Places kristineezadrazil Wants to Go

Towering earthen formations that rise straight out of the ground in New Zealand .

An unsigned roadside spring that is pure fun.

This ledge in Victoria Park served as a hiding spot for Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin.

One of the iconic moai of Rapa Nui stands guard in Lyall Bay as a symbol of the friendship between New Zealand and Chile.

It took millions of years for these rocks to resemble their mammalian counterparts.

An unusual snaking bank of boulders caused by longshore drift.

The world's first fully-fenced urban ecosanctuary is a haven for New Zealand's rare and endangered species.

A serene, almost spiritual place to do one's business. Who knew a public toilet could inspire and awe?

New Zealand's only inland salt lake goes through a constant cycle of filling, evaporating, and refilling.

A hidden gem of a museum that lets you search for your own fossils.

This modern New Zealand attraction honors ancient forms of astronomy and scientific understanding.

This preserved village shows the modest lifestyles of the area's 19th-century Chinese gold miners.

This bakery sells traditional Māori sourdough.

This aluminum “stairway to heaven” has impaled at least a couple of birds.

Anyone wanting to know what a dwarven mine sounds like need only visit the tunnels of this New Zealand artillery compound.

Three rooms of bones, curios, and one artist's collection of natural artifacts create this intriguing museum.

Largest Kauri tree in New Zealand.

Handcrafted thermal spa washes away each night with the tide.

The explorer Captain Cook may have named it White Island, but the Maori call it Te Puia o Whakaari – The Dramatic Volcano.

You may recognize this beautiful grove within Kaitoke Regional Park as location of the house of Elrond.

Deadly scalding and one of the largest hot springs in the world.

This unusual rock formation looks like an apple that has been neatly sliced in half.

The glacier tucked within a New Zealand rainforest.

The world's only complete colossal squid specimen is on display at the Te Papa Museum.