Blueprint Travel Update:

Continuing from New Zealand’s South Island to North Island

Upon leaving the Southern Alps of New Zealand behind, we had our sights set on Abel Tasman National Park and its coastal paradise filled with golden sand beaches, crystal clear water, and lush forests. Since the national park is located at the far north part of the South Island it has a much milder climate than the more mountainous areas we had visited so far. We took advantage of the beautiful coastal areas by walking along the Abel Tasman Coast Track, kayaking in the Tonga Island Marine Reserve, and swimming in numerous bays of the Tasman Sea. After a few days of exploring this gorgeous coastal scenery, we had one more day left on the South Island before taking the ferry across the Cook Strait. This left us just enough time to visit the Marlborough Wine Region, New Zealand’s largest wine region and internationally recognized as producing some of the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc wines. We were able to reserve a tasting at Cloudy Bay Vineyards and see for ourselves what makes wine from this region so special. It was a great way to toast the end to an incredible first part of our New Zealand road trip and look forward to the adventures on the North Island.

Our journey to the North Island began with an early morning ferry from the town of Picton in the South Island through the Queen Charlotte Sound and then across the Cook Strait. Luckily for us, there was mild weather and minimal waves forecast for our ferry ride. The ferry journey can be very rough, at times causing ferry cancellations, but conditions were so mild we were able to stand on the outdoor decks to take in the incredible views along the way. After making it into the Wellington Harbour we were greeted with the city skyline wrapping along the coast. Upon walking around Wellington, it was clear that this capital city had a vibrant energy and made sense why it was nicknamed New Zealand’s culture capital. After gaining an appreciation for New Zealand natural beauty, we eagerly jumped into activities to better learn about its culture. Some of our favorite Wellington activities included touring the New Zealand Parliament, visiting the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, bird watching at Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne, and touring Weta Workshops. Besides these attractions, we enjoyed Wellington’s excellent coffee, craft beers, and international dining scene.

Overall, Wellington was a wonderful city and a great introduction to New Zealand life on the North Island. It gave us a good break from the long days of driving and was nice to have aspects of city life back temporarily. Soon enough we were on the road again and eager to visit our bucket list destinations of the North Island. Many of these were in or near the towns of Taupo and Rotorua. We spent extensive time traveling through them to complete the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, visit geothermal wonders, learn about Māori culture, and tour the Hobbiton Movie Set. After a great start on the North Island, we were excited for the final chapter of New Zealand ahead.