dmdevl

It looks like hubby and I will have 11 or 12 days to go in late November. I have a guidebook and have read through some of these threads but still am at a loss.

We average 40 in age and like the outdoors and an occasional hike but don't necessarily want to "rough it." We like pubs and cities/town with museums/cultural and neither of us wants to bungie jump. I love sailing/kayaking but DH gets seasick (he has bracelets and can hang for a bit but a lengthy cruise is out). We dig the beach and snorkeling. We both like food and wine. My ideal travel style is to spend 3 nights or so in each area and explore out from there by car. Our budget will be on the moderate side.

Looking at air, Auckland is the likely place we will be landing. According to the guidebook there are worthy sights around there and on the NI in general. For this first trip of only 12 days free to travel, should we concentrate on the NI or make a beeline to the south? What shouldn't we miss?

Any comments are appreciated!!!

ElendilPickle

We spent 10 days on the North Island in April 2004, and I can't wait to return to New Zealand! If you like, you can look at our trip pictures and report at http://community.webshots.com/user/ElendilPickle

Lee Ann

mlgb

The weather in November is late spring and can get chilly and rainy, so it isn't a bad idea to stay on the North Island. I'm not so sure about being a good time for snorkeling, though.

You would love the museum in Wellington, Te Papa, and there is a cafe culture scene there also. The Wairarapa is a renowned region for pinot noir and close to Wellington.

Hawke's Bay (another NI wine region) and Napier could be another stop. The weather tends to be drier in that part of NZ.

Finally, for something different, the west coast beaches such as Muriwai, Piha and Bethell's Beach are beautiful, the black sand is warm (no swimming though) and the gannet colony will be active.

Of course, you could also do the standard involving Russell/Pahia, Rotorua, and Lake Taupo.

heathy

I think a couple of nights on Waiheke Island would be a great introduction to the country.
http://www.waihekenz.com/
Iam not a fan of Auckland - but I must admit Waiheke Island is quite lovely.

Diamantina

If you visit Wellington, NZ's capital city, you will indeed visit Te Papa, the national museum--it's the city's jewel. It not only has great collections that will teach you a lot about NZ/Aotearoa, but the building is also interesting architecturally and it offers beautiful water and city views. And if you enjoy culture--art in particular--it's also worth checking what's on at Wellington's City Gallery as they often have terrific art exhibits.
Wellington is also only a three-hour ferry ride away from the northern tip of the South Island.
The ferry takes you from the Wellington ferry terminal to the ferry terminal in Picton in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds. If the weather is good and if the seas are calm, this is a very enjoyable trip.
http://www.interislander.co.nz/Default.aspx
From there you can rent a car and drive a half hour to Blenheim. The famed wineries of Marlborough (its Sauvignon Blancs helped put NZ on the world wine map) are close to Blenheim. There are more than 50 wineries here, among them Cloudy Bay, Wairau River, Seresin, Saint Clair, Spy Valley, Babich, Fairhall Downs, etc. The area is known for Sauvignon Blanc, but the other varietals they produce are also top-notch. Pinot Noirs from this area are often excellent, as are the Chardonnays. But I've also had some great Pinot Gris and Gewurtraminer from here.
After visiting the wine country, you can head back to Picton to return to Wellington, or explore Marlborough Sounds further, or drive three hours to the southeast coast and spend the night in Kaikoura, a top spot for spotting sperm whales. You said you like to snorkel--you can snorkel with the very athletic and highly sociable Dusky Dolphins here, though you will be wearing a thick wetsuit as the water is COLD! (The outfitter provides the wetsuit, fins and snorkel, but you should bring dive gloves and booties if you have them and if you decide to do this.) Kaikoura also has a beautiful setting, backed by high mountains. Alternatively, from Picton you can head west to Abel Tasman Park, where you can go kayaking, hiking, etc. Or to Nelson, another leisure center known for its food and wine--this area also produces some lovely wine, especially Pinot Noirs.
If you decide to just stay in the Wellington area, you can indeed, as someone said earlier, drive to the Wairarapa/Martinborough wine district (northeast of Wellington), which has become very visitor friendly in the last few years. The main town here is Masterton, which is about an hour from Wellington. You drive on scenic Highway 2 through the Rimutaka Hills (this high, winding road terrifies me, but my husband thinks nothing of it). The area is known for its Pinot Noirs, some of which can be very pricey. But they also produce many other good varietals (one of my favorite Sauvignon Blancs is from Martinborough). There are not quite as many wineries here as there are in Marlborough.
Another area with terrific wine on the North Island is, as someone said earlier, Hawkes Bay/Napier/Hastings/Havelock North (if you go here, do not miss the very attractive Craggy Range Winery--among many others).
http://www.hawkesbaynz.com/
Napier also has a lovely beach, though the conditions can be rough, in which case you can check out their aquarium! Napier is also very proud of its Art Deco buildings, which were erected after the devastating 1931 earthquake. If you visit Hawke's Bay, be sure to drive up to Te Mata peak for the breathtaking views (this was another road that terrified me--at least it went fast). I also enjoyed visiting Arataki Honey factory, near Havelock North, which not only sells many varieties of honey, but also toiletries and beeswax candles. There is also a gannet colony out at Cape Kidnappers, outside of Napier.
A few hours (two to three depending on how fast you drive) north of Napier is Gisborne, which has beautiful beaches (favored by surfers) and some good wineries (Gisborne is known for its Chardonnay). The movie "Whale Rider" was filmed not too far from Gisborne, in Whangara. Gisborne itself has a very large and vibrant Maori community.
There are also some great wineries near Auckland, such as Villa Maria and Kumeu River, and on Waiheke Island, which is about 35 minutes by ferry from Auckland.
(Personally, I have never been to Waiheke, but it sounds very nice and I have enjoyed some of their wines.) The Auckland Museum is a must. Impressive Maori and Oceanic art collections, and it offers daily Maori Cultural performances.
http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/
Also, a nice region for beaches is The Bay of Islands about three to four hours north of Auckland. It's beautiful up there and warmer. In this region, Poor Knights Island is known for its spectacular underwater beauty, which attracts divers and snorkelers (I had hoped to dive here but conditions were too rough both times I visited the Bay of Islands). Paihia, Russell, Kerikeri are the most visited towns and all charming, but the area also has many nice smaller towns that are equally quaint and picturesque. The Bay of Islands has a wonderful laid backed relaxed feel to it. The Northland also has some kauri forests well-worth visiting. And the area is historically important, as the Treaty of Waitangi was signed here (the 1840 treaty between Maori Chiefs and the British Crown).
The landscape of the South Island has a majestic beauty and deservedly attracts most of the visitors to New Zealand, but the North Island has a lot going for it, too.

dmdevl

Lee Ann, your pictures are wonderful. It looks like you had a good time.

Thanks, all, for the great tips! The detail helps my focus. Although it's starting to look like this trip may not happen in November after all. Since DH will likely have assignments in Australia next year, we are thinking to wait and piggy-back onto a work trip. This information will come in handy then!

Now I am thinking maybe Italy in November....