It was a chilly and rainy day when we visited the Botanic Garden…read more The visitor center was our starting point, a bright and modern building with a well designed exhibits about the garden, history and more. A gift shop, busy cafe and clean bathrooms were also inside but most importantly warm. The conservatory was closed but the rest of the expansive garden was open and a helpful map displayed the highlights and walking path to explore during the autumn season. The paths were a combination of asphalt and gravel. While the gardens were in its autumnal colors we couldn't fully escape the sounds of the city with helicopters flying overhead to and from the nearby hospital. We ended our walk at the Peacock Fountain and caught the tail end of its water show. While we did not get to see many blooms, it was still a beautiful place to explore and would come back again on another visit to Christchurch.

Amazing with so many lovely flowers.. Rose garden is an absolute must…read more Enjoy the eatery's with excellent food ( sandwiches - Ruben almost like New York). Free entry but parking on weekends is difficult

Loved this local gem in Christchurch…read more Mona Vale was renamed by Annie Quayle Townend after her mother's house in Tasmania. Annie inherited one million pounds as the sole surviving child in her family. This made her the richest independent woman in 1905. Mona Vale was originally called Karewa when it was built in 1899-1900. Townend added the gatehouse, more land and gardens and a Fernery to the property. Ferneries are quite popular in New Zealand. After her death, the property went through several owners including the Church of Later Day Saints. When the church tried to sell the property to a private developer, there was a major public outcry. Community fundraising helped to turn the homestead into a beautiful public park and gardens open for all to enjoy. Our guide, Scotty dropped us off at the Fendalton Road gatehouse. So nice to able to walk along the Avon River enjoying the weeping willows and the agapanthus until we reached the rose garden. The rose garden is gorgeous. Love all the different varieties. Also interesting to visit the Fernery which seem to be quite popular in New Zealand. So many different varieties of huge ferns. Loved seeing the purple cardoon, artichoke thistle, and large yellow garden dahlias. A beautiful walk though the park in Christchurch,

What a beautiful garden. We only saw just a little bit of it as our guide wanted to show us the…read morefernery. It really is a greenhouse full of ferns. The gardens right outside are gorgeous. The tulips were in full bloom and amazing. They were nearly the size of my hand. I would have loved to have taken a picnic or have afternoon tea in the Gardens. Christ church is full of many beautiful parks and this is certainly one.

Unfortunately, the main museum was closed for renovation when I was there, so there's just a small…read morepop-up museum at 66 Gloucester Street in the meantime. Given the quality of the exhibits in the pop-up version, i was even more disappointed to miss the main museum! From the suit of armor stove to the full scale replica of a Maori meetinghouse made from yarn, this was a delightful stop!

I really enjoyed this small local museum in Christchurch…read more After arriving in town way too early in the morning, and wandering the neighboring botanical gardens, I entered the museum right as it opened. Opened in 1870, this elegant building was designed by B W Mountfort. Constructed of local grey basalt with rhyolite facings. Throughout time there have been several additions. But the main entrance still holds its stature. The Decorative Arts room was my favorite. As I stood in the doorway in awe of the rich dark carved wood, wood floor, and chandelier, an employee told me I was standing in the original main hall of the museum. As they are currently starting a remodel, I turned to him and said, "I hope they leave this room alone. It is simply gorgeous." It is true piece of time and craftsmanship. Some of the galleries were already closed while there. I did visit - Haast's collection of moa bones. This was one giant bird. Roman, Etruscan and Egyptian antiquities. Sculptures and bronze ornaments from the London International Exhibition of 1871. The Oldman Collection of Polynesian and Maori Artifacts. Fred and Myrtle's Paua Shell House. That was an interesting story. The museum has a great colonial collections of clothing, furniture, household items, stamps, artworks, architectural plans, maps, photographs, diaries, personal papers and publications. It even replicated a colonial street of shops full of wares. Nice touch. Allow a couple of hours Afterwards head to The Arts Centre. (Check that review) The world's largest collection of Moa bones

Jellie Park is an incredible recreation center in the heart of Ilam. With plenty of acres of land,…read moreJellie Park has room for an indoor and outdoor pool area complete with a separate diving pool and multiple slides as well as an intense training center and plenty of recreation fields. Parking is a bit of an issue as the lot is small (there is overflow during the dry summer months). Jellie Park is a great way to get out, be social or get fit as there are exercise classes, swim lessons or space to just lay out and enjoy the sunshine. Recently they held the Weet-Bix TRYathalon for over 2200 kids (with families camped out in support) and the grounds were more than capable to handle the crowd. I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Jellie Park!

If you visit the South Island Arthur's Pass NP might not be top of your list ( most people hike the…read moreMilford, Routeburn etc) but this is a must imho. Gorgeous Spectacular Waterfall and great hike up a canyon that will reward you with views. Highly recommend

As pit-stop on our journey to Mt. Cook, we stayed in the Arthur's Pass Alpine Motel for the…read moreevening, allowing us the opportunity to try some nearby hikes. We tried out the Devil's Punchbowl and a bit of the Alpine Treeline Hike. The Devil's Punchbowl trail was well marked, with assistance including stairs, bridges, and railings to traverse through the forest. The route took about 30mins to arrive at the waterfall, including steep up and downhill terrain. The view of the waterfall was worth the trek, as we were deep in the forest surrounded by unique trees. On the way back, we noticed a side trail, marked Alpine Treeline Hike, heading upward on the hill, but no marking indications of the length. We decided to give it a try, but about 15mins in found ourselves turning around. The hike was straight uphill. As we got further up the mountain the scaling of the mountain got trickier; we decided to turn around-later researched the trail..turns out it leads to the very very very top of the mountain (a 5hr hike), which required a lot of experience; glad we gave up early. Overall, a pleasant hike; well-enjoyed as a pit-stop, wouldn't have wanted to stay longer in the area, as it seemed a lot of the trails overlapped views-and the town has very little in terms of gas, restaurants, and general amenities.

Ahhh the beach. So relaxing, peaceful. Seriously who doesn't love the beach?? I guess unless you're…read morea shark attack survivor or just don't like sun, or in that case leaving your house then well.. Sunday at the beach isn't for you. Waikuku beach. Sounds like a beach you would visit in Hawaii. This beach is only 30 minutes north of Christchurch. I was told it's a little less crowded than a few of the other beaches that are local and it's true. But I loved the activity on the beach. Kids playing. Kicking soccer balls, throwing frisbees. Dogs running around. There were sand sculptures/castles all down the beach. Some guy ran up and jumped on the head of the giant sand dog that was near us.. Ok.. But It felt nice to see a beach that was alive. I'm used to California beaches with all you girls laying out, waiting for that glow, taking selfies for an hour and then leaving. No offence ladies, I do miss your 3x too small bikinis prancing around trying not to get touched by the water while you take a pic "in" the water. Hahaha.. But there's still a little bit of that going on her too.. That's every beach. It's in y'alls DNA lol It's a pretty big beach. Lots of space to spread out. The water is of course cold. Can't all be like Hawaii. And the best parts... 1- you can drink on beaches in New Zealand! 2- parking here is everywhere! My Cali friends know the struggle.. It's about a 2 minute walk through a small forest from holiday park and the free parking to get onto the beach. I love this beach. I'll be back

Great tracks that link fairly well. Backdoor was the favourite.read more