Length of stay: 2 days
Visited: April 2025
Dunedin is located in the southern part of the South Island of New Zealand. Its name comes from the Gaelic term for Edinburgh as it was founded by Scottish immigrants. Their history and legacy can still be seen throughout the city from street names and Victorian and Edwardian architecture. Dunedin is also known for its abundance of wildlife, including seals, penguins and albatross.
Day 1: Coastal Views and Gardens
We left Twizel bright and early and headed towards Dunedin. It was a scenic drive through the mountains and then down into the valley as we made our way closer towards the coastline. It was another nice day and it was supposed to reach a high of 16°C.
Along the way we made a detour to see the Moeraki Boulders, which are famous for their spherical shape. Parking was a bit confusing and we first ended up at a cafe where there was paid access to the beach. But we noticed there was a small public car park located a few hundred metres away at the Kaihinaki Scenic Reserve, so we went there instead. It was free and there were no stairs to climb down (and then back up again).
We had to walk a few minutes along the beach to see the boulders. The tide was going out leaving behind a lot of pretty shells uncovered in the sand. There’s a huge collection of perfectly rounded boulders scattered on the beach and in the water. They may look man-made, but they are actually natural formations known as septarian concretions, a compact mass formed by erosion of sedimentary rocks from up to 65 million years ago.
After eating lunch in the car, we continued on our way to the Dunedin Botanic Garden. It is New Zealand’s first botanic garden created and contains an extensive collection of native plants, as well as rhododendrons, roses and camellias. There are many access points to the garden and we chose an entrance based on street parking availability, which wasn’t difficult to find on a Thursday afternoon.
The grounds are extensive and there are several walking paths, including some that are paved and others that are more rustic. But it’s extremely hilly. We wandered through the different sections without a set route in mind, trying to avoid the stairs as much as possible because of the stroller.
There’s an aviary which is home to over 100 birds found in New Zealand, Australia and South America, including parrots, parakeets and macaws. It also houses birds from the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital that need to recover or recuperate from surgery or an injury.
There’s also a winter garden glasshouse which contains tropical and sub-tropical plants, along with cacti and succulents.
Once we wrapped up our walk through the garden, we drove through Dunedin. This included driving on Baldwin Street, the steepest street in the world with a gradient of 34.8%. There’s an annual race to see who can go up and down Baldwin street the fastest. The current record is 1 minute and 56 seconds. We were not curious to see if we could beat that record and instead decided to drive it instead. We weren’t sure whether our car would make it to the top, but it did. And what goes up most come down!
We then drove to the Signal Hill Lookout to get a nice view of Dunedin and the surrounding area.
It was getting late in the day so we made our way to our accommodations to check in, stopping to pick up groceries on the way.
Day 2: Historic Homes
We got a good preview of Dunedin yesterday and were eager to explore more of the city. It was supposed to be another beautiful day and reach a high of 19°C, which would be perfect for wandering around. We started the day at Larnach Castle and it was a lovely drive along the coast to get there.
Larnach Castle is the only castle in New Zealand. It was built in 1871 by William Larnach, an Australian merchant banker and politician. He lived there with his wife Eliza until 1898 when he took his own life. Following a legal battle over his will, the family sold the house in 1906. The property changed hands several times and was later abandoned. It was then purchased by the Baker family in 1967 who had the house restored and refurnished with period furniture from New Zealand. The house is now open to the public for self-guided or guided tours. We opted with the self-guided tour as we didn’t want to wait around for the next guided tour to start as we weren’t sure how patient our little one would be.
Starting in the basement, there’s a few information panels about William Larnach as well as the history and restoration journey of the house. We then made our way to the main floor and the second floor. There’s also an option to climb a narrow spiral staircase to the roof for a beautiful view of the surrounding area.
The property also includes seven acres of gardens which have been restored, and a lodge and stables which have been converted into accommodations. As we were wandering around the property we actually met someone who was staying at the Larnach Lodge. Seems fancy as you even get to have dinner in the castle.
Afterwards we drove to Sandfly Beach. This area contains New Zealand sea lions, one of the rarest sea lion species in the world. They once lived all around the country, but were hunted to near extinction. A small population survived and are now returning to the coast to breed. The beach is also a nesting place for yellow-eyed penguins.
