6 romantic experiences in New Zealand to celebrate love in all its glory

A true-blue Valentine’s Day celebration doesn’t always need candlelight dinners and rose petals. Sometimes, love comes wrapped in shared laughter, quiet wonder, and memorable moments that pull you out of the everyday. From floating across alpine valleys at sunrise to stargazing under mesmerising night skies, this Valentine’s Day, trade the predictable for experiences in New Zealand.

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1. Stargazing

Far from city lights and everyday noise, Mount John Peak is a 3-hour drive from Christchurch to Tekapo. It is where you and your partner can trade everyday conversations for intergalactic wonder. At the heart of the world’s largest International Dark Sky Reserve, the Milky Way stretches endlessly overhead beneath one of the world’s clearest night skies. From twinkling constellations and distant planets to the chance of spotting shooting stars, this experience offers the perfect cinematic, starlit backdrop for a truly magical night.

Pro-tip: Guided tours depart nightly so plan your trip accordingly.

2. Hot air ballooning

Few experiences feel as symbolic of new beginnings as floating into the sky to experience a golden sunrise. Reach by flying to Queenstown via Auckland or Christchurch to then drift gently above one of the world’s most dramatic landscapes. Over Queenstown’s lakes and peaks, this light adventure is guaranteed to take your love to new heights (quite literally!). The skies are bright and the air is crisp, perfect for a cosy start of the day together, with Queenstown’s breathtaking landscapes for you to take in.

Pro-tip: Toast the special day with an early-morning champagne celebration mid-air; a moment that feels tailor-made for Valentine’s Day.

3. Horseback riding 

Pakiri’s long, untouched white sand shoreline is the perfect backdrop for you and your partner to explore on horseback, riding side by side. It is a scenic 90-minute drive from downtown Auckland to reach the beach, where multiple tour operators available on-site or online. With multi-day tours along white sands and coastal forest, here you can experience a rare kind of stillness as you ride through the enchanting sunsets, with gentle sounds of the sea setting the pace for your quiet and curious exploration escapade. 

Pro-tip: Conclude your journey with a visit to Te Kiri Marae; the ancestral home of the local Ngatiwai and Ngati Manuhiri people, for a deeper window into Māori culture Kiwi.

4. Go glamping 

For couples craving privacy and presence, Coromandel; which is a 2.5 hour drive from Auckland, offers romance without distractions at off-grid retreats deep in the lap of nature. For a playful twist to your days, explore the Hot Water Beach where you can dig your own thermal pool for a nature-first adventure that feels spontaneous, intimate and unmistakably Kiwi. Relax in warm, natural water while soaking in the sun and calming sounds of the waves before you retreat to your luxury cabins for a 100% rejuveanative experience.

Pro tip: Choose luxury glamping options with private outdoor baths and panoramic harbour views such as Mapauriki Retreat or Wharekawa Farm.

5. Māori Rock carvings cruise

There’s a quiet intimacy in drifting across the volcanic-blue waters of Lake Taupō toward the towering Māori rock carvings that honour ancient Māori myths and legends. Only accessible by water, the world-famous Māori Rock Carvings tower is as high as 14-metres. Board an early-evening cruise, which depart from Taupō Boat Harbour daily, glides across glass-calm water, and toast New Zealand wine as the cliff carvings of rich Māori ancestry appear. This experience invites couples to slow down, listen, and while stirring up a quiet awe that is as reflective as it is romantic. 

Pro tip: Opt for the evening cruise to watch the sun dip behind the hills, with a glass of New Zealand’s exceptional wine and your loved ones by your side.

6. Sunset cruise

Golden light, calm waters and a horizon dotted with a subtropical paradise; a sunset cruise in the Bay of Islands; which is reachable by 3-hour drive or a short flight from Auckland, is romance at its most effortless. As you sail past historic Russell and Waitangi, clink your glasses and let the stories flow as you watch the sky turn into hues of rose and gold. 

Pro-tip: Once you set sail, don’t be afraid to dive in and share the water with some of the most playful marine life on Earth for a memorable swim with the dolphins!

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