I’m of the philosophy that traveling with small children shouldn’t take the fun out of the experience or stop you from doing what you want to do. Rather, every member of the family should get to see and experience the things they want, with plenty of flexibility, compromise, and good attitudes along the way. Bringing my toddler along to Auckland this spring, I knew I wanted to experience the city and branch out and get a taste of what New Zealand and its geography are like. I also wanted to make sure my son had a good time. So we worked out an itinerary aimed at catering to each of us.
I couldn’t visit New Zealand without visiting at least one winery, so on our first full day in Auckland, we took a ferry to Waiheke Island to visit Mudbrick Vineyards. Though ferries are a common form of transportation in the Puget Sound region where we live, I had yet to take my son on a ride, so getting out of the city via boat was a win-win for us all.
Catching a taxi at the dock was easy, and we made our way through the winding roads up to the winery. As picturesque as I had anticipated, the family estate is situated on a hillside with the skyline of Auckland off in the distance. With lavender, potager gardens, and immaculate landscaping, we had found the ideal place to spend a few hours. We settled into a remote outdoor table and ordered our food and a couple of glasses of Sauvignon Blanc, and then my mom and and I took turns supervising my son as he explored the grounds. Wine and gourmet food for the adults, expansive lawns and gardens for the children–the setting was perfect.
If wine and good food are my idea of a good time, then I wanted to make sure I was also giving my son the opportunity to experience activities geared toward him. So the next day we headed out to the Auckland zoo, which was about a 20 or 30 minute taxi ride from downtown. With a couple of zoos within an hour or so from our home back in Seattle, I normally wouldn’t visit one on vacation, but that’s part of the give and take that traveling with small children–or with any traveling companions, for that matter–should involve. Plus, getting up close to the wallabies and emus made it all worth it for all of us.
Heading home, we took a red-eye flight back to Honolulu, arriving in the morning. With the final flight back to Seattle the next day, we had plenty of time to rest and relax and enjoy another mini-vacation while in Waikiki before heading home. Overall, my theory was right: Splitting the travel from Seattle to Auckland, with a day and night in Honolulu in both directions, made traveling to New Zealand with a toddler not only manageable, but also fun.
Disclosure: I was generously sent on the trip by Hawaiian Airlines and Tourism New Zealand.