A few months after we moved to New Zealand, I called to reserve a beachfront campsite for the weekend. I was calling on Friday morning and wondered if any spaces were available. The person who answered the phone actually laughed. “Just rock on up, darling,” she told me. “It won’t be a problem.” She was right: we shared the huge beautiful beachfront with just two other tents that sunny weekend.
One of the best parts about working in New Zealand, we’ve learned, is just how easy it is to experience so much of the country when you’re not working.
New Zealand has a fairly small land area so most places are within easy long-weekend distance. There aren’t very many people here, so traffic is rarely an issue and those beachfront campsites (or a good hotel room) are almost always available. Without a massive highway system like the ones I’m used to in the U.S., we travel on small (and generally well-maintained) roads through gorgeous scenery and towns where I’m tempted to stop for coffee and cake.
With his job at the hospital, Matt works just one weekend per month and gets six weeks of vacation each year (which I think is standard for doctors in New Zealand) and extra days off if he happens to be scheduled on a holiday. At least once a month, he gets a three- or four-day weekend. This all adds up to plenty of time for some good excursions.
A few of our favourites:
One of the best parts about working in New Zealand, we’ve learned, is just how easy it is to experience so much of the country when you’re not working.
New Zealand has a fairly small land area so most places are within easy long-weekend distance. There aren’t very many people here, so traffic is rarely an issue and those beachfront campsites (or a good hotel room) are almost always available. Without a massive highway system like the ones I’m used to in the U.S., we travel on small (and generally well-maintained) roads through gorgeous scenery and towns where I’m tempted to stop for coffee and cake.
With his job at the hospital, Matt works just one weekend per month and gets six weeks of vacation each year (which I think is standard for doctors in New Zealand) and extra days off if he happens to be scheduled on a holiday. At least once a month, he gets a three- or four-day weekend. This all adds up to plenty of time for some good excursions.
A few of our favourites:
Gorgeous beaches in the Coromandel peninsula. The Coromandel peninsula, where we live, is lined by rocky shores and sandy beaches that are perfect for day trips or a laid-back long weekend. In the cooler winter months, we found spectacular hiking trails by the shore. Now that summer is really underway, it seems that everyone I meet is whispering a suggestion for their favorite swimming beach up the peninsula. From the well-known tourist spots to these quieter little corners, I’ve never been disappointed. (I wrote a few articles about beaches and sights in this region . . . check out Hot Water Beach, Cathedral Cove and the rugged northern Coromandel if you’re interested!)
Baby seals and snow-capped peaks in Kaikoura. We were at a dinner party when one of Matt’s colleagues told us about a trail in Kaikoura that leads to a waterfall pool where baby seals play while their mothers go out to sea. By breakfast the next morning, we’d found a cheap flight and planned one of my favorite weekends in New Zealand. Baby seals frolicking under a waterfall? They were every bit as adorable as you’d imagine. Sleepy adult seals lounging by the water, awe-inspiring whales and a really, really big albatross were amazing, too. The peninsula trail along Kaikoura’s sea cliffs was so breathtaking that we did it twice.
Art deco style and wine in Napier. We saved our visit to Napier for the middle of winter, thinking we’d be able to enjoy the city’s famed food, wine and Art Deco architecture even if it rained. But the weather was amazing and our trip felt like a wellness retreat. We spent a day cycling on the seemingly-endless beachfront trails, soaked in hot pools by the shore, strolled around town on the fascinating architecture tour, bought bags of sweet oranges fresh off the tree and sat in the sun tasting wine and hearing from the winemaker about why this region is so special. The mid-winter timing meant we could rent a waterfront apartment for a great price and wake up to the sound of waves.
A view above the clouds in Taranaki. When Matt started looking into finding a job as a doctor in New Zealand, he talked to his friend Sam who had come to New Zealand a few months earlier and recommended Hospital Staff Solutions. After we’d settled in to our new home, we packed up the car for a road trip across the North Island to visit Sam and his wife in New Plymouth. The best part of the weekend (apart from the excellent company) was a hike on Taranaki, a mountain I can only describe as majestic. We started out walking through lush sub-tropical forest in a light fog and continued up the mountain until we found ourselves staring into bright blue skies and looking down at quick-moving white clouds.
Art and city life in Auckland and Tauranga. While we’re loving the experience of living in our tiny coastal town, there are times when I miss the energy of city life. When those moments strike, we get in the car and head to Auckland or Tauranga, both lively cities about an hour and a half from here. We can check out an art museum, do a little shopping, eat some type of food we’ve been missing and then happily return to our peaceful little home. In true New Zealand style, these cities both boast their share of great beaches, fabulous farmers’ markets and beautiful green space.
You know, I could go on and on about fun travels in NZ: We had a great time exploring the Kauri Coast north of Auckland, loved the bubbling geothermal sights of Rotorura, can’t wait to go back to Wanaka, and were in awe of Aoraki Mt. Cook. My friends visiting from Chicago loved taking the Interislander ferry to the South Island and spending a few days in Marlborough.
You can check out the links from Hospital Staff Solution’s great regional listings or browse around NewZealand.com for inspiration. I love browsing Book a Bach to see cottages or little vacation apartments for rent and like to check out Grab a Seat for cheap airfare within New Zealand.
Happy planning!
Up next: Exploring the South Pacific!
Tara Kennon is an American writer living and working in New Zealand’s beautiful Coromandel peninsula. While she interviews macadamia farmers and attempts to learn proper British spelling, her partner Matt is learning the ins and outs of New Zealand’s healthcare system as an emergency physician in a regional rural hospital. This series shares an on-the-ground perspective of their journey from Chicago to this gorgeous little corner of the Southern Hemisphere.
You know, I could go on and on about fun travels in NZ: We had a great time exploring the Kauri Coast north of Auckland, loved the bubbling geothermal sights of Rotorura, can’t wait to go back to Wanaka, and were in awe of Aoraki Mt. Cook. My friends visiting from Chicago loved taking the Interislander ferry to the South Island and spending a few days in Marlborough.
You can check out the links from Hospital Staff Solution’s great regional listings or browse around NewZealand.com for inspiration. I love browsing Book a Bach to see cottages or little vacation apartments for rent and like to check out Grab a Seat for cheap airfare within New Zealand.
Happy planning!
Up next: Exploring the South Pacific!
Tara Kennon is an American writer living and working in New Zealand’s beautiful Coromandel peninsula. While she interviews macadamia farmers and attempts to learn proper British spelling, her partner Matt is learning the ins and outs of New Zealand’s healthcare system as an emergency physician in a regional rural hospital. This series shares an on-the-ground perspective of their journey from Chicago to this gorgeous little corner of the Southern Hemisphere.