From the carpark, there’s a short gravel path that leads to a viewing platform overlooking the ocean and sand dunes. The path extends further to the shoreline, which required opening a gate and trudging through the sand. We searched for penguins, but didn’t see any. We did spot a couple of seals basking in the sun though. They sure looked cute, but boy, did they stink.
After making the slog back up the sand dunes, we continued driving along the coast to Harrington Point. The Royal Albatross Centre is located here, which offers wildlife tours and a chance to view the nesting albatross from their observatory. But baby M was napping (and our schedule revolves around her), so we turned around and drove back towards Dunedin. Along the drive we admired the coastal views and searched for penguins, which we think we might have seen, but aren’t entirely sure (so probably not).
Our next stop was at the Olveston Historic House. Entry is by guided tour only. And lucky for us, it wasn’t very busy and we got a private tour. Our guide showed us the main floor, upstairs and a small section in the basement, all the while explaining the history of the house, how it was built, who lived there and how it came under the ownership of the city.
The house was built for David Theomin, a local businessman and philanthropist, his wife (Marie) and their two kids (Edward and Dorothy). The house remained in the family between 1906 to 1966. Dorothy, the last living family member, gifted the house to the City of Dunedin after her death as there were no heirs in the Theomin family. The house was then converted to a historic house museum. It was kept in excellent shape throughout the years and didn’t require extensive renovations or restorations. It also contains all the original furnishings from the Theomin family.
We still had some energy so we squeezed in a visit to the nearby Dunedin Chinese Garden. It was constructed to encapsulate the essence of nature and celebrate the city’s Chinese heritage and its relationship with Shanghai. We were pretty much the only ones here and a pleasant and peaceful stroll through the garden. And M enjoyed seeing all the ducks.
We made one more quick stop to check out the Dunedin Railway Station to admire its architectural appearance and design. It was built in 1904 and is still in use today.
It was then time to head back to our accommodations to get started on dinner and a bit of packing. The next morning we planned to take the Southern Scenic Route to Te Anau.
L
What an amazing place and beautiful photos. Very scenic.
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. We had a wonderful time soaking in the scenery and sights in Dunedin. It’s a lovely city. It’s also very hilly!
Looks wonderful.
Wish I was there right now!
The road of harlington point is so lovely. What a scenic view. I think I’ll join baby M for enjoying the ducks. I’ll slow down in the road every time I passed by ducks. The gardens and the larnach castle are just fantastic. I enjoyed this share, Linda.
Thanks for your lovely comment. While we couldn’t visit the Royal Albatross Centre at Harington Point since baby M was napping, it was still a beautiful drive to get there and back again. Our little one was obsessed with the ducks. It was very cute to watch.
My pleasure, Linda. Stay lovely! Have a blessed weekend ahead!
What a beautiful tour, Linda. I love that you got to see a castle, historic house, a Chinese garden and a playful adorable sea lion on quite a scenic beach in our itinerary. Truly a remarkable trip and it seems like the rain clouds that plagued you three in the beginning has dissipated! What a once-in-a-lifetime journey!
I was pleasantly surprised by how much we were able to do in Dunedin and it was neat to explore the historic houses. And I’m such a sucker for a nice garden. It helped that we didn’t have to do a lot of driving, except when M was napping. And yes, I’m so glad we finally got a few days of gorgeous weather! It’s amazing how a bit of sunshine can work wonders on our mood. Speaking of positives, happy Friday! Have a wonderful weekend!
What an amazing island! I love finding Septarian Concretions (you had a tiny typo there 😊). Did you know that there are concretions such as these not far from you in Kettle Point on the shore of Lake Huron? You can also find them in Alberta nowhere near water.
Thanks for catching my typo! I didn’t know that we had a collection of septarian concretions in Ontario and Alberta. Gives me a good reason to return to Lake Huron, not that I need much encouragement!
