A Hobbit's Life for Me and other stories from Middle Earth

In May 2026, my husband Tim and I spent 16 days in New Zealand — North Island, then South Island, mostly self-drive. This trip was a research trip, which means I was taking notes the whole time, inspecting hotels, and asking the kinds of questions I'd normally ask on behalf of a client.
Here's what the trip actually looked like, and what I'd change if I were planning it for someone else.
The Shape of the Trip
We flew into Auckland, picked up a rental car, and drove south: Auckland → Rotorua (with a stop at Waitomo) → Tongariro → Wellington. We returned the car in Wellington, flew to Christchurch, picked up a second car, and drove south again: Christchurch → Lake Tekapo → Wanaka → Queenstown → Te Anau → back to Queenstown for our departure.
Sixteen days sounds like a lot. It isn't, for New Zealand. The country is deceptively large, and the drives between stops are part of the experience — you don't want to rush them. Ideally I would have spent at least another 4-5 days just on the destinations we visited. Add another week (or two!) to see even more.

The North Island in Brief
Auckland is a solid starting point but not the highlight of the trip. Give it a day and a half, maybe two, and move on. The All Blacks Experience at the Sky Tower is worth doing if you're curious about rugby but I didn't find it to be a "don't miss". It was a great 90 minute activity to keep us moving after long flights and jet lag. The Sky Bar is a better alternative to paying to go up the tower itself — you get the views with a drink in hand.
Waitomo is non-negotiable. The glowworm caves are genuinely unlike anything else. You walk through in semi-darkness, board a small boat, and float through a cavern lit entirely by thousands of glowworms above you. No photos allowed inside, which forces you to actually be present — and that turns out to be fine.
Rotorua is where the trip started to feel like New Zealand. We spent two nights there: one afternoon at the Māori Arts and Crafts Institute and geothermal area at Te Puia, one morning at Hobbiton. Being a gigantic Lord of the Rings fan (true fact: I saw FotR in theatres 13 times) Hobbiton was a super high highlight, I could not stop smiling the entire time we were there
The drive through Tongariro National Park, with views of Mount Ngauruhoe — Mount Doom to anyone who's seen the films — is the kind of thing you stop the car for, multiple times.

The South Island in Brief
The South Island is where the trip shifted into another gear. The Mackenzie Basin around Lake Tekapo is spare and beautiful in a way that's hard to photograph well. Wanaka is smaller and quieter than Queenstown, which is a point in its favor. Queenstown is fun and easy, I like a city vibe mixed in here and there so Queenstown was perfect. It earns its place on the itinerary without needing to be the focus.
Milford Sound was the right way to end. We drove in from Te Anau on a misty morning, passed through the Homer Tunnel, and boarded a small cruise that felt intimate in a way the large boats wouldn't have. Fur seals on the rocks, dolphins off the bow, waterfalls in every direction.

What I'd Tell a Client
Build in flexibility. This trip was in late May — shoulder season heading into winter — and we had several activities cancel or shift due to weather and low booking numbers. Having a local contact (we worked with Māori Trails, Adventure Life's local operator) made an enormous difference. When a flight canceled, our contact Alex had us rebooked before we reached the line for the Air New Zealand desk. When a morning tour was canceled, we were already booked on the afternoon departure before breakfast.

New Zealand rewards the traveler who's not locked into a rigid schedule. Self-drive is the right call here. The country is too good between stops to be moving on a fixed bus.