Today, we started our drive toward the South Island. We will be spending the night in Taupo but first a visit to Hobbiton.

If you are a Lord of the Rings fan or a real estate enthusiast, Hobbiton is a-must-see.

Here are a few pictures from our tour:

We spent the night in Taupo, a resort town about 3.5 hours south of Auckland and about an hour outside of Hobbiton. Unfortunately, by the time we got into Taupo, we were still trying to get over the jet lag and didn’t get an opportunity to explore the town…so this town is on the list for a future visit.