76
1 hour
Ōrewa Beach
Orewa Beach is a long east-facing beach on Auckland’s Hibiscus Coast, around forty kilometres north of the central city.
- Notable
- Nature site
- Auckland
Country guide
Places to visit in New Zealand — page 4
New Zealand runs more than 1,600 kilometres along a north-north-east axis, and its 5,355,150 people as of August 2026 are spread across 263,310 km2 of it. There...
Photograph · Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0
10,806
Places
2Cities
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
New Zealand runs more than 1,600 kilometres along a north-north-east axis, and its 5,355,150 people as of August 2026 are spread across 263,310 km2 of it. There are two main islands and over 700 smaller ones; the Cook Strait between the big two is 22 kilometres across at its narrowest. Auckland is the largest city and where most visitors land, Wellington is the capital and the crossing point south. The South Island carries the Southern Alps, raised by tectonic uplift and volcanism, and its road distances are consistently longer than the map makes them look.
Checked 2026-08-25
Cities
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
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Auckland
Photograph · ChewyPineapple · CC BY-SA 3.0
Auckland 10,100 places -
Queenstown
Photograph · Lawrence Murray from Perth, Australia · CC BY 2.0
Queenstown 706 places
Practical information
- Language spoken
- English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language
- National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
- Dialling code
- +64
- International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
- Currency
- New Zealand dollar (NZD)
- Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
- Emergency number
- 111
- Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
- Plug type
- Type I · 230 V
- Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
- Tap water
- Safe from treated public supplies
- Follow local notices for remote or untreated supplies
Planning a visit
Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.
- January: seasonal closure recorded
- February: seasonal closure recorded
- March: seasonal closure recorded
- April: seasonal closure recorded
- May: seasonal closure recorded
- June: seasonal closure recorded
- July: seasonal closure recorded
- August: seasonal closure recorded
- September: seasonal closure recorded
- October: seasonal closure recorded
- November: seasonal closure recorded — this month
- December: no seasonality data recorded
- Seasonal closure recorded
- No data recorded for this month
- The current month
Top things to see
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
Filter the list
103 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
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77 1 hourTakapuna Beach
Takapuna Beach is a sandy coastal area on Auckland's North Shore, facing the Hauraki Gulf. It serves as a recreational beach for swimming, walking, and general leisure activities.
- Notable
- Nature site
- Auckland
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78 1 hourWaiwera Beach
Waiwera Beach is a coastal stop north of Auckland, beside the small settlement of Waiwera and close to the area’s long association with geothermal bathing.
- Notable
- Nature site
- Auckland
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79 30 minSt Peter's Church
St Peter's Anglican Church
St Peter's Anglican Church is a place of worship in Queenstown, New Zealand, and an identifiable part of the town's community and architectural setting.
- Notable
- Place of worship
- Queenstown
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80 1 hr 30 minKiwi Park
Kiwi Birdlife Park
Kiwi Park is a Queenstown wildlife attraction dedicated to New Zealand’s native fauna, with the kiwi as its central subject.
- Notable
- Family attraction
- Queenstown
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81 1 hr 30 minVector Wero Whitewater Park
Vector Wero Whitewater Park is an artificial whitewater rafting and kayaking facility in Auckland, New Zealand. The park was developed as a purpose-built venue for water sports and adventure activities, offering controlled river conditions for recreational and training purposes.
- Notable
- Family attraction
- Auckland
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82 45 minCommercial Bay
Commercial Bay is a central-city retail and dining complex. The principal reason to include it is its interior public spaces, food venues, shops, and downtown connections.
- Notable
- Market
- Auckland
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83 2 hoursCoronet Peak Ski Area
Coronet Peak Ski Area is a developed, lift-served ski field near Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island. It occupies the slopes of Coronet Peak and offers skiing and snowboarding in an alpine setting.
- Notable
- Entertainment venue
- Queenstown
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84 1 hourEarnslaw Park
Earnslaw Park is a public green space in Queenstown, offering an open-air pause within the town’s busy visitor area.
- Notable
- Nature site
- Queenstown
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Gantley's Tavern 85 2 hoursGantley's Tavern
Gantley's Tavern is a tavern in the Queenstown area, offering a setting for drinks, conversation and a relaxed break from sightseeing.
- Notable
- Nightlife venue
- Queenstown
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86 1 hourGlenorchy Waterfront Reserve
Glenorchy Waterfront Reserve is a scenic public reserve situated at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu in Glenorchy, a small settlement near Queenstown.
- Notable
- Nature site
- Queenstown
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Glenorchy Wharf
Glenorchy Wharf is a historic waterfront structure located at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu, approximately 45 kilometres from Queenstown township.
- Notable
- Historic site
- Queenstown
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88 20 minJacks Point
Jack's Point is a scenic headland and lakeside area south of central Queenstown. It looks across Lake Wakatipu towards the Remarkables and combines open high-country landscape with nearby residential and recreational development.
