March 3, 2026
Rotorua became a bonus city for us. Our Port stay in Tauranga got cut down to one day, due to NZ biosecurity regulations and since we really wanted to do Hobbiton, we decided to get off the ship and stay in hotels and get back on the ship, in a few days. Due to a variety of factors, the Ship ended up doing a quick pick up of us in Tauranga, three days later. The Kiwi's we encountered along the way, who helped with all our last minute details, were amazingly kind, hospitable and generous. Below is our tired, chilly group huddled at the security shed, outside the Port in the wee hours (1:30 am) Monday morning, awaiting our final hurdle of getting back on our Home. Home sweet home! What an adventure!
Rotorua had a lot to offer, including more availability in hotels rooms then Tauranga and was only an hour away. The IBIS Hotel where 12 of us, in the group I organized landed, was at a good location. We could walk to many city parks, the lake and resturants. Everybody found things to keep them busy & entertained for the two days. Below is some of the sights I took in, besides the Redwoods.
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The Kuirau City Park and Garden, shown below, had geothermal foot baths that drew all types of tourist and locals to take a break, sit down and soak their tired aching feet. It was very social and a great amenity!
Rotorua, New Zealand is known for it's geothermal activity ( geysers, mud pools, hot springs) and rich Maori culture . I saw lots of that last time I was here in 2016, so this time I wanted to see their Redwoods in Whakarewarewa Forest. John and Colleen joined me in exploring. Their redwoods are smaller than the ones in Muir Woods California, but still impressive. Both are planted forest dating back to around 1908.
Love the unexpected, along the road, sights we get to see and discover. Along the way from Hobbiton to Rotorua we came across these three unique large buildings. I believe the town was Tirau and lots of cars and buses were stopping to observe the buildings, use the public restrooms, (which are housed in one of them) and grab some snacks, gas and / or souvenirs.
There is just so much creativity, detail and beauty I couldn't limit my Hobbiton post to just one blog. I easily took 400 photos over the course of the 2.5 hour tour!