jlub

The USWNT (US Women's National Team) plays their group games in Auckland and Wellington the end of July which of course is winter in NZ. Looking for advice on:
1) Flights / airlines
2) Weather concerns
3) Where to stay / not stay
4) Side trips, what to see?
We will likely fly to Australia for the "Round of 16" game in either Sydney or Melbourne (don't know yet or actually assuming the USWNT will advance to 1 of these games). We'd like to spend perhaps 5 days to see the zoos, great barrier reef, etc. Also any advice there?

Diamantina

I had to look up FIFA Women's World Cup 2023. I didn't even know this was on the July 2023 schedule for our town. But USWNT won't be coming to our town (Dunedin on the South Island, which is one of the four NZ venues). As you noted, USWNT will only play in Auckland and Wellington. That's a pity. We have a lot of American expats in the south who would have enjoyed rooting for the US team! But I'm absolutely certain they'll get a big welcome in those other two New Zealand cities.

Yes, it'll be winter. It will be cold in Auckland and Wellington, but not so cold that it would snow. Average daytime temperature for Auckland would be around 55F, Wellington about 59F. Our weather changes all the time. It could be cold and rainy on Monday, sunny and almost warm (I'm still talking winter here) on Tuesday. The weather can even change several times over the course of a day.. You should be fairly comfortable if you bring a wind and waterproof coat or jacket with a hood, a light fleece layer to wear beneath it, and reliable walking shoes. Don't bother bringing shorts, unless you need them for exercise, but bring sunglasses. The stadiums in Auckland (Eden Park) and Wellington are both open to the air. Only the Dunedin stadium is covered.

These are the airlines that fly into NZ:
https://www.transport.govt.nz/about-...g-new-zealand/

Put yourself on the Qantas and Air New Zealand mailing lists, so you'll know when they have specials. Virgin Australia and Jetstar also fly between NZ and Australia.

Both Auckland and Wellington are on the North Island. If I'm reading the schedule correctly, USWNT will play three matches on the North Island (2 in Auckland, 1 in Wellington). Do you intend to go to all three? If so, it looks like you'll have four free days in-between the matches. Of course, you can explore Auckland on your first four free days. Alternatively, popular one-day or overnight destinations from Auckland that would appeal in winter include Rotorua, Waitomo (glow worm caves), or Hobbiton (movie set used in the Lord of the Ring movies, located in Matamata). Or you could rent a car in Auckland and explore these destinations and others as you drive south to Wellington. You could also consider flying from Auckland down to Queenstown for a few days. Queenstown will give you a taste for what the South Island has to offer. When done in Queenstown, fly directly to Wellington.

I suggest you research the above destinations and see what most appeals.

Wellington is the nation's capital. It's lively, attractive, and interesting. Have a look at these websites:
https://www.wellingtonnz.com/
https://www.newzealand.com/sg/featur...in-wellington/

I can't really offer more advice as to what would most appeal to you because I don't know what your tastes or interests are (apart from soccer, that is). Who is this trip is for? Will you be traveling with a friend or family? Because, for instance, suggesting visiting wine regions near Wellington or Auckland might not be appropriate if you're looking for something to do with young children. But I would recommend the Auckland Zoo and Kelly Tarlton's SeaLife Auckland Aquarium. If you were an outdoorsy family that enjoys hiking, I'd recommend a trip to Rangitoto in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf or a walk up Auckland's Mt. Eden. Both Auckland and Wellington have excellent museums, if this is something you enjoy.

How do you plan to travel around? You can drive, fly or take a bus or train from Auckland to Wellington.

I'm guessing you'd like to stay close to the stadiums in Auckland and Wellington. If so, you can google "hotels near Eden Park Stadium" and "hotels near Wellington Regional Stadium".I think Wellington Regional Stadium is also known as Sky Stadium. But maybe you don't want to stay near the stadiums. When I visit Auckland, I usually stay near the waterfront near Queens Wharf and Viaduct Harbor. When I'm in Wellington, I'll stay close to the waterfront between Queens Wharf and Oriental Parade. Here's a link to a map of Wellington's CBD: https://www.wellingtonnz.com/assets/...n-Map-2022.pdf

jlub

Hello Diamantina!!!

AWESOME AWESOME, thank-you!! Thanks so much for the extremely helpful info. I need to go through methodically read and check the links you so kindly provided.

