Visiting Roar fans to Welly Feb 2012

 

A trip on the Interislander Ferry to picton on a nice day is a pretty good trip (around $60) return. If the weather is sh*te avoid it though, but then again the weather is never crap in Wgtn.

 

Te Papa Muesem in Wellington City is good for half a day or so.

 

Plenty of trips available around Wellington Coasts - seals and that sort of thing

 

The "Weta Cave" (peter Jacksons Lord of the Rings Muesem tjhing about 10 mins from city centre good for a few hours.

 

And of course there is just a few good Pubs around Wellington City.

 

Just a few to get things started mate.

 

Good luck against the Bling this weekend.. we could do with you guys givin them a right royal slapping for us.

 

 

 

Good recommendations from Jeff. The Interislander trip is highly recommended. The Marlborough sounds are stunning, and Lonely planet and other guides rate the Interislander as one of the best ferry rides in the world. The only caution is that if you get rough weather then the Cook Strait part of the trip can be "a little willing". From Picton there's a million great things you can do - fishing charters, vineyards, walking and kayaking treks etc.

 

Re. the Wairarapa Day trip. I highly recommend that. Personally I really like exploring New Zealand, and while I do rate the wine trail and other touristy type attractions in the Wairarapa, personally I think the following is a freakin' fantastic day out:

 

 

Wellington - Featherston is notjust  your normal drive over a hill. It's not the grand canyon or anything, but my mate from Adelaide was impressed enough to video the return ascent of the Rimutaka Hill Road in the rain to show his friends back home.

The drive down the Western Lake road is (in my opinion) really nice, and the final part down the western side of Lake Onoke to Ocean Beach is a bit that many people have never done, and the scenery is SPECTACULAR. You can drive a long way along the beach road. The bachs there are quite the site, and if you are lucky enough to get a day where the wind is really pumping you're in for a treat.

 

You then return up to the East-West Access Road and nip across the the eastern side of Lake Onoke and down to the Lake Ferry Pub for lunch. I recommend their seafood chowder. It's superb. If any of your mates surf, there's a good break at the mouth of Lake Onoke.

 

Then the trip down to Cape Palliser. Again, it's just spectacular scenery, and Ngawi (almost at Caper Palliser) is a highlight, with one of the largest collections of bulldozers I've ever seen - and I used to work for a company that held the world record for the largest private fleet of Caterpillar earthmoving equipment! The pink one, called Tinky Winky, always makes me giggle.

 

Cape Palliser lighthouse is WELL worth the climb up the steps. If it is a fine day you get great views all the way across to the Kaikoura ranges in the South Island.

 

And a return via Martinborough allows for some wine, beer and good food before the hop back to Wellington.

It's a great full day day trip.

 

If you want a guide, I am happy to be the designated driver. How many reinforcements are you bringing with you?

If you ever get to do a few days north of Auckland, I reccommend the Matakohe Kauri Museum, in Matakohe, Northland. It's astonishingly good. And if you follow it up with a visit to Tane Mahuta and Te Matua Ngahere in the Waipoua State Forrest (one of NEw Zealand's best road trips) you get the amazing contrast of the Museum followed by the biggest living Kauri trees. It rocks.

 

And you end up at the South head of Hokianga Harbour, my favourit place to stand in all of New Zealand.

 

Another great day trip: 

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Auckland,+New+Zealand&daddr=-36.72013,174.43638+to:-36.52072,174.4488+to:-36.09702,174.43067+to:Matakohe,+Northland,+New+Zealand+to:-36.12865,174.03598+to:-35.950991,173.8477119+to:-35.8648618,173.7704531+to:KAI+IWI+lakes,+northland,+new+zealand+to:T%C4%81ne+Mahuta,+Waipoua+Forest,+Northland,+New+Zealand+to:Opononi,+Northland,+New+Zealand&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=-36.857648,174.79763&spn=0.140648,0.308647&sll=-36.130388,174.443665&sspn=0.141975,0.308647&geocode=FbS8zf0dRK1qCin75pxa-0cNbTEXmaJDYe8ABQ%3BFf6xz_0dHLBlCilxMEpwHg4NbTGRx4YGYe8AEw%3BFfC80v0doOBlCikNBxy-Jx0NbTGwXoUGYe8AEw%3BFQQ02f0dzpllCilBoiKWe40MbTFhfBkHYe8AEw%3BFQjF2P0d2uNhCinj2ujT9F0MbTEAwKJDYe8ABQ%3BFXa42P0dDJRfCiknb5H_cUIMbTHxeYQGYe8AEw%3BFXFu2_0dn7RcCimFv_onHhIMbTFAKIQGYe8AEw%3BFeO-3P0d1YZbCilfynHbZw8MbTEAqAEHYe8AEw%3BFf6P3f0dln9ZCilDViPbCgEMbTGk7Z_rS_0NTg%3BFU_I4P0dGtRXCiGufUZ1xFn-fA%3BFUM84v0d8LtVCintO4ALtEQJbTEAtaJDYe8ABQ&vpsrc=6&mra=dpe&mrsp=3&sz=12&via=1,2,3,5,6,7&t=m&z=12

 

Real beer I mean, not the mass produced sugar water the big breweries call beer. Craft beers. Ones with flavour.

 

Wellington is home to a vibrant and flourishing craft beer scene. You could do a craft beer tour... happy to give some ideas if that appeals.