So I'm going to New Zealand. What should I do?

North Island is about the same Latitude as California, the weather gets cooler and cooler the further south. I enjoyed the far North of North Island with the Islands and the history of the long boat people who are originally the Hawaiins after they traveled by boat North East. You can take a sail boat around the islands, drive through the forests, visit the hot springs, and see a sheep shearing and sheep dog demonstration. You can also travel to the southern area of North Island and visit the Wiatoma caves with the glow worms and see the active volcano they ski on in the winter.

South Island is truely scenic and reknown for the hiking, Fiords and beautiful cities. Have fun, the people are so very friendly and the American $$ has a good rate of exchange. if you rent a car and drive, they drive on the "other" side and also the steering wheel is on the right side of the car and gasoline is VERY expensive compared to the U.S.

Lucky you.........Hope you are not doing a short trip, you need to spend time, it is a large area.

The harbour-side city of Auckland is New Zealand's correct city and the vivid financial center of the country, know it with hotelbye . Auckland can also be called the "City of Sails" and it sprawls out in helter-skelter style between Manukau Harbour (to the west) and Waitemata Harbour (to the east) with the lightweight central city section proper beside the waterway. For most visitors to New Zealand, Auckland is the point of birth, and a few days washing up the national and outside attractions here should be on every tourist's to-do list. The monuments, museums, and artwork galleries listed here are a few of the best in the country. The suburban coastline of the city is speckled with fine beaches, and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf supply a style of New Zealand's spectacular national park scenery right on the city's doorstep. Auckland is definitely a town worth seeing.

I used to live in Auckland, and would have to say that one of the best things I did when I lived there was take a drive around the East Cape, from Tauranga to Gisbourne. If you're a surfer, there are some great placed to stop, but even if you're not there are some really awesome views to be had. Just make sure to rent a car that's fun to drive around twisty roads.

What's your nationality?

You'll most likely need a visitors visa and permit. A visa allows you to visit the country--essentially gets you to the border. A permit allows you to stay for a period of time. Citizens of certain countries get an automatic 3 months visitor's visa (UK citizens get 6 months).

You'll need to have proof of your return (home) tickets, as well as enough money to support yourself while you're visiting NZ. When you leave, you'll have to pay a departure tax before you board the aircraft.

Check out the newzealand.com website and decide where you want to go, what you're interested in doing and seeing...

Get your passport in order, buy your tickets, and be sure to read and fill in both sides of your arrival card--and sign it--before you get to the Customs arrival hall. Be truthful and polite to Customs and MAF officers.

Pack light and be prepared to be gobsmacked!

See you when you get here. Bon voyage.

it gets really cold in the south island (wellington) and hot in the north island (auckland)

buy a plane ticket and get a passport

learn all you can about rugby, the locals will appreciate it

get to like sheep