Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.
Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.
10 days ago
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
13 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
16 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
23 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
All New Zealand

The Atlas Obscura Guide To New Zealand

153 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in New Zealand

Updated April 25, 2025

Email

Cities

Top Cities
Wellington
Auckland
Christchurch
Collage of the tunnel at Tunnel Beach, Dunedin, New Zealand, showing the beginning, a look backwards up the tunnel, and a view of the beach at the end of the tunnel. (Wikimedia Commons)
Dunedin
Riff Raff.
Hamilton
Little Paradise Lodge.
Mount Creighton
All Cities
  1. Akaroa
  2. Auckland
  3. Cape Reinga
  4. Christchurch
  5. Dunedin
  6. Hamilton
  7. Invercargill
  8. Lake Tekapo
  9. Mount Creighton
  10. Napier
  11. Nelson
  12. Waimangu
  13. Wanaka
  14. Wellington
  15. Whanganui
Attractions
Food & Drink
Trips
Map
Leaderboards
Stories
Lists

Unusual Attractions in New Zealand

Matamata, New Zealand

Hobbiton

The real life Hobbiton, this sheep farm has been forever transformed since being built for The Hobbit film series.
Waitomo, New Zealand

Waitomo, New Zealand

Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Tubing through a cave lit with glowworms is a magical underground experience.
Milford Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

Milford Sound, New Zealand

Milford Sound

Dolphins, ancient clams and hundreds of waterfalls make this one of the world's top tourist destinations.
Castle Hill.

Castle Hill, New Zealand

Castle Hill

The Dalai Lama named this New Zealand landscape the "Spiritual Center of the Universe."
Lonely tree amongst mountains in Wanaka.

Wanaka, New Zealand

That Wanaka Tree

A solitary tree has grown up all alone on Lake Wānaka, backdropped by the beautiful Southern Alps.
The Tree Church

Ohaupo, New Zealand

The Tree Church

One man's dream has turned into this naturally growing chapel made of almost nothing but trees.
Devil’s Bath

Waiotapu, New Zealand

Devil's Bath

This electric green sulphur lake in New Zealand looks like a cartoonish radioactive dump site.
Takapō (Lake Tekapo)

Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

Takapō (Lake Tekapo)

A perfect turquoise lake colored with glacier dust.
See All 153 Things To Do in New Zealand

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in New Zealand

Taupō, New Zealand

Taupō McDonald's Airplane

Eat your Big Mac in a DC-3.
The Springfield Doughnut.

Springfield, New Zealand

Springfield Doughnut

A giant doughnut was given to the small New Zealand town of Springfield to promote "The Simpsons Movie."

Whanganui, New Zealand

Jackson's Rēwena Bread

This bakery sells traditional Māori sourdough.
The Hokonui Moonshine Museum.

Gore, New Zealand

Hokonui Moonshine Museum

Celebrating the history of whiskey production during New Zealand's era of prohibition.
See all 9 Places to Eat in New Zealand
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Wild New Zealand: Exploring the North & South Islands

Stunning landscapes, unique wildlife, and rich Māori culture.

Book Now

Explore New Zealand

151
Map marker
Nature 20
Natural Wonders 18
Geology 16
Animals 15
Water 12
Art 12
Sculptures 9
Plants 9
Maori 9
Geological Oddities 8
Architectural Oddities 8
History & Culture 8
Unique Restaurants & Bars 2

New Zealand Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. tattarattat
    15
  2. Bananaface
    5
  3. Michael Reinhardt
    5
  4. Tony Dunnell
    4
  5. Annetta Black
    4
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to New Zealand.

Places Edited

  1. Michael Reinhardt
    17
  2. Gavin
    13
  3. Rachel
    12
  4. Martin
    10
  5. Blindcolour
    10

Places Visited

  1. DawnC
    114
  2. nztraveller
    89
  3. tatty
    87
  4. testpatern
    72
  5. igortitov1
    71

Recent New Zealand Activity

  • gravedigginbby

    wants to go to Kiwi North

    1 day ago
  • gravedigginbby

    wants to go to C1 Espresso

    1 day ago
  • moonlitshadow77

    wants to go to C1 Espresso

    1 day ago
  • dwh13

    has been to That Wanaka Tree

    about 21 hours ago
  • hmlaw58

    has been to Pancake Rocks

    about 19 hours ago

Stories About New Zealand

Kava is regarded as the national beverage of Fiji, where it is often served to welcome visitors.

Why Kava Laws Choose Tradition Over Commercialization

New Zealand regulations prevent the sacred beverage of the Pacific Islands from being watered down.
by Andrew Coletti
February 8, 2024
Relampago del Catatumbo is considered the “most electric” spot on Earth.

5 of Our Favorite Podcast Episodes Celebrating Earth's Natural Wonders

From everlasting lightning storms to magnificent bioluminescence, these classic episodes will delight and intrigue you.
by The Podcast Team
January 5, 2024
Which nation can claim the pavlova?

This Christmas Dessert Caused a Decades-Long Rivalry Between Two Countries

Two historians are trying to track down pavlova's origins once and for all.
by Leah Hudson
December 22, 2023
There are at least 20 Māori names for the New Zealand fantail, a beloved native bird often seen as a messenger between worlds.

Does the New Zealand Fantail Connect the Human and Spirit Realms?

The bird is sometimes considered an omen of death, but in Māori tradition, that's just one part of its story.
by Roxanne Hoorn
October 20, 2023
The pekapeka-tou-poto, found only in New Zealand, is also known as the lesser short-tailed bat.

The Race to Save the Pekapeka-Tou-Poto, New Zealand's Unique Bat

For scientists, monitoring the feisty, endangered burrowing bat includes moments of "actual madness."
by Monica Evans
September 14, 2023
The mysterious metal cylinder on the shore of Western Australia.

A Massive, Mysterious Object Washed Up on an Australian Beach

Experts say it’s likely space junk—and there’s plenty more where that came from.
by Roxanne Hoorn
July 19, 2023
The Tamil Bell, the broken crown of a ship’s bell embossed with Tamil script, has fascinated and perplexed scholars for more than a century.

The Mystery of New Zealand's Tamil Bell, an Archaeological 'UFO'

The strange bronze artifact perplexed scholars for more than a century, including how it traveled so far from home.
by Petrina Darrah
February 8, 2023
The Milky Way and curtain-like auroras fill a clear southern sky off Nugget Point, at the edge of New Zealand’s remote Catlins. While the island nation is too far north to see the aurora australis regularly, aurora-hunters flock to the Nugget Point lighthouse area for its dark skies and unobstructed view off the South Island’s southeastern coast.

Aurora Hunters Capture the Wonder of the Northern (and Southern) Lights

A curated collection of images shows why this natural phenomenon has fascinated and inspired humans for millennia.
by Gemma Tarlach
December 21, 2022

Lists Featuring New Zealand

Fierce little cat.
Elephants playing in the mud at Elephant Nature Park.
Oh, hello!
Little Spotted Kiwi

10 Ethical Animal Places to Visit in 2019

Unique experiences from Nairobi to Chiang Mai.

12

Including Cat Island, Elephant Nature Park , and India's Giant Technicolor Squirrels

Become an Atlas Obscura Member

Join our community of curious explorers.

Learn More

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.