Suggestions for NZ Trip - Month of Oct

I would also appreciate any specific restaurant suggestions.

And any web resources also.

Thanks!

Hello, GBZ!!

Poor Knights up in Northland is another great dive site. Will be a bit chilly in October, but should be great viz!

Activity-wise, my personal highlights in the South island are skydiving (Wanaka is great a great place to try it and is a lovely place to hang out for a few days), whale watching in Kaikoura, visiting one of the sounds (Milford for iconic beauty, Doubtful for peace- think about kayaking there if you want an active option), Otago peninsula or the Catlins for wildlife watching (Elm wildlife tours in Dunedin are great, have heard good things about monarch too), Great day hikes in the Rob Roy Valley or round Mount Cook, just go prepared for changeable weather. Nelson is a great place for restaurants and to access the Malborough vineyards.

Nelson and Northland and the East Cape are probably the warmest places with highest chances of sunshine in October. On the North Island, check out White island or Rotorua for smelly vocanic activity (diving off white island too), or think about the Tongiraro crossing. Bay of Islands/ Kerikeri are lovely, good people watching!

Bear in mind the weather in October can be changeable, it can be worth allowing a couple of days if there is something you would really like to do that could be cancelled by the weather (eg whale watch). I'd generally recommend spending most time down south as it is spectacular. It will be colder than in the north, but the scenery is stunning and the mountains will be snowy. If you are a skiier then you might make the end of the season here.

The standard of food is generally very good all through NZ, even in the little towns where you wouldn't expect it! Fish and chips are a must. My favourite restaurant in AK is Orbit (up the sky tower- book ahead), but there are loads of other great options.

For events, look at event finder to see what's going on near where you'll be... or nz live

Enjoy your trip!

Another suggestion for scuba is Goat Island Marine Reserve, Leigh (about an 1+ hours north of Auckland). You can hire the gear up there and they have full scuba or snorkel/flippers and wetsuits depending on what you want. I'd suggest it's going to be quite cold in the sea as we are just coming into spring. The Poor Knights (another marine reserve) would require a local tour operator (rather than your own boat) to get to but I've heard it's very good if it's your thing you'll enjoy it.
On a personal note compared to the US the two natural phenomena that would be different are the the Fox and/or Franz Josef glaciers on the west coast of the South Island and the geothermal area around Rotorua (not that US doesn't have geothermal but have you been?). If your really interested in geothermal/vulcanology, White Island should be on the list. However a helicopter tour isn't cheap.

As far as I am aware the US is a visa free entry country and you can stay up to 3 months on a visitors permit/visa. We also don't take your fingerprints or iris scans! ;-) (sorry couldn't resist that).

Festivals tend be more of a summertime activity but there maybe some in October. As above most restaurants and cafes have a good quality of food. Cafe culture has been taken to heart by New Zealanders and you'll find one most everywhere there are people.

As to people watching the places that spring to mind are Ponsonby Road in Ponsonby, Auckland; High Street, Auckland Central and Cuba Street, Wellington (not that other places have them I'm just not familiar with Christchurch, Dunedin (Octagon?), Hamilton etc)