If you are planning on touring New Zealand this month you have a lot of great festivals and events to choose between. While most people will be feasting on turkey in the United States in a couple of weeks, you could be basking on a beach having a picnic. In order to get an authentic New Zealand vacation experience it is important that you at least stop by one local festival or event during your excursion.
If you will be in New Zealand between November 19 and 23, then make plans to attend the Pacific Rose Bowl Festival. This festival, which is not the same as the Rose Bowl in the United States that is based around a football game, is actually a rose competition. It is open to the public and free of charge. You can find this event in the Hamilton Gardens in Hamilton, New Zealand, which is in the Waikato region. This event is family friendly and offers door prizes and entertainment.
In order to enjoy a local festival or event you need to plan ahead. First you need to understand what the event is and where it is located. Next you will need to figure out when to attend the event and how to get there. Finally, you need to determine how much it will cost to get in to the event and what is available at the event for your family to do.
To find local New Zealand events to attend you can read the community section of a New Zealand paper or you can conduct research online. Travel agents will also be great resources for local events and activities that you can do on your vacation.
Are you planning a New Zealand vacation during this holiday season? If you are then here are some tips that will help you to save money.
Tip No. 1: Travel on Christmas Day
If you fly on Christmas day you can usually get a cheaper ticket then if you buy a ticket for a day or two before Christmas. This tip also works for flying on Thanksgiving day and New Year’s Eve day.
Tip No. 2: Find Lodging Away from the Beach
Beachside resorts are very busy during the holiday season. This is because Christmas in New Zealand occurs during their summer. If you want to save money on your lodging then look for lodging options that are not on the beach. Prices drop significantly when you are about a mile or two away from the beach.
Tip No. 3: Consider Non-Hotel Lodging Options
Another way that you can save money is to stay at a farm stay or bed and breakfast. These establishments will provide you with a cozier holiday atmosphere, better service and will generally be a little bit cheaper than beachfront hotels.
Tip No. 4: Camp Out
If you really want to save money on your lodging during your holiday vacation in New Zealand then camp out. You can camp in a tent, under the stars or in a camper van. When fees are charged for camping spots they are generally less than $10 a night, which can be anywhere from 10 to 20 times cheaper than hotel rooms during the holiday season.
Have fun planning your vacation with the information found on the New Zealand Travelscoop Blog.
Today is Halloween and a fun holiday. If you are spending Halloween in New Zealand you may be surprised that it isn’t as a big a deal as it is in the United States. You will see costumes and candy in the stores, but trick-or-treating isn’t a nationwide tradition like it is in the U.S.
If you are spending Halloween abroad with your kids, provide them with a unique experience. Try visiting the haunted locations in the country, telling ghost stories or visiting a local Maori cultural center to see what ghost legends they have. Have fun with the holiday and educate your family on how different cultures view the supernatural.
If you want a little taste of American Halloween fun then consider holding your own Halloween party in your hotel room or at a campsite. Stock up on candy and wear costumes. Tell scary stories and play games. To give your Halloween party a New Zealand flare, try candies that are unique to New Zealand, or try a Maori treat.
Traveling during a holiday can be both fun and a little stressful. On the fun side you get to experience the holiday form a new perspective. On the stressful side you have to deal with traditions that you are not familiar with, you have to deal with crowds and you have to deal with not having comfort items that you normally use during the Holiday.
To get you into the holiday spirit, check out the Auckland Daily Photo blog to see how Aucklanders celebrate Halloween.
There is more to New Zealand than just beautiful wilderness. This is a country that has an active modern culture as well. When planning a New Zealand vacation you will want to focus your activities on the things that you enjoy and on the things that the other people in your group enjoy. If you are traveling with teens or tweens, then you may want to add a few activities that they will consider fun.
If you are traveling with young kids then you will want to plan a few activities with them in mind. There are a lot of fun activities for kids to do in New Zealand. In the major cities you will find family activity centers, arcades and parks. These activities can be a great way to recover from a long flight or to recover from spending several days out in the woods.
