Trips from Auckland? Hobbiton?

[Hillsaremyhappyplace]

We are visiting in July and have a couple of days free. I’d like to visit Hobbiton. Is it worth it? I love LOTR and the Hobbit! Not keen on big drives (especially as we’ll be only a couple of days off a flight from the UK) so we’d maybe do an organised bus trip from Auckland.

Anywhere else we should go from Auckland? Must sees? Manageable in a day?

We plan a proper visit to NZ at a better time of year but this year we’re stuck with July. We’re heading up to Queensland straight after 6 days in Auckland. It’s a family visit. Flights all booked.

Thanks!

Hopeful bump!

Hobbiton is brilliant- so worth it! I think it takes closer to 2 hours from Auckland.
Auckland isn’t overly exciting. The sky tower and zoo are both good. There are also boat trips, some brilliant restaurants and a couple of good museums and galleries.
How long do you have? You could consider a night or two in Rotorua.

The Hobbiton bus tours are great - definitely worth it. I also recommend a day trip to the Coromandel peninsula. Closer, there’s a nice little ferry ride to Devonport from Auckland Harbour & another to Waiheke Island. Devonport is a sweet village with a few nice shops to potter round & lovely little beaches. Waiheke is bigger & has several vineyards.

Hi, thanks! I’m very excited about Hobbiton! In terms of timing, we arrive off long haul from the UK at 2am on the Friday so that day will be a wipeout. We then have Saturday- Wednesday inclusive, so 5 days. We’ll want to hang out in Auckland as that is where our son lives. Meet his friends, see his local haunts. He’ll be working so we’ll do Hobbiton on the Sunday. Saturday will be Auckland. So that leaves us maybe one or two more days for trips. My husband will prefer to do less rather than more! It’s also July so the weather won’t be great.

We are planning another trip at some point when the weather will be better but we’re stuck with July this time.

Piha beach is a good short trip too, it’s the black sand beach that featured in The Piano, it is stunning & a short drive from Auckland . The minibus companies that do the hobbiton tours also do a half day trip there.

We had a great time at Hobbiton. Some other ideas:
Waiheke island
Devonport

Thanks so much, these sound great. I think we’ll do Hobbiton with my son on the Sunday then go to Devonport/Waiheke or Piha another day when he’s working. I do quite like the look of Rotarua as it’s very different back home (Scotland!)