Hi guys,

Would appreciate any help from the seasoned experts on here! I'm a pretty sharp trip planner, but am utterly overwhelmed at the variety and breadth of experiences on offer in NZ. We are trying to firm down an itinerary for 17 days in both islands coming up Feb 22 - Mar 13 this year (flights booked!). We fly into Christchurch and out of Auckland with a total of 17 nights in country.

This is our (delayed) honeymoon and we are hoping to end with a few days of beaching / relaxing in the North Island before heading back to the daily grind. Having a lot of trouble deciding between Coromandel and the Bay of Islands - looking for a great view and some slowing down and swimmable water in March would be a huge plus. I will say, we are not too keen on driving (Americans worried about left side who don't like to drive at baseline) and would like to minimize as much as possible, but will probably rent cars on both islands to give maximum freedom to explore off the beaten path. (We have also thought about bus for convenience but want to be able to stop at will and not feel slogged along.)

I originally really wanted to do the Alpine Pass and the Abel Tasman Park as well (glaciers aren't a must see for us), but have tried to trim down to have more leisurely time in each place and Otago seems a bit more interesting? We also aren't much of adventure sports people or backpackers, though we are seasoned travelers who are flexible and always prefer AirBnB or just a BnB to a hotel unless there is something stellar on offer. We got great air fares are are willing to splurge a bit on the right experience or accomodation, especially the beach wind down at the end.

Would also appreciate any recommendations on small side hikes / stopovers on the drives as we like to break it up as much as possible. Are there any great drive guidebooks to recommend.

Feb 24
Arrive Christchurch 925
Explore city
O/N in Christchurch / environs - possibly go slightly South for scenic / peaceful night (not too far on jet lagged / wrong side roads)

Feb 25
Drive to Otago (5h)
En route - steam punk town (Huds will hate)
Moeraki boulders
?
O/N in Otago peninsula

Feb 26
Otago Wildlife
Larnach Castle
O/N in Otago peninsula

Feb 27
Drive to Te Anau (3.5 h)
En Route - ??
O/N in Te Anau

Feb 28
Milford Sound Cruise (Any recommendations?)
Drive to Queenstown (2.5 h)
O/N in Queenstown

Mar 1
?Heli tour - Glacier / Sounds - is this worth doing over if already doing a Sound cruise?
O/N in Queenstown

Mar 2
Hike Queenstown - any suggestions - moderately fit, like views?
O/N in Queenstown

Mar 3
Fly to Wellington (QT to Well, likely midday)
O/N in Wellington

Mar 4
Weta Workshop Tour
O/N in Wellington

Mar 5
Te Papa Museum
Trip to Martinborough?
O/N in Wellington

Mar 6
Drive to Napier (4.5 h) - Would appreciate thoughts on Napier overall - we love Art Deco but it seems like some people go away from here underwhelmed?
En Route?
Explore Napier
O/N in Napier??

Mar 7
Drive to Taupo (2h)
To do?
Drive to Rotorua (1h)
Hot Springs Experience - any smaller places recommended?
Maori Experience in Rotorua - likewise?
O/N in or around Rotorua - any unique experiences around here?

Mar 8
Drive to Coromandel vs BOI (3 hr to C)
O/N in Coromandel / BOI

Mar 9
Hot tub beach
O/N in Coromandel / BOI

Mar 10
Kayak Cathedral Rock
O/N in Coromandel / BOI

Mar 11
Drive to Auckland (2.5 hrs)
O/N in Auckland

Mar 12
Waiheke Island Tour
O/N in Auckland

Mar 13
Leave Auckland 230 PM

Hello. Have you booked any accommodation? I recommend booking accommodation for your first night in Christchurch.

You'll be arriving in Christchurch on the anniversary day of the devastating 2011 earthquake that brought much heartbreak and destruction to the city. I expect there will be a public commemoration ceremony that you can attend. This is about last's year's commemoration ceremony:
https://mch.govt.nz/canterbury-earth...on-22-february

Part of your trip (Feb 22 - Mar 13) overlaps with the busy Chinese New Year holidays. While the Chinese New Year/Spring Festival runs from February 15 - 21, many Chinese tourists will be vacationing in NZ until March 2 (Lantern Festival). Many other tourists will also be touring NZ at this time, as this time brings some of the nicest weather.

I'll make just a few comments about the South Island portion. The drive from Christchurch to Oamaru (Steampunk HQ, Victorian precinct, Little Blue Penguin colony) is not scenic. On the upside, the route is not winding or narrow, it's pretty straight-forward, and mainly has two lanes in each direction. It's also busy with traffic, including many trucks. It's especially busy for the first hour after leaving from Christchurch.

