Look, New Zealand sits right at the top of my list. For one thing, the scenery is absolutely jaw-dropping. I’m talking about a country that flat-out dominates when it comes to natural beauty. And on top of that, there’s an endless supply of things to experience across New Zealand; boredom just isn’t in the vocabulary here.
As someone who actually lives here, I’ve had the chance to wander through every corner of New Zealand. The coastline stretching across the North Island, the alpine range, and waterways down south, I’ve covered it all. Read through what’s coming, and you’ll get why I planted roots in this place.
My years exploring New Zealand turned up spots that aren’t just impressive; they represent wildly different terrain and ways to spend your time. These 25 locations I’m calling the most gorgeous in New Zealand deserve a spot on anyone’s must-see list.
1. Queenstown
Maybe I’m not the most objective judge since this is my backyard, but Queenstown takes the crown as New Zealand’s prettiest spot. It’s a magnet for South Island visitors, and once you’re here, the reason smacks you in the face. This compact town gets hemmed in by serious scenery: Lake Wakatipu laps at its edges while The Remarkables, Cecil Peak, and Walter Peak frame the skyline. Drive or hike fifteen minutes out, and you’ll hit trails that deliver, plus secluded alpine lakes (Moke Lake is my go-to). The sheer volume of options in Queenstown can paralyze you, so nail down a couple walks, throw in something that gets your pulse up (the Luge is ridiculous fun), and carve out time for solid food and locally brewed beer. That’ll give you the highlights without burning out.
The variety here is exactly why I’m so attached to the place. You’ve got wineries pulling down international medals, drives that belong on podcasts, hikes that wreck you in the best way, and bike routes for every level. My favorite low-key move? A cruise on Lake Wakatipu, the views come at you from every angle, and it’s genuinely chill. Tack on a stop at Walter Peak High Country Farm if you’ve got kids; they lose their minds over the animals.
Real talk: Queenstown isn’t cheap, and when everything looks this good, it’s easy to hemorrhage cash. That’s why I put together a whole rundown on no-cost activities that’ll keep your wallet intact. The truth is that Queenstown’s biggest asset is what’s outside, and the outdoors don’t charge admission.
Pro tip: If you’re parking yourself here for more than one night (do it you need the time), I’ve written up a full breakdown of where to stay in Queenstown, so you’re not flying blind.
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2. Wanaka
The offbeat little hub of Wanaka sits just over an hour from Queenstown if you gun it through the Crown Range highway. Like its busier neighbor, Wanaka hugs the edge of a lake, Lake Wanaka, because New Zealanders aren’t precious about naming, and I’d argue it’s the country’s best-looking body of water. You get Queenstown-level scenery with maybe a tenth of the foot traffic, so if you’re allergic to tourist swarms, plant yourself here. The move? Grab coffee, wander the waterfront, and snap the obligatory shot of #thatwanakatree.
Another zero-dollar win: the Roy’s Peak trail. It’s an all-day slog, but the payoff at the top is ridiculous. Everyone posts the same photo for a good reason. Want something quicker? Head into Mt Aspiring National Park and knock out the mellow walk to Diamond Lake.
Here’s a weird flex: Wanaka holds the title for New Zealand’s craft beer capital. More breweries per person than anywhere else in the country. My vote goes to Rhyme and Reason Brewery.
Stay overnight if you can; it unlocks the good stuff like winery runs, lake cruises, even jumping out of a plane if that’s your vibe. Need a bed? I’ve mapped out the smartest spots to crash in Wanaka, so you’re not guessing.
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3. Glenorchy and Paradise
Glenorchy drops you into a country that feels untouched, raw wilderness pressed right up against town limits. The menu here runs deep: the Glenorchy Walkway, a crack at the Routeburn Track (one of New Zealand’s heavy-hitter hikes), jet boat runs that’ll rattle your teeth, or pushing further out toward Paradise.
That Paradise Road, 13 kilometers of gravel cutting through terrain that’ll mess with your head, belongs on every New Zealand itinerary. The scenery leans hard into Middle-earth territory (yes, Peter Jackson shot here). Don’t skip the Paradise sign photo op; everyone does it because it delivers.
Here’s the twist: the real show starts before you even arrive. The Queenstown-to-Glenorchy drive routinely lands on “best South Island roads” lists and the hype tracks. You’re hugging Lake Wakatipu the whole way with pullouts at Moke Lake, the Bob’s Cove Track, and Bennets Bluff Lookout. No wheels? Guided tours out of Queenstown handle logistics while you stare out the window, and trust me, you’ll want both eyes on what’s rolling past.
Block out at least half a day for Glenorchy. Real talk, I think this zone outpaces even Queenstown for pure visual impact. It sits near the top of my New Zealand rankings, period.
