With another week in the book and my time in Rotorua completed, it was time to move onward to the next destination, positioned in a few different spots, with the main activity visiting and doing a night tour at the world-famous Hobbiton. But, before commencing with the tour, I was tasked with finding some things to do to pass the time, as I had about a 5-day wait. Luckily, I came across some cool spots that may have otherwise passed if I didn’t have such a wait time and love for everyone who reads this to experience them too.
With Hobbiton being close to Hamilton, my route was to circle the surrounding area as much as possible, and where I landed first was at McLaren Falls, just a short 1 hr drive from Tauranga. Being a short trek, with the entire circuit 1 hr in total, what you can witness is quite beautiful given the size, making it easy to get lost in if you want to. With the fall itself being tiny, the glistening sun shines down on beautiful forestry, where the fall sits, making for a reasonably photogenic spot for those intending to take as many pictures as possible.
(McLaren Falls)
The walk leading up to the fall is met with a stroll along the beautiful lakeside, where various hillsides and paths wind you to different parts of the park, ultimately getting you up to the top of the hill. The view once you arrive at the top is defiantly sceptical, where you are met with Terrence-like crevasses that weave among the landscape and the beautiful and lush greenery of said landscape stands out like a painting, as the sunshine emphasises the prettiness of the countryside as you can see the hidden cars race through.
(Picnic spot at the top of the hill)
After spending the night in Tauranga, a cool place I would recommend visiting while in the area, is Papamoa Hills Regional Park. The walk is about a 10-minute drive from Tauranga city centre and is a little more challenging than McLaren Falls, but a moderate walk with slight hill climbs, flattening out once you reach the top of the hill. The walk starts with a moderately steep hill climb, as previously mentioned, that goes for about 500 meters in a snake-like direction, and then you’ll reach a gate at a crossroads, which leads you in different directions but is a lovely rest point.
(The top of Papamoa Hills Regional Park)
Once you have reached this point of the walk you will keep ascending with the path straight ahead, slightly zig-zagging, until you’ll reach the summit point, where you behold some unreal scenery that looks across the entire city and ocean on one side and countryside on the other. The sights you get are incredible once completed. While not as exciting as some of the other walks I’ve done in the north island, I’d recommend it for those looking to do something in Tauranga for an activity to start the day or a leisurely afternoon walk to kill some time if you have a couple of days to spare.
On that same day, I also went and walked Mount Maunganui. However, for the purpose of this blog, I won’t discuss the mountain too much, as it has already been discussed. I will say it is lovely and offers quite a view of the sea, and it is a must-do attraction if you visit Tauranga.
Next up on my procrastination list was checking out this adorable, kid-friendly garden called Te Puna Quarry Park. It’s just a quick 35-minute drive from Tauranga. This old quarry got a cool makeover, mixing the old with the new. Right when you get there, you’ll spot an old crane and some remnants of the machinery shed. You can even climb inside the crane and mess around, which is super fun to see and do.
(Te Puna Quarry Crain: Start of the Walk)
The walk takes about an hour around the park, packed with gardens, handmade stuff, and animals like crocodiles and ants. There’s even a musical garden made from old pipes and a nice spot to sit and enjoy the view. It’s a cool little area with all sorts of activities for everyone, making it a great quick stop to do something fun.
The last little activity I managed to squeeze in just before my date with the little hobbits was visiting the Te Waihou Walkway. More so on the touristic side of the spectrum, this place is still as beautiful as ever, a must-see in your New Zealand backpacking adventure. The entire process is a 3 hr return walk, but what a walk it is. The crystal-clear water mixed with the different colours of the shrubbery, the surrounding forest and lush plants make this a natural wonder that is awe-inspiring and one for the photo album
And then, it finally came to the day that I went to Hobbiton. An activity I had waited for is now here. For my trip, I decided to do the full experience, which has a big conglomerate of food and drink, staying in the true spirit of the LOTR series, built specifically for the area. It is a little more expensive, at $199 (now $230), though so worth it. From roast chicken to lamb legs, sausages and pumpkins, this dinner is like no other, and I highly recommend it to anyone (which is most of you who have seen the films) interested in visiting Hobbiton.
(The Hobbiton feast will not disappoint you)
But wait, there’s more! You’ve got to save some room for dessert because it’s the perfect way to wrap up this amazing dinner. Packed with cakes, pavlova, and ice cream, you’re going to leave feeling satisfied with the whole experience in this charming little village.
(An amazing dessert to finish off the dinner)
If you are road-tripping around New Zealand and looking for a place to stay close by, check out Brock’s Place, a 2.5km drive from Hobbiton. If you do either the night or day tours, they will provide transportation to the village, while the tour company can drop you off once the night (or day) is over. For just $8 a night, the views from their farm property are excellent and worth a visit for a cheap and convenient campsite stay.
Week 3 was packed with fun and exciting stuff, and it didn’t stop there—it rolled right into the next week when I headed down to Taupo. Don’t miss my next blog when it drops!
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