After laughing your ass off through two seasons of Flight of the Conchords and being mesmerized through three super-long installments of The Lord of the Rings, you're ready to see what this natural beauty is all about. What you're not ready for? A marathon 13-hour flight from L.A. to Auckland with a crying baby/squirming toddler/inquisitive five-year- old kicking the seat in front of you nonstop.
Where to Stay
Looking out to the blue Lake Wakatipu, the windows of the year-old Rees Hotel & Luxury Apartments seem more like an HD screensaver. The rooms in this cozy upscale lodge have custom furniture and super-private balconies (from $325).
Stay at the country-chic Dairy Private Luxury Hotel after hitting New Zealand's outdoors. It's worth it just for the buffet: made-to-order pancakes, eggs, bacon and corned beef hash browns (from $365).
What to Do
Take the plunge with a bungee jump off the legendary Kawarau Bridge, the spot where the craze all started.
Get a bird's-eye view of Lake Wakatipu and the mountains; then skydive or take a thrilling loop-di-loop acrobatic flight.
White water raft the choppy Shotover River with up to grade five rapids if you're really serious paddlers. First-timers will be steered toward the lackadaisical Kawarau River (Queenstown Rafting can help you arrange either trip).
What to Bring
Sunscreen. Kiwis adopted their own version of “stop, drop and roll” for sunburn: “slip, slop, slap and wrap,” as in slip on a shirt, slop on SPF, slap on a hat and wrap on a pair of sunglasses.
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