A Week in New Zealand: Our Late Honeymoon Adventure

Back at the end of January, my wife Danielle and I spotted a gap in our busy seasons. We thought, “Why not?” We packed our bags and headed to New Zealand for a week-long late honeymoon (we got married last October). Here are some of our highlights and photos from our trip!

Day 1: Driving on the Wrong Side (The Right Way)

First challenge: drive on the left side of the road. It was a little nerve-racking at first, especially after an 18-hour flight. But after a couple of hours, it started to feel normal. Our first stops included Weta Workshop Unleashed and the Auckland Sky Tower. The tour behind the scenes was incredible. Weta Workshop helped produce the Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia movies. Then we had an hour-and-a-half drive out to our beef and sheep station lodge.

You know what caught my attention on the drive? All the pastoral land in New Zealand. The rolling green hills reminded me of home (and of my visit to the Yorkshire Dales). These farms operate in a totally different climate. We crashed when we finally arrived at the lodge, ready for what came next. We were too tired to even eat supper!

Day 2: Cows, Caves, and Glowworms

On the drive from the lodge the next morning, we saw tons of dairy cattle. Actual herds moving through the landscape. Danielle joked that it must be milking time. We saw a bunch of them walking up the lane from the pasture to the milking shed. We felt right at home.

But the real magic happened underground. We explored Ruakuri Cave and Waitomo Glowworm Cave. The more we learned about the glow worms, the grosser they became. However, if you imagine thousands of tiny lights glowing in the darkness, it is pretty cool. The rock formations were amazing, and learning about the cave’s ownership history was fascinating.

We ended the evening at the lodge playing games and eating a huge, tasty supper while watching the sunset. 

Day 3: A Farm Tour and Rest

Day 3 was our rest day, or at least the most restful day we had planned. We took a farm tour of the lodge’s sheep operations. Learning how other farmers operate their land is something I never get tired of. The farm manager said they were a “small” sheep farm. They only had 8500 sheep and some beef cattle. I took a picture of the thistle patches. I needed to prove to Dad that they are still a problem, even in New Zealand. The rest of the day was pure relaxation. We hiked around the property, finished our books, and soaked in a hot tub under the stars.

Day 4: Cheese Shops and Gardens

Our last morning at the lodge had some unexpected visitors. Two sheep were hanging around right outside our hotel room’s patio door. It cracked us up. On our way to the city, we stopped at a local cheese shop. Of course I did. I had to see what they were making and selling. It was cool to see how New Zealand cheese makers approach their craft. We got a wedge of the aged Gouda (It tasted just like our Galen’s Reserve) and their smoked tomato Gouda.

We got a private tour of Hamilton Gardens, which was beautiful. They have historical gardens from every region of the world, from India to Egypt to Italy to Colonial US. We explored the shops around our hotel. We also found a local store absolutely packed with card and board games. They even had Dutch Blitz! We were very impressed that Pennsylvania’s game made it all the way to New Zealand.

Day 5: Hobbiton—Twice

This is where things got really special. This was the day we visited the Hobbiton movie set. Let me tell you, standing in a place where those movies were filmed hits differently than watching them on screen.

There was a bit of a mix-up with our booking. Still, we ended up getting two tours for the price of one! The morning tour took us through the Hobbit village. We walked up to Bag End at the top of the hill. Then we strolled through Bagshot Row, including Sam and Rosie’s house. We explored the inside of a hobbit home. The attention to detail is wild. We ended with a drink and lunch at the Green Dragon Inn. Then we got to see the behind-the-scenes workshop. They even had concept art from the original movie artists and a full miniature hobbit hole.

And then we went back for an evening tour at sunset. Seeing everything in that golden light was beautiful. And you know what I found? The hobbit cheesemaker’s home. Of course I did. That got me thinking. No matter where you go in the world, people have been making cheese for thousands of years. This includes even in Middle-earth. It’s part of who we are. 

We explored a second hobbit home, had another feast, and finished with a lantern tour of the village at night. It was the perfect way to say goodbye to Middle-earth.

Day 6: Food, Boats, and Bioluminescence

Our last day was packed. We did a food tour of Auckland, hitting the farmers’ market and several local restaurants. If you want to understand how a community eats, the farmers’ market tells you everything. We toured the Maritime Museum (the Pacific Islander section felt straight out of Moana!), and then we went on a bioluminescent kayak paddle in the bay. It was a little disappointing that we didn’t see much bioluminescence. Still, paddling around the bay in the moonlight was a relaxing way to end our last evening in New Zealand.

What I Brought Home

A week away reminds you why you do what you do. At Clover Creek Cheese Cellar, we’re making something real—something that connects us to the land and to you. We see how farmers work across the world and visit cheese shops. We explore places where people have been making food for generations. All of this shows that we’re part of something bigger. Cheese and good food connect you wherever you are in the world.

Plus, I found out there is a hobbit cheesemaker, so really, the trip was a total success.

—Anthony Rice, Clover Creek Cheese Cellar