You're probably aware that the far more scenic alternative route from Christchurch is to drive inland through the Mackenzie Basin (Lake Tekapo, Aoraki Mt. Cook, etc.), however, this inland route requires more days, which you don't have, and you probably wouldn't be able to get accommodation in Aoraki Mt.. Cook, and possibly Tekapo, at this point. Nonetheless, I thought you should be aware of what you are missing.

This being said, you'll like Oamaru. It's a nice small city with the steampunk and wildlife you're interested in. I think it'd be better to spend the night here, if you'd like to visit Steampunk HQ (and you can also see Little Blue Penguins swim ashore in the evening). This would also break up your first long drive and you can take your time getting to the Otago Peninsula the next day, stopping at Moeraki Boulders and other attractions enroute. The drive from Oamaru to Dunedin takes a little more than an hour and a half without stops.

Otherwise, the drive from Christchurch to the Otago Peninsula will take more than 5 hours (as you noted), not including stops at Steampunk HQ and Moeraki Boulders. The last hour of your drive will be somewhat demanding, particularly the road that curves its way onto the Otago Peninsula. Would you be up to all this on your second day after arriving in NZ? If so, then visit Larnach Castle on your first full day on the Otago Peninsula, that afternoon take the Elm Wildlife Peninsula Encounters tour. They'll pick you up from Portobello in the afternoon. The tour runs into the early evening, It's a great tour, they'll take you to private wildlife viewing areas and they'll do all the driving.

"The drive from Christchurch to Oamaru (Steampunk HQ, Victorian precinct, Little Blue Penguin colony) is not scenic."

You can say that again. It's the least scenic stretch of road on the entire South Island IMO.

Otago sure wouldn't be my choice for a first visit to the South Island, but you're in good hands with Diamantina.

I had to look up Steampunk and I'm still confused, but it wouldn't be the first time.

Regarding Feb 28 - it's a two hour drive from Te Anau to Milford, and a four hour drive from Milford to Queenstown.

I'm not sure which glacier you're referring to on March 1, but if your question is whether or not to take a flight over Milford in addition to taking the cruise, with so little time, I'd choose one, not both.

March 2 - hikes near QT - you're spoiled for choice, take a look at the DOC (NZ Dept of Conservation) site for some ideas.

March 5 - you can spend an entire day at Te Papa, just stick with Wellington on this day. While Martinborough is only about 65 km from Wellington, you must drive over the Rimutaka Range (twice) which can be socked in with fog, or beautifully clear. It's busy with logging trucks and will take longer than you might expect - and you'll want your wits about you. Which makes the main attraction of Martinborough - wine - a bit more difficult to enjoy.

It's been ages since I was in Napier, so can't help much there, but we found no reason to return, which might be your answer right there.

I don't envy you looking for accommodation at this late date - I've already made our South Island bookings for May.

March 5 - Mel is right about the Rimutaka range as it's a pretty hairy road! Stay for the night in Greytown maybe and enjoy a few wines. There is more accommodation there than Martinborough but either would be fine. There is no point in going back to Wellington.
Then head to Napier on State Highway 50. I like Napier with it's Art Deco buildings and rocky beach. Going with Greytown/Martinborough more or less locks you into this route. A road somewhere there is blocked with a huge slip (not sure where somewhere in the Manawatu).
In Taupo have a look at Huka Falls and then have lunch at the Prawn Park. If you feel adventurous have a jet boat ride up to as close to the falls as they dare to go! It's a nice setting there and good food and little mini foot baths of thermal hot water. Orakei Korako is on the way to Rotorua and it's my favourite thermal park. I love the way it's hidden away with no signs of civilisation present - it has a very primeval feeling. Great for photos and no one will believe you did not retouch the colours.
Rotorua to Paihia is a long long way and there is only the one route through Auckland city. I would skip it for the short time you have for it. The Coromandel is equally lovely and closer and you have all the good sights planned already. It's Hot Water Beach by the way and best at low tide. If you stay in Whitianga don't miss The Lost Spa an adults only thermal pool area. It's an upmarket beautiful complex where you can order a drink from the waiter in the pool and there are no pesky children around splashing and shouting.
We are in the middle of a heatwave now in NZ so long long car trips will be exhausting.

Clear as mud - while you are in the pool the waiter will bring your drink to you! (not the waiters swimming in the pool...and I don't hate kids but have had a few swims spoilt by splashing little darlings).
Waiheke is my happy place and I kick myself regularly for not buying some run down little shack over there before it got so expensive. The wine and food are awesome, the views spectacular everywhere and you can swim in March with this heatwave.
Mel - Steampunk started off as a genre of science fiction set in Victorian times when things were steam powered and then morphed into some sort of youth fashion/culture thing. Oamaru is the steampunk capital of NZ.