If you are traveling with older kids then you will want to include a few activities that teens enjoy. For example, you can visit one of the larger cities in New Zealand, like Auckland, and let your teens go shopping, play video games or just explore local teen hotspots. You can also give each teen the opportunity to plan a day of your vacation. Give them a budget for the day and a city. Let them pick where you stay, where you eat and what you do. This can be a great way to include your teens in the vacation planning process, and it will ensure that they have at least one day of doing something that they want to do.
For news on gaming and entertainment options in New Zealand, visit the Kotaku Blog.
Last week we talked about camping in New Zealand. This week I’d like to talk a little more about how to prepare for a camping trip in New Zealand. This blog will talk about steps you need to take when you are planning a trek into one of the country’s national parks.
The first step that you need to take is to learn everything you can about the park, especially if you are planning an over night or a multi-day camping excursion into the backcountry. You will want to pick up maps and trail guides. You will also want to learn about the rules and regulations for camping and hiking in the national park. You can usually download this information from the park’s official website, or you can get this information from a travel agent or from a local bookstore.
Step two is to plan out your trip. You will want to mark out what trails to take, where shelters are located and how to get help when you need it. Having waterproof maps is important, as you will need them to help you get around the parks you are camping and trekking in.
Before you enter a national park to go camping or trekking you will want to check in with the local ranger station. Tell them your plans, and tell them when you plan on returning. This will ensure that someone will be waiting for you at the end of your adventure. You may also want to bring in a GPS tracking devise just in case you get lost or need rescuing.
If you are interested in finding ideas for places to visit while in New Zealand’s backcountry, visit the Hiker Photo blog. This blog will provide you with pictures of some of the best places to go.
Last week we talked about what information you need to gather before you go camping in New Zealand. Today’s blog is going to talk about where you can go camping in New Zealand. This entry will focus on the camping options offered by the North Island and the South Island of New Zealand.
The North Island of New Zealand is the perfect place to plan a camping New Zealand vacation. This island is closer to the equator and therefore it is much warmer year round than the South Island. This is the island to focus your camping vacation on if you are interested in tropical weather, beach camping, marine life encounters and geothermal formation exploration. This island is also the home to great natural spas like hot springs and mud pots.
The South Island is closer to the South Pole and therefore it is colder than the North Island. This island is the perfect camping destination if you enjoy extreme sports and cold weather mountaineering. This island has some of the easiest to access glaciers in the world, and what makes these glaciers extra special is that they are still growing. This is truly unique as many glaciers in the world are actually shrinking. In addition to glaciers, the South Island is also where you are going to find the largest and more spectacular national parks, some of which have been designated as world heritage parks.
Even though New Zealand is a relative safe country to visit, it is not without its hazards. Weather patterns can change quickly in the back country and in the high country making trekking dangerous if you are not prepared for a wide array of weather conditions. To keep yourself safe make sure you know a little bit about the areas you are trekking through and what you need to bring with you to stay safe.
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New Zealand is a country that is made for people who enjoy the great outdoors. Their small population and huge expanses of nearly virgin wilderness makes it the perfect destination for a camping trip or a wilderness adventure. However, before you pact your camping equipment and get on the plane for the small country of New Zealand, there are many things you need to learn about.
First of all you need to understand what you can and cannot bring with you on the place. Many pieces of camping equipment, such as knives and tent stakes, are not going to be items that you can carry on to the plane. These items will need to be packed securely away and checked with your other luggage. It is important that you check with both your airline and New Zealand customs officials to see what items are allowed and which items are not allowed.
If you plan on renting a camper van, New Zealand officials may require that you purchase a temporary international driver’s license. You will need to check with the local New Zealand driver’s license bureau to see if you will be required to get one or if you can just use your U.S. issued driver’s license. If you plan on driving in New Zealand you will also want to read up on the driving laws for the country. You will want to pay close attention to speed limits and where you are allowed to drive to in a vehicle, especially in national parks and backcountry areas.
