HONEYMOON

I feel incredibly lucky I got to not only marry the love of my life, but take our dream honeymoon throughout New Zealand and Bora Bora. A trip that exceeded our very high expectations and we will forever remember.

Adventure, wine, great food, gorgeous views, warm water, relaxation, and extended time alone with the person you love. This trip truly was the honeymoon of our dreams.

New Zeland has so much to see and I feel like we barely cracked the surface of everything there is to explore. In our 10 days there we still feel like we got to see some amazing spots and fell in love with NZ so quickly.

We started our travels on a bit of the adventurous side in New Zealand. Exploring the North and South Island was beyond epic. The activities and scenic spots are endless. Then we finished our trip in the French Polynesia. After all of the adventure in NZ, it was the perfect follow up to fully relax and soak everything in. Both epic in their own very different ways. The perfect combination

NEW ZEALAND

We flew in Auckland International Airport and immediately rented a car before heading to our hotel. New Zealand has so much to offer and roadtripping around is a great way to hit some of the best spots. We only had ten days total in New Zealand, where so many visitors we met were spending months exploring the country. Even in our “short” amount of time there we were able to see some of the most surreal spots while also getting to have some much needed relaxation and down time.

NORTH ISLAND

AUCKLAND

WHERE TO STAY: SO Sofitel Auckland or Hilton Auckland (we stayed here and loved it!)
- both are great locations in the business district downtown. Walking distance to a ton of shops, restaurants, and the ferry building.
BREAKFAST/BAKERIES
- Amano (our favorite) - they have a bakery where you can grab and go or a sit down restaurant.
- Williams Eatery
- Coffee pen
DINNER/BARS SPOTS
- clipper (drinks only!)
- Bar Celeste (our favorite) - its giving trendy date night with drool worthy entrees.
- Beau wine bar
TO DO:
- Muriwai Beach
- Waiheke island - It is a quick ferry ride over to Waiheke island from Auckland. You can spend the night there for an extended period of time or just do a day trip if you are short on time. We rented electric bikes while we were there and biked around the island stopping at different wineries and breweries. We took our time soaking up the gorgeous views and the many beaches you pass by during the ride. They also have bus wine tours you can sign up for! Stonyridge and Mudbrick are the two most popular wineries there.

COROMANDEL PENINSULA

Coromandel Peninsula is a couple hour drive or a connecting ferry ride from Auckland. There is lots to explore here, but we only went for the day and still had the best time.
The drive there was also an amazing experience itself. You drive through the lush forest and mountains while seeing scenic views in and out along the way.
Hidden coves, turquoise clear waters, lush native rainforest, and white sand beaches. It's the perfect location to go for a nice beach day, coastline hike, or explore the lush forests.
Cathedral cove was one of the most magical beaches I have ever seen. We genuinely were blown away. It had clear water, huge caves, and giant rock features to make the view that much more unique. Only accessible by hiking, kayak, or taking a quick water taxi ride.
hot water beach if you can time the tides right!

ROTORUA

We stayed at the Pullman Rotorura
TO EAT:
- almost every night we walked over to EAT STREET. It is a cute collection of restaurants and bars all right next to each other. Great energy in this area and we would just choose where to dine on a whim each time since there was lots of options.
TO DO:

Zorbing - we randomly came across this day off and it was one of our favorite activities while we were here. You get in a giant ball with some water in it and there are multiple different downhill courses you can take. Between each run they have multiple hot tubs to relax and chill at. A family run business with the best people. We could not stop laughing the entire time. it was SO FUN.
Luge/Go-carting - great for any age! We also had lunch and did a wine flight at the top were there were gorgeous views.
Hells gate - Geothermal park where you can bathe in the healing muds. Definitely a cool experience. A little stinky haha - wear an old swimsuit you don’t mind tossing out. I made this mistake and had to deep wash mine multiple times in multiple ways - but mine did survive!

HOBBITOWN

An hour drive from Roturua - A MUST SEE. We got lucky with the most beautiful weather imaginable. It was pure bliss. I could have stayed forever. Enjoy a refreshment at The Green Dragon Inn on conclusion. We had a beer and a cider.
You have to take a tour to see the actual set, but they have plenty going every 15-20 minutes. While you wait they have a restaurant and gift shop you can explore as well.

South Island

Queenstown

Auckland Domestic Airport fly direct to Queenstown
We stayed at Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel which was a recommendation from our friends and it was AMAZING. a great location to walk around everywhere in the town. They had complimentary breakfast every day AND a complimentary happy hour. We had wine and appetizers there every night and would schedule our dinners around it. The people who work there were super friendly and great to chat with. Most of them came to Queenstown because they have adventurous spirits are are into hiking, climbing, or whatever outdoor activity of their choice. So many great stories and advice from them!
TO DO:
- the activities in Queenstown are endless. From designer shopping, to skydiving, to wine tasting - there is definitely something for everyone.
- Skydiving - we did this on a whim since our hotel room wasn’t ready on the first day we got there and it was our favorite adventure the entire trip. We jumped from the highest height we could (17,000 feet). The scariest most amazing experience. The pros were so easy going and funny that they made the experience way less intimidating. Couldn’t imagine better views and introduction to the town. BREATHTAKING.
- Queenstown Ridge Hike - moderate hike, but uphill the entire time, so was definitely a good workout. Also a good one if you are afraid of heights because you get to hike all the way to the top, but the trail is very wide and no cliffs.
- Half day trip to Milford sound! We took a mini plane there, then did a ferry boat cruise on the sound, and mini plane back to Queenstown. Epic is the only word to describe this incredible scenery.
- Ride the Skyline Gondola to the top of Bob’s Peak - restaurant at the top. Can zip line or luge back down.
- Wine tasting - hard to get a hold of ubers out there, so you can take a bus wine tour. Our uber driver who dropped us off gave us his card and direct number, so we were able to call him directly and have him pick us up. Seems like a common practice with ubers there, so be sure to ask if you don’t want to do the hop on and off buses.

TO EAT:

Fergburger was highly recommended and did not dissapoint. Always a long line but worth it. We grabbed our burgers and ate at the little park in town.
Goku Shabu Shabu - sooooooo good omg
Bella Cucina - italian restaurant
All the water restaurants were great and easy to walk in without reservation.

BORA BORA

We stayed at The Four Seasons resort and I think it’s the nicest hotel I have ever stayed at. I felt like such an imposter, but it was beyond dreamy. Jumping into the water from our over water bungalow and swimming to shore to have lunch. Dreamy doesn’t begin to describe this place. There are a ton of other hotels in the area and a lot of other islands around the French Polynesia that we would love to explore. One day I hope we can go back, but for now I feel just so grateful we got to even see it at all.

We did do a pit stop in Tahiti at the beginning and end of our trip because you have to fly in there first to access bora bora. We stayed at the Hilton and didn’t have too much time to explore, but lounging by the pool was lovely.