- Notable
- Viewpoint
- Queenstown
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89 1 hourJardine Park
Jardine Park is a public park in Queenstown, New Zealand. It adds an outdoor, community-focused stop to a destination better known for lake activities, mountain scenery and adventure sports.
- Notable
- Nature site
- Queenstown
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90 1 hourKarekare Beach
Karekare Beach is a wild black-sand beach on Auckland's west coast, located approximately 35 kilometres from the city centre. It sits within the Waitākere Ranges and forms part of the broader Te Henga coastal area.
- Notable
- Nature site
- Auckland
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91 45 minKawarau Bridge Bungy
Kawarau Bridge Bungy is a bungee-jumping attraction at the historic Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown. The suspension bridge spans the Kawarau River gorge and provides the setting for a purpose-built adventure activity.
- Notable
- Historic site
- Queenstown
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92 20 minMaungawhau / Mount Eden
Maungawhau / Mount Eden is Auckland's highest volcanic cone and one of the ancestral Tūpuna Maunga of Tāmaki Makaurau.
- Notable
- Viewpoint
- Auckland
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93 1 hourOnetangi Beach
Onetangi Beach is a coastal destination on Waiheke Island, part of the Auckland region. The beach stretches along the northern coast of the island, facing the Hauraki Gulf.
- Notable
- Nature site
- Auckland
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94 20 minŌrākei Basin
Ōrākei Basin is a tidal estuary located in the Auckland suburb of Ōrākei, on New Zealand's North Island. It forms part of the Waitematā Harbour system and represents a significant geological feature resulting from volcanic and marine processes.
- Notable
- Viewpoint
- Auckland
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95 45 minParadise
Paradise is a rural locality near Queenstown, valued for its pastoral scenery, natural vegetation and mountain outlooks. It offers a strong contrast with the busy town centre: roads, farmland and open country replace concentrated shops and visitor buildings.
- Notable
- Historic site
- Queenstown
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Peregrine Wines 96 45 minPeregrine Wines
Peregrine Wines is a vineyard and winery in the Queenstown visitor region of New Zealand’s South Island. It gives wine-focused travellers a chance to connect Central Otago viticulture with a rural landscape of planted vines, open ground and surrounding hills.
- Notable
- Historic site
- Queenstown
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97 1 hourQ Theatre
Q Theatre is a performing arts venue located in Auckland, New Zealand. It serves as a hub for theatre, dance, and live performance in the city.
- Notable
- Art and culture venue
- Auckland
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98 45 minQueenstown Ice Arena
Queenstown Ice Arena is an indoor recreational venue dedicated to ice skating in Queenstown, New Zealand.
- Notable
- Historic site
- Queenstown
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99 20 minRoaring Meg Lookout
Roaring Meg Lookout is a scenic viewpoint located in the Queenstown region of New Zealand's South Island. The lookout offers visitors panoramic vistas of the surrounding mountainous terrain and valleys characteristic of the Otago landscape.
- Notable
- Viewpoint
- Queenstown
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100 1 hourSculptureum
Sculptureum is an art destination in Auckland's Matakana region, north of the central city. The attraction combines outdoor sculpture gardens with indoor gallery spaces, presenting works by New Zealand and international artists.
- Notable
- Art and culture venue
- Auckland
Common questions
How long should a first trip to New Zealand be?
Two weeks is a sensible minimum for a limited North-and-South-Island combination; ten days is better spent on one island. Auckland works as the largest gateway and Queenstown as a southern base, but scenic roads and ferry or flight transitions make ambitious mileage deceptive.
What entry documents are needed for New Zealand?
Immigration New Zealand determines whether a traveller needs a Visitor Visa, an NZeTA or another permission. Verify the passport, purpose and arrival declaration requirements on its official service before departure; airline check-in is not the place to discover a missing authority.
What is the best way to travel around New Zealand?
Domestic flights link major regions, the Cook Strait ferry joins the islands, and coaches, rental cars or selected scenic trains cover ground routes. Driving is on the left, and rural journey estimates should allow for one-lane bridges, weather and viewpoint stops.
When is a practical time to visit New Zealand?
December to February suits many summer itineraries, while ski travel targets winter and shoulder seasons can be quieter. Alpine weather changes quickly in every season, so plan around the principal hike, pass or ferry rather than relying on one forecast for both islands.
What money and payment basics apply in New Zealand?
New Zealand uses the New Zealand dollar. Cards are routine in towns, but a backup method is prudent for remote fuel, small operators or service outages; confirm whether accommodation, ferry and activity prices include booking or card charges.
What practical safety details should I save for New Zealand?
Dial 111 for police, fire or ambulance; the electrical standard is Type I at 230 V. Treated public tap supplies are recorded as safe, while huts and remote sources need their own posted guidance; carry current road and weather information on long drives.