New Zealand Vacation Ideas?

[Fearless]

I'm going on a family vacation to North Island New Zealand the end of June. I've already covered the first week in Auckland. We like day hikes in scenic places. Where should we stay for the second week? After New Zealand we're going to Sydney for a week. Any recommendations for Sydney?

 

[Honan]

You just have to go to the South Island in NZ!!
Fly down to Christchurch and from there , you can go to some truly amazing places

I use www.wotif.com.au to decide where to stay in Sydney

My best stays have been in 2 or 3 bedroom apartments in the Sydney CBD, Manly, and Waterloo

Although Sydney's harbour and national parks are exciting, the best place to be in Sydney is at the airport on a plane bound for Melbourne or Tasmania

 

[JuniperPark]

Here's what I did:

http://adventurephotographer.com/albums/2007_03_NewZealand_Canon/index.htm
http://adventurephotographer.com/albums/2007_03_NewZealand_Sony/index.htm
http://adventurephotographer.com/albums/2007_03_NewZealand_Rafting/index.htm
http://adventurephotographer.com/albums/2007_03_NewZealand_Helibiking/index.htm


Must do: helibiking, rafting the Kaituna.

Auckland was one of the most boring places I've even been, in every way. Don't spend any time there. Go to Rotorua and then Queenstown on South Island.

 

[Anthony Ng]

Yes, you shouldn't leave out Rotorua, esp. when you fly all the way to NZ.

I also agree that Sydney may not be your cup of tea (when you prefer hiking). I LOVE Sydney for her city (but not crowdy) feel.

 

[Theo]

Just remember to use sunblock with an SPF of 40+
NZ & Oz have an increased number of skin cancer incidents due to their proximity to the ozone layer hole.

 

[JuniperPark]

Just remember to use sunblock with an SPF of 40+
NZ & Oz have an increased number of skin cancer incidents due to their proximity to the ozone layer hole.

And condoms. Just read that NZ women are the most sexually adventurous in the world.

 

[Honan]

Struth!!!! Sunblock in the middle of winter, promises of promiscuity in NZ and ignoring hiking in the blue mountains!
Stone the crows, I have never seen travel advice like this before.
Maybe a domain name forum is not the best place to ask advice
Try http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/index.jspa for some answers

 

[netfleet]

Although Sydney's harbour and national parks are exciting, the best place to be in Sydney is at the airport on a plane bound for Melbourne or Tasmania

The cheek! You will have a great time in Sydney whereever you end up. Lots of nice city hotels if you like that sort of thing. Northern Beaches best area for beach stuff (get the ferry to Manly etc).

You mentioned hiking - the Blue Mountains is fantastic - about 1.5-2hrs from the city.

 

[VirtualT]

I'm going on a family vacation to North Island New Zealand the end of June. I've already covered the first week in Auckland. We like day hikes in scenic places. Where should we stay for the second week? After New Zealand we're going to Sydney for a week. Any recommendations for Sydney?

Coromandel peninsula is great and not far from AUK, wrong time of year for the Kingfish though

 

[ezimedia]

HI

Go to the rocks in Sydney take a tour there you will love it... also china town is cool. and darling harbour... for a few hours.. is tops to...

You may also want to go for dinnir in the sydney tower... great views at night.

Tom

 

[Fearless]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a house in Paihia, Bay of Islands for the second week. I figure it's better to go north this time of the year. I'll have to come back another time for the south side.

 

[mjnels]

i hear new zealand is a great country to buy .mobi's in.

 

[Fearless]

i hear new zealand is a great country to buy .mobi's in.

Cool, maybe I can sell my one .mobi while I'm there.

 

[JuniperPark]

See my photos... I thought Bay of Islands, was nice, but just OK. There is a boat ride you can take, and that's about it. Rotorua and Queenstown have all the fun things to do.

 

[HarveyJ]

While in NZ, go to Queenstown for the luge (2nd longest in the world I'm told), and the Zorbing.
If you don't know what Zorbing is, don't look it up before you do it. It ruins half the fun.

As for Sydney, the city itself is pretty crap, honestly. Having been there for the past 4 years, I got so bored I came back to Melbourne. Plenty of things to do in NSW, not much to do in Sydney that couldn't be done in any other metropolis sized city.

 

[JuniperPark]

I did the luge in Queenstown, VERY boring. Really of interest only to toddlers.

Zorb was in Rotarua, I didn't see it in Queenstown. There are photos of it on my website at the links posted.

I haven't been to AUS, will go someday. The biggest complaint I've heard is that Sydney is so much like a US city it won't really seem like a vacation.

 

[Anthony Ng]

As for Sydney, the city itself is pretty crap, honestly.

I haven't been to AUS, will go someday. The biggest complaint I've heard is that Sydney is so much like a US city it won't really seem like a vacation.

Sydney is good in that it's not so crowded as other cities in the States. It's also kind of clean-cut, esp. when compared to those in Europe which come with a burden of history. But unlike Canberra, Sydney is less artificial/boring, esp. with the harbour. Perhaps it's a better city to live than vacation; but if you ask me, I still prefer the Gold Coast (Queensland) and its lobster sashimi.

 

[netfleet]

As for Sydney, the city itself is pretty crap, honestly. Having been there for the past 4 years, I got so bored I came back to Melbourne. Plenty of things to do in NSW, not much to do in Sydney that couldn't be done in any other metropolis sized city.

I haven't been to AUS, will go someday. The biggest complaint I've heard is that Sydney is so much like a US city it won't really seem like a vacation.

Ah come on. I've travelled to about 30 countries and lived in several different cities but Sydney, for me, is my choice to put down roots.

It's one of the most beautifuil cities in the world. The harbour, beaches, world class dining, vibrant commerce (we are the only major developed nation not in recession), hosts major events, it's clean, low crime, low unemployment (5.4%, for the moment anyway), friendly....

Day before yesterday I got up and went for a surf at a Sydney beach. There were two other surfers out there and a couple of dog walkers on the pristine beach as we sat chatting & catching lovely clean waves just after dawn had broken. Then a dolphin flew out of the water about 10 metres from me (a clear metre or so in the air). I popped back home, had breaky then into work for 9am. Beat that for city living

Sydney Rocks :rockon:

 

[Domainx09]

"I've already covered the first week in Auckland. We like day hikes in scenic places. Where should we stay for the second week?"

Cashmere/Sumner hills in Christchurch, very nice.

 

[VirtualT]

Ah come on. I've travelled to about 30 countries and lived in several different cities but Sydney, for me, is my choice to put down roots.

It's one of the most beautifuil cities in the world. The harbour, beaches, world class dining, vibrant commerce (we are the only major developed nation not in recession), hosts major events, it's clean, low crime, low unemployment (5.4%, for the moment anyway), friendly....

Day before yesterday I got up and went for a surf at a Sydney beach. There were two other surfers out there and a couple of dog walkers on the pristine beach as we sat chatting & catching lovely clean waves just after dawn had broken. Then a dolphin flew out of the water about 10 metres from me (a clear metre or so in the air). I popped back home, had breaky then into work for 9am. Beat that for city living

Sydney Rocks :rockon:

its weird, the only people in oz that love Sydney are those that live there, everyone else hates it including me, and I lived there for 8 years