

The summer months, from December to March, are ideal, with warm weather perfect for swimming, kayaking, and hiking. This is the sunniest region in New Zealand.

Best for

Beach lovers and active families seeking a perfect mix of hiking, kayaking, and coastal relaxation.

Explore this sunny coastline with Zicasso’s sample one-week South Island itineraries.

New Zealand’s West Coast offers solitude amid some of the country’s most dramatic landscapes, particularly within Westland Tai Poutini National Park. This is a land of extreme contrasts, a narrow strip wedged between the stormy Tasman Sea and the high peaks of the Southern Alps.

The region's significance lies in its incredible biodiversity and geological drama, allowing you to walk through a temperate rainforest to view massive glaciers flowing just miles from the ocean. The main draws are the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers, two remarkable rivers of ice that descend from the mountains into the temperate rainforest. Adventure is never far away, with private helicopter flights making the remote icefields accessible.

Highlights

• Heli-Hike a Glacier: Take a helicopter that lands high on the Franz Josef or Fox glaciers, stepping out into the cold, silent world of deep-blue ice caves and feeling the crunch of crampons under your boots.
• Hokitika Gorge: Walk across a swaying suspension bridge over the Hokitika Gorge, mesmerized by the milky, opaque turquoise color of the glacial water flowing far below.
• Punakaiki (Pancake Rocks): Feel the ground boom and the misty spray from the Punakaiki blowholes as the Tasman Sea surges into the layered limestone formations at high tide.
• Lake Matheson: Wake early to walk the quiet path around Lake Matheson, watching the perfect, glassy reflection of Aoraki/Mount Cook appear on the dark, still water as the morning light hits the peaks.

Best time to visit

The summer months of December to February offer the most stable weather for helicopter flights and hiking. However, the glaciers are impressive year-round and the rainforest is particularly green in the wetter months.

Best for

Lovers of geology and dramatic scenery who want to experience glaciers, rainforests, and wild coastlines all in one day.

See the great rivers of ice on our sample Best of New Zealand Vacation in 10 Days.

The epic expanse of Fiordland National Park protects one of the planet's great wilderness areas. This is nature at its most raw and powerful. This vast, glacier-carved landscape offers a rare opportunity to feel small against the sheer scale of the natural world, whether you're cruising beneath towering cliffs or kayaking on silent, mirror-like water.

The wilderness rolls over massive mountains, plunging into untouched rainforests and towering, water-carved fiords to form an ecological fantasyland. The water and greenery protect endangered species, such as the takahe and kiwi, which are sometimes visible on multi-day treks. With the land shaped by receding glaciers over millennia, it’s no wonder places like Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound can leave you speechless with their scale and sheer, weather-beaten cliffs.

Highlights

• Milford Sound Cruise: Stand on the deck of your private boat in Milford Sound, craning your neck to see the top of Mitre Peak and feeling the intense, cold spray from waterfalls crashing directly into the sea.
• Doubtful Sound Kayaking: Experience the immense quiet of Doubtful Sound, where the only sounds are the dripping water from the rainforest-covered cliffs and the calls of distant birds.
• Milford Track: Hike a portion of the "Great Walk," feeling the squelch of mud on the rainforest floor and crossing suspension bridges over clear, fast-flowing, ice-cold rivers.
• Te Anau Glowworm Caves: Take a small boat from Te Anau into a dark cave, adjusting your eyes to see the soft, twinkling light of a subterranean glowworm grotto reflected on the water.

Best time to visit

Fiordland is famous for its high rainfall, which is what makes its waterfalls so powerful. Summer, from December to February, has the warmest weather, but be prepared for rain at any time. Winter, from June through August, can be clear and crisp, with snow-dusted peaks.

Best for

Nature purists and anyone wishing to feel small against the power of a grand, glacier-carved landscape.

Visit the fiords as part of our sample Luxury New Zealand Tour: The Ultimate Experience.

Rebuilt in the 1930s after a massive earthquake, Napier is composed and charismatic, celebrated as one of the world's most complete collections of Art Deco architecture. The city's period-specific buildings, painted in pastel colors, decorate the streets and give it a unique character.

Napier and the surrounding Hawke's Bay blend this stunning architectural revival with a sun-drenched, world-class food and wine scene, offering a sophisticated and historic escape. But Napier is also the gateway to the surrounding Hawke's Bay region, one of New Zealand's premier food- and wine-producing areas. Vines drape the fields of the Gimblett Gravels and the area highlights the simple pleasures of delicious wine, tasty cuisine, and the appeal of the landscape.

Highlights

• Art Deco Quarter Walk: Join a walking tour to trace the geometric, pastel-colored facades of the "Art Deco Quarter," noticing the sunbursts, zigzags, and streamlined curves from the 1930s.
• Hawke's Bay Winery Cycle: Cycle along a flat, sunny trail through the Gimblett Gravels, tasting the deep, dark flavors of syrah and cabernet blends at different cellar doors.
• Cape Kidnappers Gannet Colony: Hear the clacking and calling of thousands of gannets at the Cape Kidnappers colony, feeling the stiff ocean breeze on the high, grassy cliffs.
• Te Mata Peak Summit: Stand at the windy summit of Te Mata Peak, looking down from 1,300 feet over the orderly rows of grapevines and orchards stretching out to the blue arc of the ocean.

Best time to visit

The long, dry summer and autumn, from December to April, are ideal. This is the harvest season for wineries and the sunniest time to enjoy the Art Deco architecture.

Best for

Wine lovers, architecture aficionados, and foodies looking for a sophisticated and sunny regional escape.

Discover this region's flavors on our sample Top-Tier Food and Wine Tour of New Zealand.

