If you’ve ever dreamed about tasting and drinking your way around a country as beautiful as New Zealand, it’s time to make that dream a reality. Surrounded by the breathtaking natural beauty, you can eat and drink to your heart’s content on some of the best retreats in the world. Discover New Zealand one bite and one sip at a time with these best food and wine experiences.
1. Waiheke Island
If you love wine, come to the island of wine. Waiheke Island has gorgeous vineyards and is just a short ferry ride from Auckland. This is the perfect place to drink wine in paradise!
2. Classic New Zealand Wine Trail
What’s great about this experience is that you can ride a bike through the vines or allow a chauffeur to drive you. Enjoy tasting in the cellar and spectacular vineyard restaurants for a romantic way to spend the day.
3. Traditional Maori Roast
When in New Zealand, you simply must take a bite of Maori culture. There’s no better way to do this than to attend a Māori hāngī, which means “roast dinner.” It’s an indigenous adventure that includes traditional cultural performances to enhance the experience.
4. Catch of the Day
A coastal country, New Zealand is bursting with fresh seafood specialties. If you love seafood, you’ll want to indulge in the items you won’t find anywhere else, like green mussels for example. Each city has its own seafood delicacy it seems so be sure to sample them as you come through.
5. Wineries in Auckland and Beyond
If the Classic Wine Trail or Waiheke Island are out of your reach, there are still plenty of other vineyard options for the wine enthusiast that are easy to access from both Auckland and Queenstown. Close to Queenstown, you’ll find the wine region of Central Otago. Try the world famous pinot noir here and you won’t be disappointed.
6. Craft Beer Phenomenon
It seems that craft beer has taken the whole world by storm. If wine isn’t your thing, check out the craft beer boom in New Zealand. Tour one of the many microbreweries in Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch, to name a few. If you love Lord of the Rings, you can take a visit to Matamata for a Hobbiton movie set tour and grab a specialty brew of ale at the Green Dragon Inn on set. Talk about a bucket list item!
With so much to see, drink and eat, New Zealand is a paradise of pleasures awaiting to delight you. Be sure to arrange for a luxurious place to stay while in New Zealand at one of the Millennium Hotels so you can truly enjoy your visit to the fullest.
