First time overseas trip

Few days North Island, few days South.

While this one is a bit more of an expensive option, maybe day and a half, wander around Auckland, by the water (boat quay), then http://www.grayline.co.nz to go see the hot water geysers, or the hot springs, or the mud "splash"... if confident, maybe do a bit of driving, (on the other side of the road), October is still a bit coolish, down this part of the world. Of course, not as cold as Alaska.

Another one that might be worth it, http://hakalegend.co.nz/

I am more of a laidback travelling pooch, even the thought of hiking scares the bones out of me.

Anyway, enjoy!

Sky (run by Skycity) Tower should be worth it too, another one, not cheap, but still, its an amazing thing to go up, I have only taken a look at it from ground level though, but still... wow.

Been to Auckland twice, going again in July. (Mine (trips) are short trips, due to subcontracting work-cleaning- that I do).

Edited by: spotty_dalmatian

Hi Janet, and congratulations on your trip!
New Zealand is a fabulous country, but Auckland is in many respects just another city, and you should try to get and see some of the rest of the country.
The most stunning sights are on the south island, so this would require another flight to Queenstown, or a long bus trip. However mountains and glaciers probably wouldn't excite someone from Alaska so maybe you're not missing much!
If staying on the north island I'd look for a tour that took in Rotorua for the thermal parks and geysers, and maybe Wellington, the Capital, but if you can, try to get out of Auckland. If you must stay in Auckland there may be day trips to Rotorua, the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Islands, or take a ferry over to Devonport and Waiheke island.

You have a few choices. You could head to Rotorua, Taupo, then across to Napier, Hastings and then on to Wellington. From there, you can get a cheap flight back to Auckland. I would hire a campervan in Auckland with s drop off in Wellington. There is a wide variety and a large number of companies. You could also consider doing a relocation but they are usually limited in time but would allow you to go to Rotorua and Taupo before heading to Wellington.

Get out of Auckland asap and do a tour of Northland. Lovely scenery up there. Do a bus tour up 90 mile beach to the lighthouse and back.

Good advice from #4 to go up north. It's a beautiful bus ride to Pahia (about 4 hours), where it is not very crowded in October. From there you can do tours around Northland. I found it's not easy to do a round trip by public transport, you'll need a car for that.

I took a 14 seater Cessna flight to Cape Reinga (half day tour), not cheap but worth it, as you arrive at the lighthouse before the bus tours do, so you have the place practically to yourself and the views from the plane are wonderful. Besides that, it seemed a very long bus ride up there. They land somewhere and there is a van with guide waiting to pick you up and show you around.

Also took a day tour to Hokianga, where in the past Maori leader Kupe arrived in his waka. After that you visit the Warere Boulders, where you can walk around a bit and a huge kauri tree, Tane Mahutu (Lord of the Forest), with explanation from a Maori guide.

In Pahia you can take a very nice walk through the forest to a look out point. Hardly any people around when I was there in October.

Advice from #3 about Rotorua, Taupo and Napier is also good. In Taupo I can recommend a helicopter flight over the three volcanoes (in November), again not cheap but with jaw dropping vista's on a clear and sunny day.

Hope this helps a bit.

Queensland? Perhaps you mean Queenstown. Most likely you would fly into Auckland first at any rate.

To all of you, thanks so much! Do you think that maybe we should fly into Queensland instead of Auckland?

Janet - yes! definitely. If you have only one stopover in NZ then make that Queenstown. The airport is very close to the town, and the town is lovely - great accommodation, nice restaurants, good wineries and plenty of things to see, and do.
Take the gondola up the mountain for great views, take a small trip out to Arrowtown and maybe another to Glenorchy, and take either a very long (12 hour) day trip out to Milford Sound, or, better, make it a 2-day excursion with a stop in Te Anau.

I think most people here have certainly suggested flying into Auckland for 36 hours and them moving on to see the actual country. Auckland is just a city, compared to the rest of NZ.
If you like Fjords, mountains and glaciers, then head down to Queenstown and spend time in that area (and flights to Australia go from Christchurch and possibly Queenstown).

If you have enough mountains, glaciers, etc in Alaska, then stick to the North Island, and again I'd agree with a look up at Northland, then a 3-4 day drive down the centre to Wellington (rent a car, or use Intercity Buses), stopping at Rotorua and Taupo long the way (if one of you is a veteran, stop off at the army museum in Waiouru, it's a great museum - bus schedules would allow you some hours there), and fly to Australia from Wellington.