In answer to at least some of your questions, we are traveling with family. It looks like we are now 13 ranging in age from 74 to 5 years old. We will skip the US / Vietnam game in Auckland, probably fly directly to Wellington (mostly likely ofc through Auckland). Then fly back to Auckland for the 3rd US game. Besides soccer, we are all nature lovers, and some of us (not me) will be looking for skiing / snowboarding if you have any recommendations for that. Zoos, museums, local culture, etc. are all interests. I've been a huge Tolkien fan since I was a little boy, but probably not interested in the tourist attraction for it.

I'm guessing that the US expats that are soccer fans from Dunedin will be traveling to the US games. We are planning on going to the round of 16 game which will be either in Melbourne or Sydney (most likely dependent upon the outcome of the US vs. Netherlands game, i.e. 1st or 2nd place in our group). Of course nothing is guaranteed. I'm not sure if we can travel to the Great Barrier Reef or if you would recommend it while in Australia. I know that would be an extensive trip for snorkeling.

I'm not sure what accommodations we will look for, or for that matter be able to find. We are all starting to seriously plan, buy flights, etc. and probably look for accommodations, although planning (and paying) so far in advance is pretty worrisome for me as it's still 9 months away. Flights, hotels, AirBnbs will all be booked solid by tournament time.

Thanks again!

Diamantina

Thanks for filling in some helpful details. 13 people from ages 5 to 74! What a varied group!

You wrote, "Besides soccer, we are all nature lovers, and some of us (not me) will be looking for skiing / snowboarding if you have any recommendations for that. Zoos, museums, local culture, etc."

Great! Late July in NZ coincides with ski/snowboarding season. I'm not a skier, but it seems to me NZ's best known and most popular ski resorts are Coronet Peak and the Remarkables in Queenstown and Cardrona and Treble Cone in Wanaka. There's an international/domestic airport in Queenstown and Wanaka is a little more than an hour's drive away along steep, winding Crown Range Road (for which you might need snow chains). There are also shuttles that take people from Queenstown to Wanaka. But there are so many other things to do in this area (collectively known as "Queenstown-Lakes District") if you do not ski. This area is a nature lovers delight, even in winter. Queenstown has a gondola and luge, wildlife park, a botanic garden with a lakeside walkway, jet boat rides, bungy jumping, lake cruises, lots of restaurants and shops, a wide range of accommodation, and a major wine region a short drive away (takes a little more than a half hour to drive there; there's also a shuttle to goes there).. It's incredibly scenic, with a long lake surrounded by mountains. Nearby destinations worth exploring are Arrowtown ( an historic gold gold mining village) and glorious Glenorchy. it's easy to get to Arrowtown, the public bus even goes there, but the road to Glenorchy is winding and narrow (but oh so beautiful). However, I think there is a shuttle that goes.there year round. It's even possible to do an all-day tour from Queenstown to Milford Sound in winter, though there will be days when the route will be impassable due to road conditions.
https://www.queenstownnz.co.nz/stori...-do-in-winter/

Wanaka is no less interesting or beautiful--many would say it is more beautiful. It's more low-key, less commercial, less crowded and less busy than Queenstown (though I've not been there in ski season). One thing that would interest children in Wanaka is Puzzling World. There are lot of great hikes in and around Wanaka, though they tend to be steep. It's also nice to just walk around the lake. The drive from lake Wanaka to nearby Lake Hawea would be stunning on a clear day, and winter brings many cold, clear days. It is important, however, to read about driving in winter to minimize encountering early morning frosts on the road, late afternoon sunstrike, black ice, and other challenges. But, I'm guessing you're already familiar with these kind of challenges.
https://www.newzealand.com/us/featur...-driving-tips/
https://nzta.govt.nz/safety/driving-...winter-driving
https://www.lakewanaka.co.nz/wanaka-...-do-in-winter/

The flight from Queenstown to Wellington takes an hour and a half.

