With well over two decades in the travel industry, Travel Specialist, Lauren has turned holiday planning into an art form. From the Arctic to Australia, Canada to Costa Rica, she knows what makes a good trip. Just as well, as she recently put together a multi-generational holiday to New Zealand travelling with her mum and daughter – it needed to deliver. Three generations, one New Zealand adventure.
In this Q&A, Lauren shares honest insights into multi-gen travel, what made it work, and the moments they’ll all remember.
Setting the scene
Where did you go and for how long?
We travelled around New Zealand for 22 nights in total spending 13 nights on the South Island and 9 on the North Island.
Would you recommend any stopovers?
On our return journey, to the UK, we had 4 nights in Singapore. This was well needed after a busy time travelling around and gave us some well needed rest as well as combining some sightseeing and local culture too. It also helped hugely with the jetlag!
When you travelled
As you were travelling with your daughter and mum, did this influence when you travelled?
I did want to travel out of peak time as close to the Easter holidays as possible. Largely to fit in with work commitments.
What was the weather like in May?
We had beautiful weather and just 2 days of rain, however, May can be up and down. The autumn leaves made the locations look even more magical. As we were travelling a bit late in the season, I planned our trip south to north.
What other times of year of would you recommend travelling with kids, particularly with kids?
Easter is a brilliant time to go as its quieter than the peak season of December to February and you will start seeing autumn colours too.
How you travelled
Did you self-drive? By car or campervan?
We travelled around by car.
How easy was driving and what was the longest journey?
The driving was very easy; roads are generally very quiet except in the cities. The biggest hold-up was waiting for hundreds of sheep to cross the road! In NZ everyone is very respectful of the speed limits and allow you to take your time when navigating the more winding roads.
Did you travel cruise or take any train journeys?
We were lucky enough to enjoy a train ride on the TranzAlpine train, which is one of the best in the world. The views of the Southern Alps were incredible, and it was an amazing start to our journey around New Zealand. It also works well as the end point on a North to South itinerary. I’d recommend upgrading to the Scenic Plus carriage.
Where you stayed
What sort of accommodation did you stay in?
We mainly stayed in self-catering apartments and motels. The self-catering was brilliant for us as a family as could cook dinner, have breakfast at a more relaxed pace before leaving. Kids love snacks so was a huge benefit to us!
Was this a conscious decision because of travelling with your mum and daughter?
It actually wasn’t, I based accommodation on apartments simply to allow us more room as a family. However, having experienced it, I would certainly recommend self-catering for families for ease around meals and snacks.
Trip highlights
What were the standout moments?
Visiting the Catlins was a true “wow” moment for me. It is an area I have never visited before and is often missed by UK clients. I can honestly stay it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever experienced. Combined with viewing the wildlife in their natural habitat was just incredible. Then there’s Wanaka. For me, it’s still the most beautiful place in New Zealand. And my mum agrees. I just love it!
Also, a true highlight for me was seeing just how engaged Elsie was during excursions. It was like experiencing NZ for the first time again watching her.
On that note, what was Elsie’s top highlight?
Seeing orcas in the wild from Kaikoura – Elsie described this as the best day of her life! She loved being out on deck with her binoculars and experiencing this moment.
She also went indoor skydiving and talks about it to this day.
Must-do experiences
How did you tailor your trip for three generations?
It took me a long time but was worth it. Sometimes it is harder when you know the country so well and how much there is to see and do. I avoided full day excursions instead added in ones that were 2-3 hours with some down time in between. Other than that I did the trip how I normally would for clients, tailored to interests and timeframes.
Based on your extensive knowledge and recent experience, what are the top 5 things you’d recommend including on a family holiday to NZ?
1) Whale Watching (kids are so engaged with searching for marine life)
2) Cruise & Rainforest Walk, Franz Josef – very engaging and a nice easy excursion to enjoy. Elsie talked about it all the way through the trip.
3) Cultural experience Rotorua – great for kids to learn about the history of NZ and Māori Culture
4) Free time – enjoy the lakes or the beach
5) Stopover on the return – take some real relaxation time and a stopover helps with jetlag too
Top tips
Do you have any tips or advice for planning or travelling with kids/parents?
> Snacks and lots of them – in the car, on arrival (the kids usually wake up on first night pretty hungry due to jetlag)
> Booking a pre night, on arrival, so you can access room immediately.
> Have some down time – it is so easy to cram so much in but super tiring. Have some free time to just relax/go to the beach/visit the local park
> Self-catering apartments – Great for families as can cook, if needed also many have laundry facilities.
Feeling inspired?
If you’d like to start planning your own family adventure, browse our holidays to New Zealand, call us on 01737 214 250, or you can send an enquiry to our Kiwi travel specialists to start discussing your options.