A beautiful city Linda and you managed to see a lot. We have been there three times (we had good friends that lived there who doted on our 16 month old and toured us all about) but won’t be visiting this time. Too bad about the Royal Albatross Colony. It is a marvel, if you can run the gauntlet of bird poop. Also, the Little Blue Penguins coming ashore is good to see. Glad the weather held for you. Hope we are as lucky this time. Happy Tuesday. Allan
I was pleasantly surprised at how lovely Dunedin was. Glad to hear you’ve visited a few times in the past. While it would have been nice to visit the Royal Albatross Centre, it was more important that our little one nap. It was on our list as a bonus item anyway. You must be getting ready to leave for your trip soon.
To be honest, when we went with our little on in 1988, it was closed due to nesting. We went back in 2002 and it was much easier to see it with a 15 and 12 year old. We drove on by many things with our 16 month old. The good news was we did it in a Maui Campa, so nap time was never far away. We leave near the end of October. Tell me, did you use an E-sim or regular sim for your phones down there? E-sims have no phone or texts included, so we are opting for the latter. Cheers. Allan
Beautiful photos of a charming city. I did have a (quickly extinguished) vision of Baby M zooming down Baldwin Street in her stroller. 😲
Ha! There’s no way we would have been able to walk up (or down) that street with a stroller! Now that would have been something!!
What a busy two days! Funny that they built the road straight up the hill instead of having a switchback or two. Maybe they were thinking ahead at how much fun it will be to race up it. 😊 Maggie
I know! It makes you wonder why they designed that road and the whole neighbourhood in general, especially since they can get snow in the winter. But perhaps that was their goal – to have the steepest street in the world. Or maybe they thought it would be hilarious. It would be quite the workout to climb up and down that street every day!
We stayed at Larnach Lodge for two nights, and had dinner in the castle one night. There were just four of us, plus our castle host, who entertained us all night long with ghost stories by candlelight!
Fancy! Sounds like quite the experience, especially the part about the ghost stories. And kind of nice how it was a small group for dinner in the castle. I looked into the cost of staying in the lodge afterwards and it actually wasn’t too bad. Something to keep in mind if we ever return to this part of the world.
Wow, a very beautiful place to be!! ❤️😊 I lived in Dunedin in the 90s. Dunedin, Florida. 😂
Ha! I didn’t know there was a Dunedin in Florida! I imagine it’s very different from the Dunedin in New Zealand!
What a fully packed two days you had! It sounds like it wasn’t very busy though and you were able to see and do a lot through your little one’s schedule, too. Yes, sea lions stink! It’s quite unbelievable how bad it is! Strange that the road builders went straight up that hill instead of incorporating a switchback. Beautiful pictures. I enjoyed them. Cheers.
It helped that we didn’t have to do a lot of driving, except for when M needed to go down for a nap. It’s funny because we could smell the sea lions before we saw them. That’s actually how we were able to find them! And agreed, the steep streets seemed strange in terms of a city planning perspective. And this area does get snow sometimes! Whoever designed it must have had an interesting sense of humour.
That is one part of the world that needs to be seen and appreciated. The local culture by itself is unique and the European influence definitely added to its allure. I look forward to being there one day. Thanks for taking me there through your post!
Thanks for your lovely comment. Dunedin is a very lovely city. There’s a bit of something here for everyone whether you enjoy nature, wildlife, architecture, historic houses, museums or just wandering around. I hope you’re able to make it there someday.
We’re looking forward to it. Thanks!
You will not be disappointed. We would love to return to NZ, but would need to take a large chunk of time off work, which is a bit hard to do.
It all looks beautiful, particularly the rounded boulders and the botanical garden. Stunning photography!
Thanks Tricia! The perfectly rounded and spherical boulders were really neat. I couldn’t believe we had the beach mostly all to ourselves when we went. You probably know this by know, but we really enjoy visiting botanical gardens. Most cities in New Zealand had one and they were typically free to visit.
The Moeraki Boulders are lovely (erosion is a wonderful thing in nature, isn’t it). Ahh, I’m sure Baby M enjoyed the birds in the botanical garden, and I thought Baldwin Street will be a good place to practice for a hilly hike! I’m always up for a visit to a castle (I can’t believe it’s NZ’s only castle). Love your coastal drive on the second day and another visit to an old house – I always wonder why it’s so fascinating to see how people lived in bygone days 😉. Great photo of the railway station.