Kaikoura is the perfect spot in New Zealand if you are a nature enthusiast. It is set in a dramatic location where the Seaward Kaikoura Range rises abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The town's secret and the reason for its incredible biodiversity lies just offshore in the Kaikoura Canyon. This massive submarine trench drops rapidly to depths of over a mile, funnelling a cold, nutrient-rich current from the deep South. This upwelling of cold water pushes vital food to the surface, creating an exceptionally rich marine food chain close to the shore.

This natural phenomenon acts as a year-round magnet, making it one of the only places in the world where giant sperm whales are seen reliably, alongside dolphins, seals, and countless seabirds, just minutes from the coast. This unique setup means Kaikoura effortlessly offers the natural splendor of land and sea. The coastal town provides a great combination of coastal walks, fresh seafood dinners, and excursions into the mountains.

Highlights

• Sperm Whale Watching: Ride the ocean swells on a whale-watching boat, holding your breath as you wait for the massive tail-fluke of a sperm whale to rise from the deep, dark water.
• Dusky Dolphin Swim: Hear the clicks and whistles of a large pod of dusky dolphins as they leap and spin through the boat's wake, or slip into the cold water to see them swirl beneath you.
• Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway: Walk the peninsula trail, smelling the sharp, salty scent of the New Zealand fur seal colony before you see them, watching pups play in the clear tidal pools.
• Crayfish Shack Lunch: Sit at a simple picnic table by the sea, tasting the sweet, rich meat of fresh crayfish grilled with garlic butter from a local food van.

Best time to visit

Marine life is present year-round. December to February, the summer months, offer the warmest and most pleasant weather for boat tours and swimming.

Best for

Wildlife lovers and marine biologists at heart who want close-up encounters with whales, dolphins, and seals.

Plan your marine adventure after taking a look at our Best Places to Visit in New Zealand.

In New Zealand's subtropical north, the Bay of Islands is an incredible collection of over 140 islands and diverse ecosystems. This area is significant not just as a water-lover's dream of secluded coves and clear water, but also as the birthplace of the nation, where the foundational Treaty of Waitangi was signed.

It plunges you into forested slopes and secluded white-sand coves, where the sea shines in shades of blue and turquoise. The coastal towns of Paihia and Russell offer casual sightseeing and serve as bases for tours along the water. The Waitangi Treaty Grounds are a key historical site, while the many undeveloped islands reflect an untamed wilderness.

Highlights

• Waitangi Treaty Grounds: Stand on the expansive lawn at the Treaty Grounds, looking out over the bay as a guide explains the historic 1840 agreement, and visit the intricately carved meeting house.
• "Hole in the Rock" Cruise: Feel the warm, subtropical wind fill the sails of a catamaran as it glides through the islands, navigating through the narrow opening of the "Hole in the Rock" at Piercy Island.
• Historic Russell: Take a short ferry ride to Russell, New Zealand's first capital, and walk along its quiet waterfront, hearing the sound of rigging clinking in the marina.
• Waipoua Kauri Forest: Walk into the deep, damp quiet of the Waipoua Forest and feel dwarfed by the immense, 2,000-year-old kauri tree, Tāne Mahuta, its trunk wider than a car.

Best time to visit

The summer, from December to February and into March, is the best time, with the warmest air and water temperatures, making it perfect for swimming, sailing, and boating.

Best for

Boating enthusiasts, history buffs, and travelers seeking a warm, relaxing coastal getaway.

Explore the birthplace of the nation with Zicasso’s sample Beaches and Volcanoes: Best of the North Island for Families.

The beautiful town of Taupo sits on the shore of Lake Taupo, a massive crater lake that’s the largest in Australasia. It was formed by a supervolcanic eruption. This region connects the relaxing, massive scale of New Zealand's largest lake with the raw, active geological and spiritual power of Tongariro National Park, a dual World Heritage Area.

This destination is a hub for relaxation and outdoor adventure. The shoreline features elegant restaurants and the trails outside of town offer fantastic destinations for cycling or trekking. Nearby, Tongariro National Park presents a landscape of active volcanoes, emerald lakes, and alpine tracks, including the famed Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

Highlights

• Tongariro Alpine Crossing: Hike this challenging track, feeling the volcanic scree shift under your feet and smelling the sharp tang of sulfur from active steam vents near the bright Emerald Lakes.
• Maori Rock Carvings: Take a boat or kayak on the cool, clear water of Lake Taupo to see the 45-foot-high Māori rock carvings at Mine Bay. They are only visible from the water.
• Huka Falls: Witness the power of the Waikato River as it funnels through a narrow 65-foot gorge, creating a thundering, misty cascade of pale blue water.
• Orakei Korako Geothermal Park: Explore this park by wooden walkways, watching boiling water bubble up through the bright white and pink silica terraces and peering into a rare geothermal cave.

Best time to visit

Summer, from December to February and into March, is the only reliable time for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Winter, from June through August, brings snow, turning the region into a ski destination.

Best for

Avid hikers, fishing enthusiasts, and those wanting to experience New Zealand's active volcanic heartland.

For more information to inspire your trip, take a look at our Great Walks of New Zealand.

How Many Days Is Enough to See New Zealand?

Three weeks, or between 18 and 21 days, is the perfect amount of time to explore New Zealand. People often plan a two-week trip, but can forget to account for the two days of travel time that cut into their journey. Given the amount of travel time involved, a more extended visit is a good idea if your schedule allows.

New Zealand overflows with compelling destinations, providing the perfect experience for any traveler. Each place possesses plentiful things to do, like cruising around an ancient fiord or trekking a glacier’s surface.

Visit these best places and more with our New Zealand tours and vacations or explore our New Zealand travel guide for more information and helpful tips.