New Zealand Bucket List: North Island

New Zealand is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. I took a two week trip there last December and spent a week on the North Island. I've included some must-dos from that time below:

Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing : This is considered one of the top 10 single day treks in the world! It is a 12 mile point to point hike across dramatic volcanic landscape. You'll see Mount Doom from Lord of the Rings along the way. I was impressed with the number of bathrooms set up along the trail - definitely helpful when you're hiking for so long!

Visit the Shire: The Lord of the Rings series was filmed in New Zealand and you can visit the movie set of The Shire! There are so many cute little details you'll see walking through Frodo and Bilbo's neighborhood. The tour lasts 1-2 hours. You'll also learn fun stories from filming along the way!

Visit the wine region: New Zealand is known for their wine, and no trip to the North Island is complete without visiting some of their wineries! Marlborough and Hawke's Bay are two regions to consider for your trip. I recommend taking a bike tour so you can visit multiple wineries at one time and make an afternoon of it!

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