Thanks Corna! The Moeraki Boulders are fascinating and very visually appealing. Baby M loved being at the beach. And you’re right, she was a huge fan of the birds in the apiary. I would imagine Baldwin Street would be a good cardio workout in general! Apparently this area gets snow so I wonder what they do in the winter. We were terrified to drive up and down the road and it a beautiful day outside. I couldn’t imagine attempting it when there’s snow or ice. Agreed, it is kind of funny how many of us are so curious to visit historic homes to get a sense of how wealthy people lived back then. Have a wonderful weekend. Linda
Looks absolutely lovely! I love those views of the coast and the incredible architecture. Also that seal seems perfectly camouflaged in the sand. Great tour of Dunedin with you 🙂
Thanks so much for your kind words. We had a wonderful time exploring Dunedin and the surrounding area. The seals were hard to spot, but their smell tipped us off on where we could find them!
I truly enjoyed this journaling of your holiday adventure. The photos are inviting visits. Your child is so fortunate- caring parents who will undoubtedly pass on their love of travel and spirit of exploration and openness to new experiences.
Aww thanks. You are too kind. Even though we had to go at a slower pace and were a bit constrained in terms of nap schedules, we couldn’t imagine travelling without her. It was so lovely to share this experience with her. It was definitely one of the most memorable trips we’ve ever taken.
That railway station is amazing and the scenic views are something else. I love the Moeraki Boulders. You saw a good variety of things on this trip. I always like visiting stately homes.
There’s a bit of something here for everyone whether you enjoy the scenery, wildlife, historic houses or architecture. The spherical boulders were very visually appealing. I couldn’t believe we had the beach nearly all to ourselves. And agreed, the railway station is beautiful. If we had a bit more time it would have been nice to take a peak inside.
Thanks for the tours of excellent natural and man-made places. I’m especially taken with the boulders. They are something else.
I know what you mean. Those perfectly rounded boulders were very visually appealing. It was fascinating to hear how they were formed. Geology rocks!
You’ve seen some beautiful places. I do remember Dunedin being particularly hilly, so I was glad to have an automatic gearbox. I also visited Larnach, which is quite rare in New Zealand. Finally, it was in this region that I had the chance to see penguins on the beach. One of them, seemingly unafraid, walked among the humans like a tottering child.
Lucky you to have seen some penguins! We were hoping to see some, and thought maybe we did while driving, but we’re not entirely sure. Our little one was napping so we couldn’t exactly investigate more closely. And yes, Dunedin was very hilly. I wonder what it’s like in the winter when they get snow. I don’t imagine it would be very fun to drive (or walk) around!
What a splendid day you spent in and around Dunedin. I had no idea about the city’s connection with Edinburgh. Those uniform shaped boulders looked very interesting and what with the historic houses and the botanic gardens, it clearly turned out to be a fun filled day.
We had a lovely time and weather for exploring the sights in and around Dunedin. The perfectly rounded boulders were fascinating and very picturesque on the beach next to the water. We’re such a fan of visiting historic houses. It’s a fun way to catch a glimpse into the past.
Oh wow, what a wonderful area! I absolutely love that view from Larnach Castle, you can see why they picked that spot! And Dunedin Chinese Garden is right up my street. Beautiful (and looks like perfect weather too!) 🙂
Oh I know. It’s a beautiful location to build a house, or a castle. I wouldn’t mind waking up to those views every morning. I figured you would enjoy the gardens! Whenever we travel somewhere we always look up to see if there are any botanical, Japanese, Chinese or other interesting gardens nearby.
Beautiful View of all photos , amazing photography 🌷🙏👍🏻 so incredible beauty of earth wonders!!
Thank you so much for sharing dear friend and All The Best Wishes to dear you and family ❤️💐👏
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. We couldn’t have asked for better weather for wandering around Dunedin. It’s such a lovely city and we especially enjoyed visiting the gardens and a couple of the historic houses.
