We came for the scenery. We keep finding the stories.
Strange tracks, hidden roads, caves, coastlines and the places we never would have found by taking the fastest route.
We Found Some of the Clearest Water Ever Measured
Golden Bay • Nelson TasmanGolden Bay gave us one of the strangest combinations of places we have explored yet, from limestone forest to water so clear it almost does not look real.
The places already making us take the long way around.
Each guide combines what we experienced with useful information for anyone thinking about following the same road.
Tākaka Hill Via Ferrata
Three routes, plenty of exposure and the point where our confidence finally met its limit.
Rāwhiti Cave Track
A steep track through thick bush leading to one of the strangest cave entrances we had seen.
The Grove Scenic Reserve
Nīkau palms, giant limestone blocks and narrow passages hiding just outside Tākaka.
Te Waikoropupū Springs
Extraordinary water clarity, an enormous aquifer and a place whose importance goes far beyond what you can see.
Wharariki Beach
Wild surf, huge dunes, the Archway Islands and the New Zealand beach millions of people have already seen without knowing its name.
The fastest road usually isn't the interesting one.
We moved from Canada to New Zealand and started exploring our new home as a family.
Somewhere along the way, the places between the famous stops became just as interesting as the famous stops themselves. A strange sign, an old road, a cave, a track we had never heard of or a story hiding behind a place can completely change the day.
Five very different stops. One Golden Bay road trip.
One road trip can lead from a cliff face to a cave, through limestone forest, past extraordinary water and finally out to one of the wildest beaches we have explored.
Tākaka Hill Via Ferrata
The adventure starts high above the valley.
Rāwhiti Cave
Then the road leads underground.
The Grove
Limestone disappears into a palm forest.
Te Waikoropupū
Then the landscape starts pushing water back up.
Wharariki Beach
The road finally runs out at a wild stretch of coast.
Use the website to plan it. Watch the video to experience it with us.
The guides help you figure out the practical side. YouTube is where you come along for the actual adventure.
Track details, access information, useful context and what we learned live here. The reactions, weather, mistakes, conversations and moments we could never plan live in the videos.
We moved across the world. Then started exploring our new backyard.
The Scenic Route is our family learning New Zealand together, one road, track and unexpected discovery at a time.
There are four of us, which means four different ideas about what looks easy, what counts as cold, whether we packed enough food and when it might be smarter to turn around.
We are still figuring this country out. That is a big part of the reason we started filming it.
Have a place, product or story that belongs in an adventure?
We work with destinations, tourism operators, accommodation, sponsors and brands when there is a genuine fit.
There is always another road.
We have barely started. More New Zealand, more strange places and hopefully plenty more reasons to take the long way around.