Blog - Page 3 of 3 - P.S My Favorite Things

Visiting New Zealand in Winter – The North Island, Part 1 of 4

April 15, 2019April 22, 2019New Zealand

A US summer (NZ winter) break

You’ve decided to head down under and visit New Zealand in winter. Completely understandable as you will have more time to travel during the U.S summer break. The one thing to remember is you’re visiting in New Zealand’s winter and you’ll need to dress for the cool weather, expect lows of 4-7°C (39 to 45 °F ) in the North Island and between 1-6°C (34 to 43 °F ) in the South Island. I generally find it a bit warmer than the temperatures above and you can have stunning clear days (see photo below). Near the mountains ranges, ski-fields it will be winter weather cold!

View to Kapiti Island, near Wellington, North Island, August 2016

Continue reading ➞ Visiting New Zealand in Winter – The North Island, Part 1 of 4

Sample itinerary of things to do in NYC

April 7, 2019April 8, 2019New York4 Comments

Ready to conquer NY but short on time. Let me share an example of day by day lists of things to do. This was something I prepared for my guests who were visiting NY for the first time and wanted to check off as many tourist spots as possible. I hope it helps you!

Sample Itinerary – Four full days in NYC

Thursday: Welcome to New York

Arriving late afternoon/early evening? Keep it simple and stretch you legs. Go exploring in the neighborhood you are staying in. Figure out where the local grocery stores are and get some supplies while you take in the vibe of NYC. It all depends which neighborhood you are in but if you are staying near Times Square expect it to be loud with cars, people talking and the occasional siren! Pizza, Hot-dogs, Burgers, Bagels await if going for a low cost NY experience. An amazing range of restaurants and bars are at your door step too. Remember to tip if dining at a restaurant or drinking at a bar. When ordering cocktails or any liquor (spirits) the bar staff in the U.S free pour and personal experience is that the drinks are stronger. Be warned!

Continue reading ➞ Sample itinerary of things to do in NYC

My top things to do in NYC

March 31, 2019April 7, 2019New York

Now you’ve decided to visit NYC what are you going to do? It’s not an easy answer. I always ask people what is the one image that they conjure up when thinking of NYC? Is it the Statue of Liberty or Central Park? The NY Yankees or a Broadway show? What is it? I love hearing the answers. From there we can put a plan together, based on my top things to do in NYC, of what to see and do.

After 18 years of living here, with Kiwi visitors every year, this is my go to of what I highly recommend. Accommodation, food and drinks are not the focus of this post. I will do a separate blog on that soon!

Continue reading ➞ My top things to do in NYC

A guide for Kiwis visiting New York

March 24, 2019March 31, 2019New York10 Comments

Over the last 18 years I have had played tour guide numerous times to Kiwis visiting New York. At first I loved being a tourist with them and then over the years it shifted to the joy of seeing New York through a brand new set of eyes. I will write many articles about visiting New York to help you make the most of your trip. This first one is an overview like I did in the blog Visit New Zealand for my American friends.

New York is a fabulous city that’s easy to navigate. It’s truly my favorite big city in the world. I always say that whatever you think New York will be, it’s here. Whether it is the yellow cabs, steam coming out of the ground, Subways, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Times Square, Central Park or a game of the in season American sport, you can experience it all.

Continue reading ➞ A guide for Kiwis visiting New York

A visit to the Vessel (TKA), Hudson Yards, NYC

March 19, 2019March 25, 2019New York

NYC has a stunning new landmark to check out. Currently know as the Vessel (TKA) , it’s waiting for you to visit and take photos with the official hashtag #hellohudsonyards !

Where is it? How much does it cost?

A view to the Empire State from the Vessel (TKA), March 2019

Located in the new Hudson Yards (32nd Street/11th Avenue), just off The High Line and next to the new supermall, it’s a true piece of art from British designer Thomas Heatherwick.

To go inside tickets are needed. It’s free (The good news). The not so great news is you have to plan ahead by requesting a ticket at this site. As it’s so new they are in high demand. Every morning at 8.00 am Eastern time additional same-day tickets are made available, as well as tickets for an additional day as part of a ticketing window offered. On Day 4 of it being open I went to the site to request tickets. After 45 mins of being in an online queue I was able to select a time for that evening.

Continue reading ➞ A visit to the Vessel (TKA), Hudson Yards, NYC

How to master the long flight to New Zealand

March 17, 2019March 31, 2019New Zealand2 Comments

The excuse I hear the most often for not visiting is the fear of the long flight to New Zealand. “I just can’t handle that long of flight Liz”. Kiwis had to become accustomed to long flights to visit anywhere outside of Australia or the Pacific. For Americans any flight longer than the West to East coast flight is not greeted with the same acceptance, let alone excitement. I don’t blame you. It isn’t the easiest of flights, especially as we get older, but trust me it is so worth it! Let’s break it down as we look at my top tips on how to master the long flight to New Zealand.

Continue reading ➞ How to master the long flight to New Zealand

Visit New Zealand

March 10, 2019March 30, 2019New Zealand

The Escarpment Walkway, Paekakariki looking out at Kapiti Island, North Island, New Zealand

“New Zealand. It looks so beautiful. I will go someday“. My reply to that comment, after living 18+ years in the US is yes, it truly is stunning. You must go! My wish is by reading this blog you are motivated to leave the US and travel to New Zealand sooner rather than later.

This post is a quick high level guide to a few of the key questions I get asked when friends look to book this once in a lifetime trip. More in-depth blogs to come.

How do I get to NZ from the US?

The long haul flight from the US awaits! You will fly into Auckland, known as the City of Sails. Our largest city and built around a Harbor. You can fly from Houston, Chicago, San Francisco and LA on Air New Zealand (NZ) to Auckland. Other airlines options are Qantas, United, American.

Continue reading ➞ Visit New Zealand