New Year, New Zealand

2015 Vacation to New Zealand

Question: What's a closer flight—Italy, Australia, or New Zealand? Answer: New Zealand! You're just an overnight flight away from waking up in Middle-earth, minus the Orcs. With so much diversity in one country, every day is a different journey in New Zealand.

Size Matters: New Zealand's compact size lets you do a lot in a day—like experience glaciers, rain forests, beaches, wineries, and thermal hot springs! Queenstown (aka the Adventure Capital of the World) is one of several smart base camps, set on the shores of turquoise Lake Wakatipu and backed by the Remarkables mountain range. From hiking, jetboating, and rafting to golf courses, scenic flights, and trendy restaurants, this little resort town offers it all.

Hobbiton Hop: It's one of the most enchanting pieces of Middle-earth: Hobbiton, aka The Shire, is a magical village on rolling farmland you can tour daily, where 44 Hobbit-holes are exact replicas of how they appeared in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies. And just one hour from Hobbiton, the Waitomo Caves fascinate—a labyrinth of underground rivers and subterranean caves lit up by millions of glow worms that look like a galaxy of stars. Take a boat ride, go black-water rafting, or even zip-line through the darkness!

Eighth Wonder of the World: Dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the World, Milford Sound (pictured) was carved by glaciers, with fiord cliffs rising right out of its pristine, dark waters, waterfalls cascading in all directions, and mountain peaks lording high in the sky. Explore it by kayak, on a day cruise, or by helicopter. For those really looking to get deep into this wilderness, embark on the Milford Track, a four-day, hut-to-hut hike through rain forests, alpine meadows, and up to the stunning (1,904-foot!) Sutherland Falls.

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  1. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

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  2. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

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  3. A group of people clamored around the summit marker at Mission Peak in the Bay Area

    Your Mission Is Less Crowded

    Mission Peak is one of the Bay Area’s most popular mountains, with many hikers climbing every weekend. Skip the crowds with this 6-mile loop up the less-traveled southern route.

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  4. Hike top Angel Island Mount Livermore San Francisco Bay

    Good Heavens

    The 4-mile hike to the top of Angel Island offers Bay-mazing scenery. Some people claim you get a five-bridge view: Richmond-San Rafael, Bay, Golden Gate, San Mateo-Hayward, and Dumbarton bridges.

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  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

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    Tram to Cool Treks

    Elevate your fun, getting whisked from palm trees to alpine wilderness on the world’s largest rotating tramcar. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway transports you up and away on a 2.5-mile scenic route from the desert floor to the refreshing wilderness of Mount San Jacinto State Park.

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  3. Coming Up Roses

    Looking to spice up your hiking life? Give your partner a rose—Mount Rose! The 10-mile out-and-back peak hike goes up to one of the grandest views in all of Lake Tahoe. Get ready f

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  4. Woman hiking down the stairs to Coast Royale Beach in Orange County

    Secluded Royale

    Panoramic coastal views and a killer leg workout combine on this 2.7-mile (round-trip) out-and-back hike to secluded Coast Royale Beach in Orange County

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