Most welcome and graceful wishes my lovely friend 🌷🙏🥰🌷
Wow, what a truly beautiful place to visit, Linda, especially the stunning coast with such huge boulders. I have to say that due to all the greenery, the city doesn’t feel like a city, but more like a place where nature meets city, something unusual these days. I very much enjoyed reading and learning about the city’s connection to Scotland. Given that Dunedin’s architecture, layout, and cultural institutions were modelled after Scotland’s capital, I’d feel right at home. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Even though Dunedin is the second largest city in the South Island, you’re right, it didn’t feel very big, likely because it was surrounded by so many rolling hills and greenery. I’m always such a fan of when a city incorporates nature in its design and planning. I like how you phrased it “nature meets city”. I’ve heard Scotland has done a good job of that as well where green spaces are always nearby, even in a big city like Edinburgh. Thanks for reading Aiva. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Linda
New Zealand is a beautiful country. You captured such gorgeous blue skies in your photos. The castle and home were in nice condition considering their age. The round boulders on the beach are peculiar, it’s interesting that nature decided to create them in that shape. And all the gardens are lovely. How fortunate that these places weren’t overcrowded, and you were able to enjoy them on your schedule. You visit similar types of places we visit when we travel. We’re planning a trip through Canada soon, as my husband is ‘forced’ to take some time off work. 😊 I plan to look through your blog for tips and highlights of locations you visited in the eastern half of your country. I’m excited!
Thanks for your lovely comment, Rose. I’ve always enjoyed visiting historic houses to snoop around and imagine what life might have been like in a different time period. The perfectly rounded boulders were so interesting and very visually appealing. While the weather was a bit unpredictable and dodge since we were visiting in the shoulder season, things weren’t very busy, which is just how we like it.
That’s exciting to hear that you’re planning a trip through Canada. Hopefully you’ll be able to enjoy the fall foliage. Do you have any specific spots in mind? You mentioned the eastern half of Canada, so does that mean you’re going out to the Maritimes?
We’re on a whirlwind tour starting in Thunder Bay and going all the way to Prince Edward Island, and Halifax. And then returning to the US through Maine. We’ve explored a few Provincial Parks. We’ve been to Kakabeka Falls, Rainbow Falls, and Lake Superior Provincial Parks. They’ve all been gorgeous! 💞
Sounds like an amazing road trip! I have a particular fondness for the stretch along the northern shore of Lake Superior. I’d highly recommend checking out Pukaskwa National Park. We’re actually heading to Halifax as well. We’ll be flying there next Thursday actually. When are you leaving for your road trip?
We’re leaving Halifax this morning and going to visit PEI! It would’ve been so fun to meet you guys!💞 Pukaskwa National Park didn’t fit into our timing, but it’s close to Minnesota, so it’ll be easy to visit when we take a shorter tour around Lake Superior at a later date. Maybe we’ll be able to meet on some future adventure?
I know! It’s too bad our timing didn’t work out. But, yes, hopefully sometime soon on a future adventure! I can see us taking a road trip around all of Lake Superior in the next few years which means passing through Minnesota. Enjoy the rest of your time in the Maritimes. PEI is very charming.
This area looks absolutely lovely, and I love the beautiful gardens and coastal vantage points!
The coastal scenery was top notch around Dunedin. I’m glad we had such fabulous weather to enjoy the views and exploring the gardens. Thankfully we didn’t have to do much driving and could enjoy being outdoors.
The rocks are so cool. I love when nature finds a way to make magic with all around it. There’s just something about water and creation. The castle looked incredible. I’m glad it wasn’t too busy so you could enjoy taking your time. Your photos are excellent with matching the scenery. You have a great day with matching words to the photos you share. The botanical garden looks so beautiful. I recently went to a small, like VERY small botanical garden and was amazed . They had many butterfly flowers and there were a lot of bees and moths and butterflies. I felt so at peace. I can only imagine the sense of peace you all felt being there. It’s also really great that the animals are having a chance to repopulate. I love places that aid in animal recovery. That’s such an incredible thing. There is this park here named Hershey Park. They have a little zoo and all the animals they have are healing from something or rescued. I admire places like that. Beautiful post and I really enjoyed the parts about the castle as well. So neat!!!!!!