The end of September and the first half of October offers a lot of great events. If you are planning on visiting New Zealand over the next few weeks then these events are for you. Select the ones that interest you.
The first event that you can attend is the 2008 Christchurch Antarctic Festival. This festival runs from 09.26.08 to 10.03.08. This festival explores the activities and lifestyles of the Antarctic pioneers. Some of the events that are going to be offered include dog sled rides, hagglund pulling contests, historical recreations, airhanger tours, ice sculptures and ice sports.
Another event that you can attend is the Alexandra Blossom Festival. This festival runs from the 27th of September through the 4th of October. This is a huge festival in Central Otago, Alexandra, New Zealand, and it attracts over 25,000 people each year. If you attend this event you will be able to participate in over 30 events which include sheep shearing contests, fashion parades, dancing and local arts and crafts displays and tables. The Alexandra Visitor Information Center is in charge of this event, so contact them for details.
The final event that is scheduled for October is the Historic Northland Cruise. This is an amazing four day cruise that will take you back in time to when the first people arrived in New Zealand, as well as take you back to when the Maoris first met up with European explorers. This cruise is held on a tall ship called the R. Tucker Thompson. This is the third year this cruise has been offered. For more information you will need to talk to Jane Hindle or Rachel Kennedy.
For information on traveling in general, I highly recommend the Everything-Everywhere blog. Get ideas for your next big vacation.
If you are planning a vacation stop in Auckland, New Zealand then you will want to leave a little time to explore the Coromandel Peninsula. This peninsula sits about 55 km to the east of Auckland. This destination extends 85km into Pacific Ocean from the Bay of Plenty. Coromandel Peninsula is part of the Waikato region and it has a great selection of activities for you to choose from.
If you are into cryptozoology you want to check out the Moehau Ranges found in the forested area of the peninsula. Here you will be able to search for the regions local monster, the Hairy Moehau.
For vacationers that are looking for a guided tour of the region then consider signing up for Discovery Tours. These tours are completely guided and provide you with a unique look at either the heritage of the area or the local wildlife and geological beauty. One of the most popular tours is the Discovery Tours Coastal Walkways tour.
New Zealand vacationers that are interested in treasure hunting will enjoy the Goldmine Experience. This attraction offers you two choices. You can take a guided tour of the mines or you can take a self-guided tour of the historic gold mines found near the city of Thames. At this site you will be allowed to prospect, but follow the rules and get your mining permit (very cheap to buy).
The final tourist attraction that lots of people seem to enjoy is sea kayaking. Mercury Bay is one of the most popular waterways for sea kayaking. You can tour sea caves and offshore islands. If you have never gone sea kayaking before you can sign up for a guided sea kayaking tour.
Christchurch, New Zealand is one of the most popular cities in New Zealand for international travelers to visit. This city has everything that a traveler could ask for from great hotels to great local attractions. If you don’t know where to start your New Zealand vacation, consider Christchurch.
Christchurch is filled with great local attractions. If you are traveling with the kids then this is a superior New Zealand city. Here you will find Chipmunks Playland, a great multi-activity center that is open to families. You can mini-golf, play in a ball pit or play carnival style games. Other kid friendly attractions include Ten Pin Bowling and Superkarts Raceway.
If you are interested in science attractions or wildlife attractions, then Christchurch will not disappoint you. Some of the most popular attractions in this genre of tourist sites include: Science Alive and the International Antarctic Centre. Other great wildlife/outdoor attractions you can visit in Christchurch include the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve and the Christchurch Aquarium.
Other great attractions that Christchurch has to offer include: the Roxx, an ice skating rink and Laserstrike. Check out local tourism organizations and information centers once you arrive in Christchurch for the latest attractions and special events.
When you are planning your New Zealand vacation make sure you allot yourself at least two or three days to see what Christchurch has to offer. You can break up your schedule to see outdoor tourist attractions in the afternoon when it is warmer, and indoor attractions during the mornings and evenings. Also don’t forget to look for local theater and special events while in this amazing New Zealand city.