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4. Mount Cook National Park
Mount Cook National Park wraps around Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak, and the surrounding terrain reads like a highlight reel: jagged ranges, glacial lakes, ice fields, and trails that rank among the country’s best. If you’re wired for the outdoors, this is your zone. My top pick for things to tackle here? The push up to Mueller Hut. You’re staring straight at Mount Cook from the hut, with Hooker Lake, Mueller Lake, and the Mueller Glacier all spread out below. It’s one of those alpine shelters that justifies the leg burn, and overnighting here belongs on any serious list. Summer slots fill fast, so lock in your bunk early if you want to wake up to that view.
Other trails that pull crowds: Hooker Valley Track, the climb to Sealy Tarns, and the Tasman Glacier lookout. Not into hiking? Stargazing here is exceptional (the park holds Dark Sky Reserve status), or you can book a scenic flight that threads through the peaks.
Worth noting: the Queenstown-to-Mount Cook drive is one of the South Island’s standout road trips serious scenery the entire way. If you’d rather skip the logistics, guided tours out of Queenstown handle the route so you can just absorb it all.
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5. Lake Pukaki
If we’re ranking New Zealand’s bluest water, the showdown comes down to Lake Pukaki versus Lake Tekapo (covered next). Full disclosure, I’m throwing my vote to Pukaki every single time. This alpine basin gets fed directly by the Hooker and Mueller Glaciers, and the turquoise that results? I haven’t seen that exact shade anywhere else across NZ. You’ll hit Lake Pukaki right after the Mount Cook Road junction (coming from Lake Tekapo headed toward the park), and yeah, it’ll flash on your right as you’re rolling in, but don’t just gawk through the windshield. Pull into the designated parking area. That’s where you can walk the Lake Pukaki Shoreline Walk and actually get your feet near the edge. The color hits different up close, especially with Mount Cook sitting in the backdrop. Freedom camping is allowed here too; the spots pop up on Google Maps.
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6. Lake Tekapo
Lake Tekapo is a tiny settlement parked near Mount Cook National Park, and it earned its reputation on the back of one thing: that lake and its absolutely unreal blue. For a place with barely 500 people, there’s a surprising amount to keep you occupied. It sits on the Christchurch-Queenstown corridor, so most road-trippers end up here at some point.
My go-to moves in Tekapo? Soak in a hot pool while staring up at one of New Zealand’s designated Dark Sky Reserves. The stargazing here is legitimately next-level. Then there’s The Church of the Good Shepherd, which might be the most photogenic chapel you’ll ever see. The town’s got solid cafes and dining spots with killer views baked in, plus you can book scenic flights or jet boat runs if you want to get moving.
Consider overnighting here; it opens up day trips into Mount Cook National Park while giving you time to actually settle in. Accommodation spans everything from budget hostels to nicer hotels, so pick what works.
Road-tripping onward to Christchurch? I’ve broken down the best pit stops between Lake Tekapo and Christchurch if you need a game plan for that leg.
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7. The Catlins
The Catlins are a wild card. Tucked into the deep south, this stretch made its name on a dramatic coastline and waterfalls that just keep coming. To really soak it in, carve out a night or two in this raw, untamed pocket of the island. It’s off the main tourist loop, which means you get an authentic slice of southern character. You’ll find penguins waddling around, sea caves carved into cliffs, a lighthouse that photographs like a postcard, and, like I mentioned, waterfall after waterfall. My must-hits: Curio Bay, Koropuku Falls, Cathedral Caves, Purakaunui Falls, and McLean Falls. You can string these together on a Dunedin-to-Invercargill drive, and I’d suggest crashing in Curio Bay for at least one night to catch the rare yellow-eyed penguins. Curio Bay also works as a natural stop if you’re taking the Southern Scenic Route from Queenstown down to Dunedin.
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8. Arthur’s Pass
Arthur’s Pass National Park deserves its spot on every New Zealand itinerary, and the mountain crossing that cuts straight through it might just be the highlight of your entire trip. You’re looking at one of three paved routes that punch through the Southern Alps from coast to coast, and it’s legitimately spectacular. The drive delivers nonstop alpine scenery, pulls you toward waterfalls most tourists never find, and sets you up for trails that’ll wreck you in the best way.
The crown jewel? Avalanche Peak. This is a full-day suffer-fest (in a good way) that hauls you up to a 1,833-meter summit with views so massive you’ll forget how tired your legs are. Fair warning, it’s 6–8 hours round-trip with serious elevation gain, so save it for clear weather and bring real hiking gear.