Oh I know! Nature certainly has a way of adding mystery, magic and beauty to the world around us. The perfectly rounded boulders were fascinating. One of the benefits to visiting New Zealand during the off season was that it wasn’t very busy. We’re also early risers, which also helps with the crowds.
Most cities in NZ have a botanical garden and we couldn’t resist visiting whenever we drove through somewhere. The one in Dunedin did not disappoint. And oh wow did we get a good workout in from all those hills. Agreed, it’s pretty impressive that they also help with bird recovery. The botanical gardens that you visited with all the butterflies sounds pleasant.
It was very pleasant and there were so many different kinds of butterflies. Ive never seen anything like them before. We are early risers on vacation, too. We want to try to get everything in! It’s not easy to do so we try hard to get it all in. Time management is so important on trips. We used to run around and it got too stressful so now we try to plan ahead gauging the time we have in a specific place. We absolutely loved Williamsburg Virginia. It had an old town appeal. I’m not sure why I’m bringing up this trip but I guess it’s because it was one of my favorites. Like you, I love places with history involved. It’s so fascinating to learn how things worked back in the day and to see what has changed and what hasn’t.
I couldn’t agree more about the importance of time management while travelling (and in life in general)! Time is precious. I have no interest in battling the crowds or fighting for parking, so getting an early start seems like a no brainer. We haven’t spent much time in Virginia, just a few days in Shenandoah National Park many many years ago. Good to know about Williamsburg. We’re a huge fan of that old town vibe and a place that has a rich history. Thanks for putting that on my radar.
Absolutely ! Matt and I are, too so I’m happy to pass the info 🙂
Wonderful! Now we just need to find some time to take another adventure!
Yes, exactly !!!
Those rocks are so neat. Especially the one that’s just sitting there like a giant beach ball. So weird. Lovely photos of the coastline! I think I’m gonna take a pass on that road, though. I can imagine most cars would struggle to drive something that steep.
The perfectly rounded rocks were very visually appealing and so fascinating. I couldn’t believe we practically had the beach to ourselves, which made for a much nicer and peaceful experience. We nearly regretted our decision to drive up Baldwin Street as we weren’t sure our car was going to make it to the top. But it did. I think it was actually worse going down than up though! I can’t even imagine what they do in the winter when it snows …
I’d have to imagine when it snows, whichever side of the hill you’re on, you’re just stuck there until it melts!
Ha! Probably! And then you have to just walk instead of drive, which I’m not sure is any better!
Dunedin and the surrounding area looks lovely. I have lots of relatives in Dunedin (my mum’s cousins, descended from Scottish immigrants) and if I ever make it to New Zealand, it’s top of my list of places to visit.
Interesting to hear that you have relatives in Dunedin. I hope you’re able to visit someday. It’s a lovely city that feels more like a town.
Beautiful place. Those boulders are indeed very oddly, intriguingly spherical.
And very pleasing to see, especially by the ocean. Nature continues to amaze.
Once again, stunning views and so many fun things to see! I didn’t expect a Chinese garden or that fabulous reading room!
I know! It’s always fun to discover some of these unexpected places. And I’m such a fan of creeping historic homes and getting a glimpse into what life was like in the past.
I love that you had these experiences!
Me too. Travelling is a great way to learn about history, experience new things and just enjoy the present!
Plus, it’s just nice to do something different!
Very true. It’s nice to just get out of the house and go somewhere else. There are too many reminders of things to do at home!
Haha! Yes! That’s where we keep all our work and chores! We don’t have to do them if we just leave!
Exactly! It’s the best way to not have to worry about work, whether it’s work work, house work or yard work.
lol. Time to pack up and leave again, isn’t it?
We’re actually in Nova Scotia for a few days. It doesn’t seem long enough though!
How fun!!!
We flew back home on Tuesday. It was nice to have a change of scenery. Nova Scotia is such a beautiful province. I could totally move there in retirement.
I hear it’s beautiful! I’m so glad you had a good time!
It’s very charming with a lot of lighthouses and small colourful fishing villages. The display of fall colours is also outstanding. I wish I was still there.
Well that sounds perfect!
This post is a fabulous combination of the natural and built environments! The boulders and seals are amazing. And I think I could hanker a stay at the Larnach Lodge.
