Indulging Our Inner Nerds at Hobbiton, New Zealand

April 22, 2017
hobbiton

This is definitely one of the most touristy and nerdiest things I’ve done while traveling…

In all honestly, it’s not something I probably would have gone out of the way to do on my own.  I’ve seen all the Lord of the Rings movies, but I’m in no way a major fan.  And if you are a fan of the movies, this will be an amazing experience.  It was still super fun for me because I was with friends who were big fans.

Visiting Hobbiton, New Zealand...see how the Shire came to life in Lord of the Rings!

Visiting Hobbiton on New Zealand's North Island | One Girl, Whole World

Be warned, though—it is expensive!  An adult ticket is $79 NZD, which is about $55 USD (as I write this).  So you definitely have to decide if that’s worth it for you if you’re not a massive fan.  I’ve put detailed tips for Hobbiton at the bottom of this post as well.

Planning a trip to New Zealand?  Here are other posts to help!

Redwoods & Rainbow Hot Springs in Rotorua

Skydiving Over Abel Tasman National Park in New Zealand

Hiking New Zealand’s Hooker Valley Track

Lake Tekapo’s Stars, Sunrises, & Stunning Turquoise Water

New Zealand Explorations: Nelson & Abel Tasman National Park

Floating on a Glacier Lake: Lake Tasman, NZ

Hiking Pinchgut Track in Nelson Lakes National Park

Two-Week New Zealand Itinerary: A First-Timer’s Detailed Planning Guide

We’d been staying in Rotorua for a few days, which is only about an hour’s drive from Hobbiton.  We left around 7:30 or 8:00am because our tickets were for the 9:30 tour.  It rained most of the way over there, but thankfully cleared up just as we arrived.  But unfortunately we still didn’t get blue skies—it was the one day in our two weeks in New Zealand where we didn’t have perfect weather, so we really can’t complain.

After poking around the gift shop for a few minutes, we boarded the bus and rode for 10-15 minutes to the set, where we were met by our guide, Sara.

hobbiton

Welcome to Hobbiton sign!

You might also like:  My Fave Korean Face Sunscreens for Travel

The walking part of the tour is probably about an hour.  She took us through the set, explaining where certain scenes were filmed, why some of the houses are bigger than others (movie magic!), and other fun behind-the-scenes stories.

A day in the Shire...a visit to Hobbiton

hobbiton

I’m a sucker for behind-the-scenes stuff…I want to know how things work, and always like feeling like I have the inside scoop.

Visiting Hobbiton on New Zealand's North Island | One Girl, Whole World

hobbiton

You might also like:  My Favorite Cross-Body Purse for Travel

There are only one or two houses that you can actually go into, the rest are just facades.  I loved all the bright colors and fun little details that gave each house such personality.  Not to mention the flowers and other greenery that were lush and gorgeous!

Visiting Hobbiton, New Zealand | If you're a fanatic or even casual fan of Lord of the Rings, Hobbiton is a must-visit if you're in New Zealand. See how movie magic happens...tips for making your visit awesome! #hobbiton #newzealand #lotr

hobbiton

Hide out in your hobbit hole! Advice for making your visit fun and getting the best pictures, great for any LOTR fan.

You might also like:  20+ Tips to Survive & Thrive on a Long Flight

My friend Sarai had brought this (kind of creepy) stuffed hobbit doll with her, which made its way into some of our pictures (like the blue door house above).

So there’s that…

I felt like a giant in the hobbit houses of Hobbiton

Tips for having a great visit at Hobbiton, New Zealand...great for any Lord of the Rings fan!

You might also like:  Tips for Making Every Trip A Little Epic

As the tour wound down, we made our way across this adorable little bridge to the Green Dragon pub.  This cat is pretty badass, so I felt like he deserved a feature here.

Cute bridge and mill at Hobbiton!

Hobbiton is lush, green, and charming (if a bit crowded)...here are some tips to avoid the crowds and get the best pics

You might also like:  The Only Carry-On Suitcase You’ll Need

At the Green Dragon you have about 15-20 minutes to have a free drink (when we were there you could pick from a couple beers or a cider).  There’s also food and hot drinks for purchase as well.  The pub is pretty cool, they’ve really gone all-out on making everything feel super authentic, from the little flyers hanging up to huge hearth carvings.

Also, I have NO idea what was happening with those clothes.  You can put on random clothes and take pictures but I honestly don’t know why…but peer pressure conned me into it.

A drink in the Green Dragon pub at Hobbiton

hobbiton

hobbiton

You might also like:  How to Choose the Right Flight Every Time

When we were there, the second Hobbit movie was just coming out (or had just been released?), and Air New Zealand customized their plane livery in celebration.  So we rode Smaug the Dragon home from Auckland later that afternoon…which seemed really fitting after our charming morning at Hobbiton.

Air NZ gave us an awesome ride home on Smaug after our visit to Hobbiton. Here are some tips to make the most of your trip.

I mean, that’s pretty awesome.

Tips for visiting Hobbiton when you’re in New Zealand

  • You can purchase your tickets ahead of time and look at the different tour options at the official website
  • Book the earliest tour if possible, it’s not as crowded so you aren’t quite as rushed and get better pics.  We did a 9:30 Sunday morning tour.
  • Hobbiton (the Shire!) is in Matamata, about an hour’s drive from Rotorua and 2 hours from Auckland
  • Tours depart from The Shire’s Rest visitor center
    • Sunday morning at 9:30, about 3 hrs; 1 hr from Rotorua, then 2 more on to Auckland
  • Wear comfy shoes, as you’ll be walking a lot (and they might get muddy if it’s been raining)
  • If you’re really REALLY into this stuff, there are even more special tours available, including an evening banquet

Other interesting tour experiences you’ll love:

Have you visited any of the Lord of the Rings set sites?  What did you think??

Pin this image!

Visiting Hobbiton, New Zealand | If you're a fanatic or even casual fan of Lord of the Rings, Hobbiton is a must-visit if you're in New Zealand. See how movie magic happens...tips for making your visit awesome! #hobbiton #newzealand #lotr

Comments (3)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Prev Post

hobbiton

A Day Trip to Pisa, Italy

April 16, 2017

Next Post

hobbiton

Driving Ireland's Gorgeous Beara Peninsula

April 24, 2017