If you’d rather keep things mellow, hit the Devil’s Punchbowl track instead. Twenty minutes on flat-ish trail gets you face-to-face with a 131-meter waterfall, one of the tallest in the country, and you won’t even break a sweat. Perfect compromise if Avalanche Peak sounds like too much commitment.
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9. Franz Josef (town and glacier)
Franz Josef pulls serious crowds, and yeah, there’s a reason everybody knows the name. Most people show up for one thing: the glacier. You’ve got two moves here. Option one is the quick viewpoint walk (free, easy, done in under an hour). Option two is the heli-hike you fly onto the ice, strap on crampons, and actually trek across Franz Josef Glacier. It’s pricey, but it’s also legitimately unforgettable.
Beyond the glacier itself, the Alex Knob Track is worth blocking out a full day for. This is a brutal climb, call it 8 hours round-trip—but you end up so high above the valley that the glacier looks like a white ribbon far below. It’s one of the South Island’s toughest (and most rewarding) day hikes.
Back in town, the Franz Josef Hot Pools are clutch after all that vertical. Three communal pools, each set to a different temp, and entry runs about $29 NZD per person. Low-key, no frills, just soak and recover.
Location-wise, Franz Josef makes a solid base for the whole West Coast. A lot of people drive up from Queenstown (around 4–5 hours depending on stops), park themselves here for a couple of nights, then continue north toward Punakaiki. The entire stretch is wild, raw, and loaded with stops most people skip.
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10. Milford Sound
Milford Sound pulls more tourists than any other fiord in the country. Roughly a million people a year show up to see what 15,000 years of glacial carving can do. The result? Vertical rock walls, rare marine species, and enough drama to justify the hype.
Most visitors tackle it as a day trip from Queenstown. Standard group tours bus you there and back, throw in a cruise, and clock in around 13 hours total. The drive each way eats nearly four hours, which, real talk, makes for a long day in a coach. A smarter play is booking a tour that flies you back to Queenstown instead. You still get the scenic Milford Road on the way in, but you skip the return slog and score a once-in-a-lifetime aerial view of Fiordland National Park.
Or just stay closer. Te Anau is 118 kilometers out and makes a solid overnight base. If you’re after something more upscale, Milford Sound Lodge sits right on the doorstep. Either way, you’ll want to hit every pull-off between Queenstown and Milford; the lakes, lookouts, and trailheads along that route are half the point.
You can also weave Milford into a longer loop. The drive from Christchurch is one of the best multi-day routes in the country, and it sets you up to actually appreciate the build-up instead of rushing through it.
Once you’re there, book a cruise, but go small-boat if you can. Smaller vessels get you closer to the waterfalls and cliffs, the guides actually know their stuff, and you’re way more likely to spot seals or dolphins. It’s the kind of thing that sticks with you long after you’ve left New Zealand.
11. Mount Aspiring National Park
Mount Aspiring National Park doesn’t pull the same crowds as Milford or Aoraki, and that’s part of why it’s so good. The park sprawls across 3,562 square kilometers of the Southern Alps, anchored by its namesake peak, the tallest in the region, and sits close enough to Wanaka and Glenorchy that you can day-trip in from either town.
The real draw here? Trails that actually deliver. Rob Roy Glacier Track and Brewster Hut are two of the best walks in the South Island, and the Routeburn Track (one of New Zealand’s Great Walks) carves straight through the park’s backcountry. Beyond hiking, you’ve got Roaring Billy Falls and what might be the country’s most hyped canyoning trip.
Most visitors use Wanaka as their jump-off point, though the Glenorchy side opens up a totally different slice of the park. And yeah, if you’re a Lord of the Rings nerd, a bunch of scenes were shot here.
Side note: if you’re driving Wanaka to Franz Josef, you’ll cut right through the heart of Mount Aspiring. Plan your stops accordingly.
12. Abel Tasman National Park
Abel Tasman sits at the top of the South Island, which means two things: reliable sun and a coastline that’ll make you rethink everything you thought you knew about New Zealand beaches. Yeah, the North Island gets all the hype for sand and surf, but Abel Tasman quietly holds some of the country’s best stretches of golden beach tucked between native bush and turquoise water.
The park’s marquee attraction is the Abel Tasman Coast Track, one of New Zealand’s ten Great Walks. The full route runs 4–5 days and hugs the shoreline the entire way, dropping you into empty coves and postcard bays most people never see. That said, most visitors skip the multi-day commitment and just knock out a section or two on day trips out of Nelson instead.
If hiking isn’t your speed, the boat cruises are worth it. You cruise the calm bays, pull up to a beach for lunch and a swim, then move on to the next spot. Low effort, high reward—and way more interesting than it sounds. There’s a solid lineup of other guided options, too if you’d rather someone else handle the logistics.