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🇳🇿Things to Do in New Zealand
From Milford Sound's fjords to Hobbiton's real-life Shire - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
New Zealand splits cleanly into two islands with different characters - the North Island for geothermal activity, Maori culture and Auckland, the South Island for the mountain and fjord scenery most travel photos of the country actually show. A road trip is the standard way to see either, since public transport thins out fast outside the cities. Here are 8 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Milford Sound
A fjord in Fiordland National Park, often called the eighth wonder of the world, best seen on a boat cruise beneath its waterfalls. The drive in is one of New Zealand's most scenic, so allow time for it rather than just the cruise itself.
📍 Fiordland National Park, South Island
🚉 There is no rail: coaches run from Queenstown in about four hours and from Te Anau in two, and the road itself, over the Homer Tunnel, is part of the trip - drivers should check for avalanche closures.
Hobbiton Movie Set
The actual Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film set, preserved as a permanent attraction near Matamata, complete with the Green Dragon Inn serving in-character drinks at the end of the tour.
📍 Matamata, North Island
🚉 The set can only be entered on a guided tour: shuttles leave from Matamata i-SITE and from Rotorua, and there is no public transport to the farm gate itself.
Rotorua Geothermal Parks
Bubbling mud pools, geysers and hot springs across several geothermal parks, alongside Maori cultural performances and hangi feasts (food cooked in an earth oven) held most evenings.
📍 Rotorua, North Island
🚉 InterCity coaches serve Rotorua from Auckland in about four hours; Te Puia and Whakarewarewa are a short walk or bus ride from the centre, while Wai-O-Tapu is 30km south and needs a car or tour.
Queenstown
New Zealand's adventure sports capital - bungee jumping was invented commercially here - set on Lake Wakatipu beneath the Remarkables mountain range.
📍 Queenstown, South Island
🚉 Queenstown has an international airport 15 minutes from town and InterCity coaches from Christchurch and Dunedin; the Orbus network covers the town, and the Skyline gondola climbs from the centre.
Bay of Islands
144 islands off the northern coast, with dolphin-watching cruises and the historic town of Russell, New Zealand's first permanent European settlement.
📍 Bay of Islands, North Island
🚉 Paihia is the hub, about four hours by coach from Auckland, with passenger ferries across to Russell every 20 minutes and cruise boats to the Hole in the Rock from the wharf.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
A 19.4km day hike across volcanic terrain, widely considered one of the best one-day hikes in the world, past the peak that stood in for Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings films.
📍 Tongariro National Park, North Island
🚉 The crossing is one-way, so shuttles are essential: operators in National Park village and Turangi drop walkers at Mangatepopo and collect them at Ketetahi, seven to eight hours later.
Otago Peninsula
Near Dunedin, home to the only mainland royal albatross colony in the world alongside yellow-eyed penguins and New Zealand fur seals, all viewable on organized wildlife tours.
📍 Dunedin, South Island
🚉 From Dunedin's Octagon, bus route 18 runs along the harbour towards Portobello, but the albatross colony at Taiaroa Head is beyond the end of the line and needs a car or a tour.
Auckland
New Zealand's largest city, built across a volcanic field - climbing Mount Eden or One Tree Hill gives a free panoramic view over both the city and its two harbours.
📍 Auckland, North Island
🚉 Nearest station: Britomart, the downtown transport hub, with ferries to Devonport and Waiheke from the wharf beside it and trains and buses fanning out across the city.
Mark New Zealand, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in New Zealand?
Two weeks suits one island well - the South Island for mountain and fjord scenery, or the North Island for a mix of cities, geothermal parks and beaches. Combining both islands comfortably needs three weeks or more.
What's the best time to visit New Zealand?
December-February is New Zealand's summer and the most popular season. Shoulder seasons (October-November, March-April) have thinner crowds and still-decent weather; ski season in the Southern Alps runs June-October.
Is New Zealand good for a first-time visit?
Yes, though a rental car is close to essential - public transport between towns is limited, and much of the best scenery is along drives rather than at fixed points a bus stops at.
Do I need a visa to visit New Zealand?
Many nationalities, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and most of the EU, can visit visa-free for short tourist stays, but most visitors (visa-free or not) now need to apply for an NZeTA online before traveling. Check the official visa information for your nationality: immigration.govt.nz.
What are some things to do in New Zealand on a tight budget?
Many of the best hikes, including sections of the Great Walks, cost nothing beyond a hut booking fee if staying overnight, free walking-accessible viewpoints exist in most cities, and freedom camping (where permitted) cuts accommodation costs significantly on a road trip.
Can I rent a car in New Zealand, and what licence do I need?
Yes, and self-drive is how most people see the country - the intercity network is thin outside the main routes. You can drive on a foreign licence for up to 12 months if it is in English; otherwise you need an official translation or an International Driving Permit alongside it. Minimum age is usually 21, with a surcharge under 25. Two local realities: roads are narrower and windier than the distances suggest, so allow far longer than a map estimate, and one-way rentals between the North and South Islands normally mean swapping cars at the Cook Strait ferry. Official rules are published by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency at nzta.govt.nz; cars come from Hertz, Avis and local campervan operators.