Thanks for your lovely comment. Dunedin seems to have it all whether you enjoy nature, architecture or city life. And I imagine you’d be super fit if you lived here given all the hills! We looked into accommodations at Larnach Castle afterwards and the prices actually weren’t too outrageous.
The Moeraki Boulders are definitely one of the most intriguing creations of Mother Nature. How awesome that eons of erosion of sedimentary rocks can result in such unique formations! The botanic garden looks lovely, especially on a sunny day. I wasn’t aware of Dunedin’s many heritage buildings. How cool it is to have such beautiful structures in a setting many other cities can only dream of!
Oh I know! It’s pretty amazing how perfectly rounded some of the boulders were. And it’s incredible to think how they were created over millions of years ago. I think in another life I would have loved to be a geologist. The architecture in Dunedin was very different compared to other cities we visited in New Zealand. There were a lot of Victorian and Edwardian style historic houses.
Dunedin really has a lot to offer, a great variety of experiences as well. The perfectly rounded boulders are amazing. It’s a shame about missing the albatross, but baby M’s naps are definitely a priority. Larnach Castle is a gorgeous property, the garden being the most impressive part, at least to me. Another lovely post from New Zealand. You are really making us consider the destination, however, it feels like having your own set of wheels would be essential.
Thanks for your lovely comment. I think you would really enjoy New Zealand. For such a small country, there’s a lot to see. You would definitely need a car to get around as public transit isn’t very wide spread.
Nap times are definitely a priority. They’re a bit hard to do while travelling, but thankfully our schedule was pretty flexible and we made it work. Funnily enough, baby M enjoyed being outside more than our indoor activities.
New Zealand really is the country that keeps on giving. Those rocks are so unique and the number of gardens to explore are incredible!
Absolutely! It’s amazing how varied the landscape. And it’s pretty awesome that most cities in NZ have a botanical garden that is typically free to visit. The perfectly rounded rocks were such a strange and fascinating sight. Nature is so cool!
Dúnedain! That’s from LofR. Not hard to guess where Tolkien got that name. Thanks for this language lesson. I’ve been to Edinburgh twice.
The NZ Dunedin is lovely. Those round boulders are something else. What a cool and random formation. Almost makes you want to preserve some from being worn down to nothing in the water.
So glad those two homes were preserved. The second one looks very homey. Nice that the family were able to keep it all together and in good shape.
Another great article!
Alisen
Thanks for your lovely comment. It’s funny because I actually never made that connection before between Dunedin and Dunedain.
The perfectly spherical boulders were fascinating. Nature is always full of surprises and mystery. Dunedin was such a neat city and it definitely exceeded our expectations. It was neat to learn more about its history and connection to Edinburgh. And it’s always fun to catch a glimpse into how wealthy people back in the day used to live. It was also a good reminder that we really need to visit Scotland!
Oh! You would love Scotland! I’ve been twice in three years – both with my girlfriends.
Tip – May is a good time to visit the Highlands. I was told by two locals to try then for dryer weather. I would not have guessed May was good.
It’s definitely a driving adventure, and the roads are small and tight. I was the driver and needed a good break after some longer days. For such a small place, there are about 1 million things to see and do.
I hope you can make it one day.
I am loving your NZ adventures. My hubby is getting closer to part-retirement. I really want to spend a few weeks there.
Cheers! Alisen
Lucky you to have visited Scotland a couple of times. Good to know that May is a good time to visit the Highlands. I wouldn’t have thought the spring was a good time either. I’m guessing the midges are less vicious then too. After visiting NZ and driving on the left side of the road, I’m hoping driving in Scotland wouldn’t be too crazy.
That’s exciting that your husband is nearing retirement, or rather part-retirement. Hopefully you’re able to visit NZ. It’s one of my favourite countries that we’ve ever visited. It’s a great spot to enjoy the outdoors. And there’s so many fantastic hiking trails, including some epic multi-day treks.
The beaches are stunning and the tree by the road side is crazy 😧. So beautiful
Oh I know. All the scenery in and around Dunedin is gorgeous, which makes it such a worthwhile city to visit. The only thing missing were some penguins!