It’s been a few weeks since we returned from New Zealand. In fact, we’ve already taken another trip to New York for a long weekend to watch our nieces. I wanted give my thoughts on visiting the country and some advice on those considering a visit.

• New Zealand is not as far as you think it is

Ok, it’s pretty far, but you can get there nonstop from the US which makes it “feel” not so far. There are nonstop flights from LAX, SFO, DFW, IAH and JFK with multiple LAX options. The big three US airlines all fly there plus Air New Zealand (which is a United partner in the Star Alliance). You can also easily combine it with a trip to Australia before or after if you have more time to spend down under which opens up more airline options like Qantas.

• New Zealand is not that expensive

Thanks to a still fairly strong US dollar, your money stretches pretty far in New Zealand. Some things are expensive like gas for your rental car and certain tours and activities, but domestic flights and restaurants usually are cheaper than back home. Lodging will depend on where you are looking and what time of year (and also how fancy you want to get).

• New Zealand has endless things to do

If you like hiking, fishing, boating, sailing, rafting, cycling, and/or camping, New Zealand has some of the best spots in the world for all of these activities. If you prefer sightseeing, museums, cultural activities and/or beaches, there are great places for this in New Zealand as well. I wouldn’t call New Zealand a shopping or foodie paradise, although there are some bargains to be found and good food to be eaten in many places as well.

• Both the North and South Island are worth visiting

We’ve been to both now and loved both for different reasons. Auckland has a lot of museums and great restaurants. From there, it’s easy to get to Rotorua for the volcanic and adventure sights then Waitomo for the glow worm caves and Lake Taupo for hiking and adventure. Wellington is also supposed to be worth a visit although we haven’t made it there yet. In the South, it’s less populated and quieter with the Southern Alps, glaciers and hiking trails. Queenstown is a fun place to visit with lots of adventure sports and mountain views close by. Don’t forget the great wineries throughout the country as well.

• Driving in New Zealand is not as difficult as you think

Whether you rent a car or decide to rent a campervan to act as your moving hotel, the roads are in good shape and there just isn’t that much traffic except in the cities. Driving on the left takes extra concentration and the one-lane bridges can be a bit tricky. Overall though, just stay in your lane and follow the car in front of you and you’ll be fine as most of the roads are just one lane in each direction. It’s worth renting a vehicle to see as much of New Zealand as you can in your time there.

• Using points and miles in New Zealand can be a challenge

In the larger cities like Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown, you can find options from chains like Hyatt, Marriott, IHG, Hilton and Accor. In smaller towns, you won’t find many (if any). New Zealand could be a good opportunity for using gap-filler credits from portals like Delta Stays, Capital One, Citi and others. Domestic flights are cheap enough that it makes sense to pay cash for those.

• New Zealand has fewer tourists than Europe and Japan

While locals sometimes complain about the number of tourists in places like Queenstown and Mount Cook, we really didn’t find it too busy. It could be worse at peak times like summer (December-February) and winter (June-August) depending on which part of the country you visit, but there are plenty of quieter and less touristed places to visit. What are you waiting for? Go to New Zealand!

I hope you enjoyed this trip report. Our next big trip is to Japan in August with our older daughter. I guess I better get going on the planning for that trip!

If you have questions about this post, let me know in the comments or send me an email at emptynestermiles@gmail.com. If you are thinking about opening a new credit card, please use one of my links. I also recommend using CardPointers to track your credit card spending discount offers.