Janet and I had always wanted to visit New Zealand. Friends often spoke about its unspoiled natural beauty, unique laid back culture, and the kindness of its people. Thirty-four years ago, we had to skip NZ while on a cultural exchange trip to Australia and diving the Great Barrier Reef. Why? I had promised my future partner I’d return early to help start our high-tech research firm. This year, we finally made it back to that part of the world. 

 

We visited Auckland and Wellington on the North Island, then Christchurch and Rotorua on the South Island by plane and boat. 

 

Auckland is a magical port city built around its waterfront. We tracked down one of New Zealand’s oldest brew pubs, Shakespeare, toured the Sky Tower, strolled along the harbor, and ferried over to Waiheke Island for a wine tasting. Our timing couldn’t have been better—the America’s Cup Grand Prix races were underway, and we even got to cheer on the USA boat.

 

Christchurch, located on New Zealand’s South Island, is a quaint city known for its trolley cars, Venice-like gondola rides from a historic boat club, and easy biking. One of our favorite sights was watching kids gather downtown after school in crisp white uniforms—laughing, shopping, and not a cell phone in sight. By pure chance, one of our children’s former babysitters from France had just moved there, and we were able to reconnect after 20 years.

 

The big draw in Rotorua was the chance to interact with the Kiwis—and not just the people. Set in the heart of New Zealand’s geothermal zone, the area feels alive with steaming vents, bubbling mud pools, and that unmistakable sulfur smell. We bussed to a local village, where we learned about Māori culture, saw kiwi birds up close (harder to spot than you’d think), and watched a massive Old Faithful–like geyser erupt right on cue.

 

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand sits at the southern tip of the North Island and is often described as one of the world’s most livable small capitals. It’s compact, walkable, and wrapped around a beautiful harbor, with steep hills that give you great views almost everywhere you turn.

 

The iconic Wellington cable car takes you up to the Botanic Gardens and one of the best views in the city. This was our highlight of this stop.