Of course, there are also ski resorts on the North Island. I think most of these are in the central volcanic region and near Lake Taupo--at least these would be most convenient for you as they can be accessed on the drive between Wellington to Auckland.. I've been to Mt. Ruapehu once in winter, but not to ski. My husband and I thought it would be a scenic overnight stop on a drive between Auckland and Wellington. More info about NI skiing here:
https://www.familytravel.com.au/new-...th-island-ski/

Wellington has a good zoo, but, personally, I think the Auckland Zoo is better and bigger. However, Wellington has Zealandia Ecosanctuary, of which i am a huge fan. There is a Zealandia shuttle that goes from the Wellington waterfront (not far from Te Papa National Museum or from the top of the Cable Car near the entrance to the top of Wellington's attractive Botanic Garden. You're not interested in Tolkien tourist attractions, but maybe younger people in your group would be interested in WETA workshop tour:
https://tours.wetaworkshop.com/

These are my must-do in Wellington (65+ nature/beach lover who walks a lot, hikes, swims): Te Papa Museum, Zealandia, Cable Car, Botanic Garden (walk from top to bottom), a walk along the waterfront, Wellington City Art Gallery, a visit to Martinborough Wine region. Wellington can be super windy because of its location on Cooks Strait. On my Wellington to-do wish list: Kapiti island and Matiu/Somes island.

I'll follow up with Auckland suggestions soon.

Of course, there are also fine ski resorts in Australia, but, yes, Great Barrier Reef would be perfect in July-August. I snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef in late July 2019. The boat went out of Port Douglas, which is also where I stayed. Port Douglas is also close to the Daintree Rainforest. I also visited Brisbane and Moreton Island near Brisbane, where I took a whale watch cruise. I've been on many whale cruises, but I really enjoy this one. KayF, a frequent contributor to this forum, is a Queensland travel expert, though she's probably too modest to admit it. I believe she lives in Brisbane. i've gotten some good Queensland travel tips from her.

Diamantina

Taking Fiordland out of the equation, in general, the North Island, with the exception of its highest mountains, tends to be wetter in winter than the South Island. I just read Auckland typically gets about 15 rainy days in July. it's the wettest month, with June and August being second wettest months. Winter also brings southwesterly winds. So you'll have to see how it goes with respect to outdoor activities. But you can visit the Auckland Zoo and SeaLife Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium. You could spend hours at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, with its outstanding Maori and Pacifica collections and many other interesting exhibitions. It's in the Domain, a 75-hectare park that has a Wintergardens. If you're interested in art museums, there's the Auckland Art Gallery. My friends who sail enjoyed their visit to the Maritime Museum (Auckland is known as "The City of Sails"). The Sky Tower is popular. I've not been up there but would guess the view would be better on a clear day. The Sky Tower is located in Sky City, a complex in the CBD that includes a hotel, casino, restaurants, etc. The match will be at Eden Park Stadium, so if you end up staying near the stadium and if it's not been raining and the ground is not wet, you might consider walking up to Mt. Eden. I've not done this walk, so I'm sorry I can't offer more information about this. In sunny, dry weather, it's nice to visit one of the islands in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf, but I fear during late July-early August, it could be gusty and wet.

You should still consider making an out of town trip to Rotorua and/or Waitomo Glowworm Caves.

I'm no Melbourne expert, but traveled there as a tourist several times and have enjoyed many of its attractions. Because I love food, one of my favorites is Queen Victoria Market. Federation Square is a must. It's home to the National Gallery of Victoria/Ian Potter Center, which houses a large and varied Australian art collection. The National Gallery of Victoria International is a short walk away, near the Royal Botanic Garden, on the other side of the Yarra river. Across from Federation Square, you'll find Hosier Lane, an alley adorned with lively street art. I also think it's worth having a look at the striking interior of nearby St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral. When in Melbourne's CBD, you must take a tram. I think Melbourne's CBD still has a free tram zone. It can get crowded at peak times. There's also a SeaLife Aquarium in the CBD, where I especially enjoyed watching its penguins In Carlton Gardens, you'll find the Melbourne Museum, a cultural and natural history museum. I loved its Forest Gallery with its live birds, and where I was transfixed by a dancing bowerbird. At first, I didn't even think it was real. Melbourne also has Sky Deck, which offers dramatic views on a clear, sunny day.

I'm sure the city will put on some special events to coincide with FIFA Women's World Cup.

I enjoy shopping and dining out when I'm in Melbourne and love just walking around, exploring the laneways, quieter streets and riverfront. I've always left Melbourne with regrets I couldn't do and see more. Prahran Market and the Immigration Museum are on my list for next time.