Thanks tasmangirl - I learn something new every day!

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I hadn't really thought about Chinese New Year, but it certainly could make the experience busier - we had hoped to miss "peak" season by coming a bit later...

Alas, our tickets were too good to be true, and AirNZ cancelled them 3 days after booking. We are working to rebook, but likely will need to come through Auckland both ways.

We are thinking of moving a couple days in Waiheke at the beginning of the trip, then flying to CC, hitting up the more scenic route from to Tekapo and Omarama before Otago and then Te Anau / Queenstown largely as we had planned before flying to Wellington, a few days there, possibly trimming Napier and seeing Taupo / Rotorua and a slightly shorter trip by Coromandel before heading out. I also considered reversing the SI order and flying to Queenstown and working our way up the east coast / taking the car on the ferry and going from there but it seems we would end up with a lot more driving on the NE side of SI? Kaikoura seems beautiful but maybe not worth an additional day of driving / getting too much packed in too tightly. Is there any other obvious change in flight order we should adjust given the loss of CC as a definite airport? I suppose we could also just work around Otago and fly from Dunedin to Wellington? But now Tekapo area does seem very tempting!

Thanks again for all the great advice! It is very helpful. Can't wait to hit the adult thermal pools!

I'm not clear on why Air NZ cancelled the flights?

Peak season runs well into April - it stays quite busy until after Easter, which is a much bigger deal in NZ and AUS as it's a 4-5 day weekend.

Yes, taking the car on the ferry will involve significantly more driving, as you'd need to begin or end your SI tour in Picton, which is a long haul from where you want to be in Otago and you'd have to deal with newly re-opened SH 1 - which is still transitioning - and closes at night last I heard. Another option from Picton is to head down the West Coast but it would really eat into your time.

If you visit the North Island first, you could fly from Auckland (or Wellington) to Queenstown, make your way to Dunedin and then fly back to Auckland (most likely with a stop in Christchurch) for your connecting departure.

Or you could fly into Dunedin (possibly with a stop in Christchurch, I'm not sure if there are direct flights) explore and work your way up towards Queenstown or Christchurch and then fly back to Auckland from there.

With your limited time and you wanting to fit in both islands, driving one way makes complete sense.

Someone on Air NZ staff keyed in wrong prices - like $150 one way fare from USA to NZ. People bought them thinking it was a really cheap deal but then Air NZ realised and cancelled them all. Pity as they make so many millions they could have let a few people have a deal of a lifetime.
Waiheke is a great place for a few days but book something quick. It's very popular over there however a lot of places are $$$. Waiheke Motel is very central if not luxurious and we loved staying at Te Whau Ridge Studio. We did take our car over there for that trip and it would be a bit awkward on the bus.
The road between Kaikoura and Blenheim is only open daylight hours and lots of delays with road works. It was ruined in the earthquake of Nov 2016 and only just rebuilt for opening this summer. Don't plan on it being quicker in fact I would avoid it.

Wow. that would have been a deal of a lifetime!

Found an article about the gaffe here:

Air New Zealand flights from the US accidentally offered for as low as $125

Travelmd, that's a pity about the airfare. But now you can rethink your itinerary. Give yourself a couple of extra days for the South Island so you can make that more scenic drive from Christchurch to Oamaru (or vice versa) via a couple of nights in Aoraki Mt. Cook (with a stop in Lake Tekapo).
I like Napier. Pretty beach, Art Deco architecture, great wineries, good food, beautiful Te Mata Peak, and a gannet colony I've yet to visit (I was there outside of the gannet breeding season), but I think you should skip it for your upcoming trip (if you can rebook).
Sign up for Air New Zealand fare alerts. Check Fiji Airways and Qantas for sale fares as well.
Melnq8, nothing wrong with Otago! It's home to Wanaka; Wanaka and Hawea Lakes; much of Mt. Aspiring National Park; Queenstown; Arrowtown; Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Treble Cone and Cardrona ski fields; Glenorchy; Central Otago wine country (Cromwell, Bannockburn, Alexandra); Lindis Pass; the North Catlins (Nugget Point Lighthouse, Cathedral Caves, McLean Falls, Purakaunui Falls, Surat and Cannibal Bays, Catlins Conservation Park, etc.); the Central Otago Rail Trail; Waitaki Valley; Taieri Mouth; and last but not least Oamaru and the North Otago coast, and Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula. Otago is fantastic!

Check Hawaiian Airlines, too. They fly into Auckland. And keep checking. If there are no sales now, there might be a week from now or a month from now.

Diamantina - yes of course Otago is fantastic. I zeroed in on the mention of the east coast and Dunedin and my eyes glazed over.