Free Travel Newsletter : March 2018
Written by Steph Kendall
Brought to you by New Zealand Tourism Guide www.tourism.net.nz.
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When you're planning a trip, the huge choices around what actually to do can seem overwhelming. And although every month, we pick out some of the events and activities hitting the headlines, there are plenty more to discover. If you're an aviation enthusiast, travelling with young children, interested in 'New Zealand-firsts', a sports lover or even a puppet lover, we've got you covered again... But this month we're also steering you towards information that can help you pinpoint activities akin to your personal interests and tastes.
Travelling for many of us is about trying a new experience though. So do try something new and….and tell us how it went by sharing your story and pictures with us!
Read more about:
- Warbirds Over Wanaka
- Children's Discovery Trail
- Body Worlds
- Christchurch Casino Golden Oldies Sports Celebration 2018
- Jim Henson Restropectacle
- Bluff Oyster and Food Festival 2019
- Experience New Zealand Your Way!
- New Zealand Fast Facts
Warbirds Over Wanaka
Location: Wanaka Airport, Wanaka
Date: 30 March - 1 April
For three days over Easter, Wanaka becomes the centre-stage of a world-famous Warbirds Airshow. Some of the most famous Warbirds join forces with aircraft of yesteryear. This year is the airshow's 30th anniversary and features ground and flying programs including:
- Warbird, civil and military aircraft practice displays
- Ground exhibits including aircraft for sale, static aircraft displays, aviation trade stands, market stalls and food and beverages.
- Free lakeside air show featuring helicopter displays with the RNZAF and the Hiller. A 'moose' act, the RNZAF Hercules, the Warhorse 25 pounders, the mighty Catalina Flying Boat lake landings and more.
- The two-day flying programme showcases iconic Warbird aircraft plus more modern military machines, aerobatics, skydiving and sport aircraft backed by world-class pyrotechnics.
Children's Discovery Trail
Location: Hamilton Gardens, Cobham Drive, SH1, Hamilton, Waikato
Date: 30 March - 1 April
A perfect place to explore with younger children. The Hamilton Gardens Discovery Trail will take you and your children on a journey where you can explore an enchanting world of secret-themed gardens together.
Behind every door, there is a magical story and a portal through time to far-flung corners of the world. Explore a lush tropical garden, mystical ancient China or let imaginations run loose in the Renaissance Prince's 16th-century garden.
A free Discovery Trail sheet (in both English and Mandarin) is available from the Hamilton Gardens' website to help you find where the bees, hens and woodland critters are hiding.
Body Worlds
Location: Hilton Auckland, Princes, Wharf, Auckland
Date: 23 April - 13 July
Body Worlds, the highly anticipated and internationally-acclaimed original exhibition of real human bodies, is arriving in New Zealand. Visited by over 45 million people worldwide, the exhibition takes you on an intricate journey of the workings of the human body, through an authentic, visual display of over 150 donated specimens.
The human bodies and body parts, donated for the benefit of public education - have gone through a meticulous year long process of plastination, and visually demonstrate the complexity, resilience and vulnerability of the human body in distress, disease and optimal health.
Frequently described as a "life changing experience", visitors can expect to leave with an understanding of the human body, like never before. The New Zealand tour specifically focuses on contemporary diseases and ailments and how everyday lifestyle choices can improve health and wellness, to live with vitality.
Christchurch Casino Golden Oldies Sports Celebration 2018
Location: Various in Christchurch, Canterbury
Date: April 2018
This is a sporting extravaganza with a difference. Spread across 10 sports the Golden Oldies movement (which had its origins in New Zealand in 1979) has captured a special niche on the sporting scene, catering for over-35s with the accent on 'Fun, Friendship and Fraternity'. What makes Golden Oldies different is that it caters for all levels of sporting interest from the enthusiast to the retired international player looking for a way to ease down their involvement in their sport.
The playing field is levelled with law variations taking the competition out of games but still drawing on the skills special to the particular sports being played. The sports on show during the four weeks in Christchurch will be: rugby, cricket, netball, football, hockey, golf, basketball, lawn bowls, squash and softball.
The action is not only confined to the playing fields but to the after-match which takes on a quality of its own and where many lasting friendships have been formed.
Jim Henson Restropectacle
Location: Various in Wellington
Date: 9 - 29 April
Jim Henson's characters and Bret McKenzie are taking over Wellington to celebrate and pay tribute to the magic and wonder of Jim Henson's legacy. The Jim Henson Restropectacle is a colourful, 21-day festival, including a live concert with Bret McKenzie, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and The Muppets.
During the festival, you can meet international guests and some of the characters from The Muppet Show, Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock. The Embassy Theatre will screen classic films and rare footage from the Henson archive on the giant screen.
Join Jim's characters, colleagues and collaborators for Behind the Seams workshops at Te Papa.
Bluff Oyster and Food Festival 2019
This salty seaside festival held in Bluff has a uniquely Southland flavour and its popularity is growing! In fact all tickets for this year's festival have been sold.
This is your advanced notice that tickets for the 2019 Festival go on sale at 6pm, 26 May 2018.
Experience New Zealand Your Way!
We highlight events and festival making news in New Zealand every month, but this country punches way above its weight for the sheer diversity and number of things to do, places to go, and experiences that are unlike any other. The Experience New Zealand page of our guide is an excellent way to see what's on offer at a glance and to pick out what suits you best:
- Activities - Want to get your blood rushing or take it easy - it's not just bungy jumping and spas on offer... (read more)
- Cycle Trails - Going by bike screams being on holiday! Find out where two wheels can takes you and your family across New Zealand... (read more)
- Events - Take your pick from our comprehensive event listings, from large-scale 'big ticket' events to local events which are more intimate... (read more)
- Māori Tourism - Discover the Māori culture, which shaped our history and which is a relevant and real part of everyday lives in New Zealand... (read more)
- National Parks - Fourteen National Parks showcase New Zealand's spectacular, diverse, inspirational and genuinely picture-postcard landscapes... (read more)
- Off the Beaten Track - Want to feel alone in the great outdoors and escape the madding crowds? Include lesser known places in your itinerary... (read more)
- Rainbow Tourism - New Zealand was one of the first countries to recognise gay marriage and continues to offer a welcome to ALL travellers... (read more)
- Ski and Snowboarding - With winter just around the corner, the world-class ski fields and runs in New Zealand are beckoning and calling loudly... (read more)
There's more easy-to-find and easy-to-read information just a mouse click away in our New Zealand Tourism Guide newsletter archive including:
New Zealand Fast Facts
New Zealand Tourism Guide's Instagram account offers amazing insights into the trips that people are taking across the country and showcases some serious photographic talent too! From its inception Instagram aimed to help people with similar interests share photos and stories. When other social media channels get a little wearying, some say Instagram is still a nice (virtual) place to be in - you decide.
Since it began in 2010, Instagram has more than 800 million users worldwide (as of September 2017) - its parent company is Facebook.
