The best places to visit

For about 4-5 weeks at the end of each year, the center of New Zealand's South Island bursts into color – purple and pink and blue and yellow lupins sprout up along lake sides and in riverbeds in Mackenzie Country, making the already-stunning views even more incredible. Lupins in Wanaka The Ahuriri River Lake Tekapo The story goes that the wife of a local farmer decided the drab center of New Zealand's South Island could use some color. So for years she secretly spread lupin seeds along the roadways and riverbeds each spring; some more embellished versions of the story have her doing so while riding naked on the back of a white stallion. I'm not sure if ANY of that story is true (the naked-on-a-white-stallion part definitely isn't), but there's no denying that the Russell lupins DO add a pop of color to countryside that is otherwise a bit colorless. The ironic part? The Russell lupin is actually considered an invasive species by New Zealand...

“The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead, and the Dead keep it…” I'll admit it: I'm a huge “Lord of the Rings” fan. It was actually the “Lord of the Rings” film trilogy that inspired me to go to New Zealand for the first time. The gorgeous, eerie and plain amazing landscapes used in the films made me drool. And when I realized it was all filmed in one little country in the South Pacific… well I knew I had to get there. I had to visit Middle-Earth. My first trip to New Zealand had me visiting places like Hobbiton, Edoras and Mordor – all the memorable spots used to film “Lord of the Rings” that could be recognized without elaborate sets or costumed characters. But, the second time I was in New Zealand, I ended up stumbling upon filming locations that I didn't even know about completely by accident. Like the Paths of the Dead . The Putangirua Pinnacles It was the day after my birthday, and fellow stud...

When talking and writing about New Zealand, I usually list Wellington as my favorite city, Queenstown as the “most fun” city, and places like Rotorua and Mount Cook and Milford Sound as must-visits. But what about Auckland? people ask. Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, and usually the city most international visitors will find themselves in first. And while I've often overlooked Auckland in the past, the truth is that it's still a really cool city with lots of things to see and do. If you're visiting New Zealand for the very first time, here are the things you should definitely do on your first trip to Auckland. The best things to do in Auckland Get a view from the Sky Tower You can't miss the Sky Tower in Auckland's skyline. Just like the CN Tower in Toronto and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Auckland, too, has a famous tower in its skyline: the Sky Tower. Used for both telecommunications and tourism, the Sky Tower rises an impressive 328 meters (107...

I've had an ongoing love affair with the city of Wellington, New Zealand, for the better part of 10 years. I got butterflies when visiting the city for the first time in 2005, and fell head over heels three years later when I moved to the city for 5 months during university. I still list Wellington as one of my favorite cities anywhere in the world – and that's saying something, considering how many awesome cities I've visited! One thing that I love most about Wellington is how much character it has, from it's colorful harbor to its steep streets to its mix of culture. All of these combine to create a city that I not only love to visit, but that I also love to photograph. So today I thought I'd share some of my favorite spots in Wellington to get great photos, whether you're looking for Instagrammable spots or just spots that are really photogenic. The most Instagrammable spots in Wellington Oriental Bay Oriental Bay is the spot where the first stirrings ...