If you have time and like wine, consider visiting the Yarra Valley. I've been to the nearby Yarra wine region twice, once on a tour and the second time in a rental car with my husband. Good wine, nice restaurants, pretty landscapes.

it's hard to predict what the weather will be like in winter, but outside of Melbourne, a good place for seeing animals outdoors is on Phillip Island. When I visited PI, I'd been on a solo trip to Melbourne so I took an afternoon tour, which got me there in time for a evening viewing of the Fairy Penguins at Penguin Parade. i think there will be fewer penguins in winter and, as you must sit outside on bleachers to watch them come in, you could be quite uncomfortable, wet and cold. On the way we stopped at Moonlit Sanctuary to view native wildlife, a chocolate factory, which was more fun than I expected, and the Nobbies, where you can view seals. Phillip Island is also home to Phillip Island Wildlife Park and the Koala Conservation Center.

Of course, if in Melbourne, you might consider visiting the Great Ocean Road.

northie

Diamantina -a great selection for Mlebourne .As a Melburnian i say well done.

jlub- For wildlife there's the 4 zoos--Zoos Victoria-https://zoo.org.au
Healesville Sanctuary zoo which is on the edge of the Yarra Valley wine region would give you a great look at Australian animals.. There is also skiiing near that zoo Lake mountian but it has unreliable snow -mostly caters for cross country and families wanting to see snow.
Other ski resorts are 380 kms from Melbourne..
I assume you know the first phase of tickets for for matches is finished .The second sales phase started October 25.

Im pleased to help in any way .

Diamantina

Northie, thanks for the compliment. It really is a fun, interesting, beautiful city. in a fun, interesting, beautiful country. You're lucky to be able to call it home.

jlub

Actually (sorry to say), we hope to not be in Melbourne. Reason being that if the US is playing in Melbourne during the Round of 16 games, it will be because they came in second in their group and will likely have to face power house Sweden in Melbourne. We hope instead to be in Sydney (meaning we likely defeated or at least tied Netherlands) and came in first in our group. But the US Women (USWNT) last two "friendly" matches were not that encouraging so we may well need all the helpful info on Melbourne. We will likely be hoping to get flights to either Sydney or Melbourne following the Netherlands game (and assuming our 3rd game goes as planned).

jlub

Thanks so much northie! We are in the random draw for tickets through the US Soccer federation and should know in just a few days what tickets we have. As I commented to Diamantina, we may not (actually hope not) to be in Melbourne as it means the US did not finish first in their group and have a much harder road to advancing. But we may well be....

jlub

Thanks again Diamantina! Not sure what happened to my reply (I must have hit the wrong button). But to repeat what at least some of what I wrote, Queenstown sounds fantastic, but I'm not sure the extra travel expense and time between games will work out to get to the SI. The skiers and snowboarders (young people) however, may well consider it. For the older group (myself / wife age 68/69) and my brother and his wife (74), I think we will be looking for some warmer weather and hopefully snorkeling probably after the round of 16 game. Port Douglas I believe has also been recommended by others and is probably the likely spot for us. As I remember, they have Catamaran snorkeling trips. Many many years ago I snorkeled the US Navy base in Puerto Rico and have not found anything anywhere near comparable as the oceans warm and the coral reefs die. So I'm really not sure what to expect on the Great Barrier Reef.

northie

there are snorkellling trips off the Graet Barrier reef.We did one out of Cairns. One of our group did scuba diving on the same trip.. We were staying in poert Douglas .
I might or might not see you in melbourne.

We are so l;ooking forward to the World Cup

Diamantina

jlub, I agree, Queenstown will definitely appeal more to the young skiers and snowboarders in your group. Air New Zealand sometimes offers international deals with a free flight to a domestic destination, so keep an eye out for these deals. Queenstown is busiest during NZ and Australian winter school holidays. In NZ the winter school holidays fall during the first two weeks of July. Australian school holidays in 2023 vary, but I think they all will have ended by July 24. After this date, things will get less busy in Queenstown, Wanaka and other ski resorts. If buying a domestic flight separately from your international flight, then Jetstar is likely to be cheaper than Air New Zealand (but it's worth checking both airlines' fares). Jetstar has earned many negative reviews, but I've had no problems flying with them.

You probably won't find warm weather in NZ in winter. Periods of sun, yes.

