We Drove 1,200 Miles Through New Zealand in an RV — Here's What Happened

We have to be honest with you. When we told people we were spending 12 nights driving 1,200 miles across New Zealand's South Island in an RV, the reactions were... mixed.

"Aren't you a little old for that?" (No.)

"What if something goes wrong?" (Plenty did. Keep reading.)

"Why not just stay in hotels?" (Because where's the fun in that?)

We named our RV Queenie, her license plate starts with Q and she earned every bit of that naWe have to be honest with you. When we told people we were spending 12 nights driving 1,200 miles across New Zealand's South Island in an RV, the reactions were... mixed.

"Aren't you a little old for that?" (No.)

"What if something goes wrong?" (Plenty did. Keep reading.)

"Why not just stay in hotels?" (Because where's the fun in that?)

We named our RV Queenie, her license plate starts with Q and she earned every bit of that name and she hauled us through some of the most breathtaking scenery either of us has ever seen. You can watch the full adventure right here — or settle in and let us tell you the story first.me and she hauled us through some of the most breathtaking scenery either of us has ever seen. You can watch the full adventure right here — or settle in and let us tell you the story first.

▶️ Watch: Is New Zealand by RV a Mistake? Glaciers. Mountain lakes so blue they looked painted. Lavender fields that smelled like Provence and tasted even better. And views around every corner that made us pull over, go quiet, and just take it all in.

This is the story of that trip. The gorgeous parts, the chaotic parts, and the Valentine's Day dinner that almost didn't happen — until one of us went door to door around a campground in a windstorm asking strangers for a lighter.

The Road Begins: Christchurch to Lake Tekapo

We kicked things off the way any self-respecting grandpa adventure should start — with a zipline in Christchurch. Four stages, incredible views, and Grandpa Bobby so far ahead on the line that you could barely see him in the distance. This is who we are. Age is just a number, and that number does not stop us from getting our blood pumping.

From there, we picked up Queenie and hit the road toward Lake Tekapo. We'll be honest we weren't sure how to pronounce it when we arrived. We still aren't entirely sure. But we got there, and the moment the clouds parted and that lake came into view, every mile of uncertainty was worth it.

The drive from Christchurch had been overcast and rainy most of the way. And then we turned a corner. There it was turquoise water against snow-capped mountains, the kind of view that makes you reach for your camera and then put it down again because no photo is ever going to do it justice. We took the photos anyway.

Valentine's Day on Mount Cook

Timing is everything. We happened to be driving toward Mount Cook on Valentine's Day, and we happened to catch it on one of those rare clear days when the summit isn't hidden in clouds. We pulled over at Lake Pukaki because we simply couldn't not. The lake runs glacier-fed and impossibly blue, with Mount Cook reflected in the water like something out of a dream. Even though we knew we'd be late getting to the campsite, there was no question. We stopped.

The next morning, we were up early for the hike to the Mount Cook trailhead. We want to be clear about something: we are two desert grandpas from Arizona. Altitude is not our natural habitat. We took our time. We stopped often. And we refuse to apologize for any of it.

"It's not about rushing to a selfie point," Grandpa Scott pointed out somewhere around the halfway mark. "Enjoy the view."

Which brings us to a small detour.

A Word About Selfies (From Grandpa Scott)

Look. We are not here to tell anyone how to enjoy nature. Everyone appreciates things in their own way, and we believe that sincerely.

But somewhere on the Mount Cook trail, surrounded by some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet, we watched a group of people take what appeared to be 32 nearly identical selfies in the same spot on the same mountain. Different poses. Same mountain. Thirty-two times.

Grandpa Scott had thoughts.

"Get off the road. It's somebody else's turn."

We say this with love. Put down the phone for five minutes. Look at the mountain with your actual eyes. It will still be there. The selfies will still be there. The mountain is not going anywhere. Enjoy the peace and quiet.

We found a quiet spot away from the crowd, sat down, and just breathed. That, for us, is the whole point of travel. Earning the view and then actually seeing it.

The Lavender Fields We Didn't Plan On

Here is a piece of advice we will give you for free: if you are driving down a road in New Zealand and you spot a lavender tractor, you stop. You always stop.