When my husband and I visited Queensland in late July 2019, it was warm but not hot. It was quite comfortable. The snorkeling cruise out of Port Douglas gave us shortie 5mm neoprene wetsuits. I'm thin, easily get cold, and was not warm enough, so they gave me another lycra suit to wear under the neoprene suit. This helped. The water temperature at this time of year is about 24C, that's about 75F. That might not seem cold, but if you're in the water for about a half hour more or less (can't remember exactly how long it was) and you're just slowly moving through the water, you can lose a lot of body heat. Otherwise, the water was clear (as this was the dry season; cyclone season is between November and April) and we didn't have to worry about stingers in the water (as it wasn't stinger season either). We visited three snorkeling sites. The offered us a very nice lunch, which I barely touched as I was afraid of getting seasick. On the boat ride to and from the reef, we saw four humpback whales breaching. On the reef, we saw lots of colorful fish and a large hawksbill turtle. The snorkeling guides also showed us coral that was recovering from a bleaching event.

The last time I went out on the Great Barrier Reef was in the mid-1990s, on a scuba liveaboard. I remember a more vivid reef, but we went farther out and spent three days diving. I don't recall any talk of bleaching back then, but there were a lot of destructive crown-of-thorns sea stars on the reef.

Diamantina

This link is also useful for last minute Air New Zealand airfare deals. I wasn't sure if you could access it from the US but it seems you can:
https://www.grabaseat.co.nz/?region=North%20America

I'm also no Sydney expert, but been a tourist there many times as well. In my opinion, Sydney, with its scenic harborside setting, hills, abundant greenery, and iconic Opera House, is a glamorous city. its setting comparable with Rio de Janeiro or Cape Town or my hometown of San Francisco (minus the crime, homelessness, and rampant downtown development). I think the best way to appreciate Sydney's charms is to take a walk along its waterfront or to go out on a ferry or harbor cruise. It'll also be whale watching season.

Like Melbourne, Sydney offers some enjoyable walks and urban explorations. I'd walk from The Rocks to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, via Circular Quay, the spectacular Sydney Opera House and the Royal Botanic Garden and Domain. The Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Royal Botanic Garden offer free admission and are well-worth visiting. The gardens offer a wide variety of flora and are also a good place for spotting urban wildlife. There is an expandable map on this link. If the weather is fine, you could also walk from The Rocks to the newly developed Barangaroo Reserve. Or catch a bus from Circular Quay to Bondi Beach and explore the stunning coastal walk. I can't remember if I've been there in August--I probably have, but I was most recently there in September 2019 and the weather was fine for walking. No telling what will happen this coming year. This past year sent a lot of rain to NSW, probably partly due to La Niņa.

You can easily work a ferry ride into your itinerary as ferries go to Taronga Zoo and Darling Harbour, where you'll find Sydney SeaLife Aquarium in Darling Harbor. Numerous companies also offer harbor cruises and watch cruises (whale watching season is May through October).

The Museum of Contemporary Art is located close to Circular Quay. You'll go pass it if walking from The Rocks--you can't miss it. Kids will enjoy the Australian Museum with its natural history displays.

Like Melbourne, Sydney not only has excellent museums, but also fantastic food. Restaurants range from fine dining to the more affordable. On the affordable end, I think Chinatown is worth exploring.

One of Sydney's super-popular attractions, which I've not done but should be mentioned as it might interest the younger people in your group in particular, is the Harbour Bridge Climb.

Among the most popular out-of-town trips would be a visit to the Blue Mountains, with a stop at Featherdale Wildlife Park along the way. FYI, when I was there in September 2019, I found the temperature in the mountains to be considerably cooler than that of Sydney's.

jlub

More fabulous info, thanks Diamantina! I'm currently thinking that 75 deg. F is also too cold for snorkeling to be enjoyable. It's basically almost 25 degrees less than body temperature and even with wet suit, I just don't think it will be worth the expense and time to travel all the way to Port Douglas although now my brother wants to go as they like the boating and the beaches and all but not really the swimming. Our skiers and boarder usually have these passes (I believe they have the Ikon pass) and they said it is good for some areas on the SI. I'm thinking we may now go with them, get a nice rental with a fireplace and enjoy the scenery, the outdoors, the sites and snuggle up by the fire in the evenings.
The link to "grabaseat" does work. I'm more than a bit scared to be booking and paying for expensive things so far in advance, but I think later this month, I will be committing and getting flights and start looking for accommodations. As Queenstown is not one of the venues for matches, we should have a much easier time finding something between US matches (at least I hope).