We stumbled onto the Alpine Gold Lavender Fields completely by accident, and we are so glad we did. Acres of lavender growing right there in the New Zealand countryside, used for everything from essential oils to and this is the important part lavender honeycomb ice cream.

We tried it. We are advocates. The honeycomb is raw and local and the lavender is real and it was, without question, worth every calorie. We hiked Mount Cook that morning. We earned it.

The Valentine's Day Dinner That Almost Wasn't

Here is where the trip gets real.

We arrived at Lake Wanaka for what was supposed to be a romantic Valentine's Day dinner in town. We had plans. We had reservations in our hearts, if not on paper. We set up the campsite, changed clothes, and opened the RV door to walk into town.

The wind nearly knocked us off our feet.

In the space of thirty minutes, the weather had turned completely. The RV was rocking back and forth. It was cold, it was overcast, and it was absolutely not a night for walking anywhere. Grandpa Scott — ever the romantic — suggested we cook pasta instead. Beautiful plan. Wonderful plan. One problem: the camper rental company had not given us any matches to light the propane.

And so Grandpa Bobby quietly, without fanfare, because that is exactly who he is put his shoes back on, went out into the windstorm, and went door to door around the campground asking strangers for a lighter.

Our German neighbors came through.

We made pasta. We poured wine. The RV rocked in the wind and we toasted to each other and to anyone watching: however you celebrate love, whatever it looks like, as long as it's done with love — that's the whole point.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Meet Queenie: A Tour of Our Home on Wheels

Since so many of you have asked about RV travel, we want to give you the honest version not the brochure version.

Queenie was a genuinely wonderful camper. Full-sized refrigerator. A real shower with teak flooring. A table that seats two comfortably. Everything we needed and nothing we didn't.

A few things we learned:

Bring your own drinking water. Do not use the tank water in a rental RV. We were told politely but firmly that those tanks are not cleaned as often as you might hope. Bottled water is your friend.

Buy plastic gloves. The canister toilet is manageable once you've done it the first time. The gloves make everything more sanitary and a lot less dramatic.

Get to the trailhead early. We cannot stress this enough. New Zealand in late summer is peak season and the parking situation at popular spots is not for the faint of heart.

Name your RV. It helps. Queenie was not just transportation she was a travel companion. We genuinely miss her.

From Wanaka to Queenstown: The Road Keeps Getting Better

The morning after Valentine's Day, we woke up to Lake Wanaka completely still — smooth as glass, mystical and quiet in the early cloud cover. It had a quality that reminded us of Ireland, all mist hanging off the cliffs. We stood there for a long time before saying anything.

The drive toward Queenstown took us past the Braona bra fence in Cardona hundreds of bras donated by women in support of breast cancer research, colorful and moving and a little bit funny all at once. We made a donation. If you ever pass through, please consider doing the same.

And then Lake Wakatipu appeared, the longest lake in New Zealand, so deep it goes below sea level in some spots and we got our first view of the mountain town of Glenorchy, perched high above the water with waves coming in and wind strong enough to threaten our hats.

We walked the wharf. Held onto our hats. Agreed it was magnificent. Did not go boating, despite Scott's suggestion. These grandpas learned that lesson the hard way — if you want to know why, this video from Glacier National Park says it all.

Was the RV a Mistake?

Not even a little bit.

Would we do it again? Without question. New Zealand's South Island is one of those places that rewards the slower pace of road travel you find things you never would have found otherwise. Lavender farms with honeycomb ice cream. A breast cancer memorial made of bras on a fence post. A German neighbor who saved Valentine's Day with a lighter.

You don't find any of that from a tour bus.

If you're thinking about an RV trip through New Zealand — or anywhere, honestly — our advice is simple: go. Pack light, bring water, get to the trailhead early, and name your RV. The rest has a way of working itself out.

Have you done an RV road trip through New Zealand or somewhere else that surprised you? We'd love to hear about it in the comments. And if you want to see the full adventure including Queenie's interior tour, the Valentine's windstorm, and Grandpa Scott's thoughts on selfies the video is up now on YouTube.

Grandpa Bobby & Grandpa Scott