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Started By
Message
Help me decided: Jan. New Zealand OR Jan. Spain/Portugal (2028)
Posted on 8/10/26 at 11:00 am
Posted on 8/10/26 at 11:00 am
Family of 5. Kids ages 10-15. They’ve traveled to Hawaii, London, Paris as well as extensively in the lower 48.
With crazy sports schedules, early January is our best time to do a big trip.
I’m debating between a Queenstown/Auckland 9-10 day trip OR Portugal/Southern Spain 9 day trip, Jan 2028.
By chance anyone here done both of these and have any thoughts? I really want to go to NZ, but that flight there is somewhat prohibitive. Although you do “gain” time coming back.
With crazy sports schedules, early January is our best time to do a big trip.
I’m debating between a Queenstown/Auckland 9-10 day trip OR Portugal/Southern Spain 9 day trip, Jan 2028.
By chance anyone here done both of these and have any thoughts? I really want to go to NZ, but that flight there is somewhat prohibitive. Although you do “gain” time coming back.
6
Posted on 8/10/26 at 4:06 pm to okietiger
Have done and greatly enjoyed both. Iberian Peninsula is great. Lots of culture. Modern Spain is much like the rest of modern Europe. Portugal is more laid back. Add in the Azores and your experience ramps up considerably.
New Zealand is far more about the dramatic and dynamic geography. At the northern end things can be semi-tropical, At the southern end you'll feel that Antarctica isn't far away. The culture is relatively new British colonial. The Maori are a bit more interesting than the Brits. Queensland/Auckland are good choices. We did a week in Auckland, flew to Queensland, rented a car, drove to Christchurch via Dunedin. You can get flights to/from Ca from Christchurch.
For your family, I'd pick New Zealand. It's great and they speak English. You can do Port/Spain anytime in the future.
It can be a pretty miserable travel experience. See if a layover in Hawaii is possible. You can do Port/Spain anytime in the future
New Zealand is far more about the dramatic and dynamic geography. At the northern end things can be semi-tropical, At the southern end you'll feel that Antarctica isn't far away. The culture is relatively new British colonial. The Maori are a bit more interesting than the Brits. Queensland/Auckland are good choices. We did a week in Auckland, flew to Queensland, rented a car, drove to Christchurch via Dunedin. You can get flights to/from Ca from Christchurch.
For your family, I'd pick New Zealand. It's great and they speak English. You can do Port/Spain anytime in the future.
It can be a pretty miserable travel experience. See if a layover in Hawaii is possible. You can do Port/Spain anytime in the future
Posted on 8/10/26 at 4:32 pm to okietiger
Air New Zealand has direct flights out of IAH, 15 hours. I disagree with stopping in Hawaii. You take 8 hours to get to Hawaii, and then (if on OneWorld like AA) you fly Qantas to Australia, and then hop back to NZ. That's beyond misery (over 24 hours from Hawaii). I looked up Delta, and that's OKC-SLC-LAX-Auckland for 20 hours. Not awful, but that's a lot of connections that are putting you at risk in both directions.
At any rate, if you have the time to hit AUS/NZ, take it. When is the next time you're going to be able to carve out time like that with a 16/17 year old? Although, I'll argue to hell and back trips like this trump any tournament in any sport, at any time, unless they have a pro contract.
At any rate, if you have the time to hit AUS/NZ, take it. When is the next time you're going to be able to carve out time like that with a 16/17 year old? Although, I'll argue to hell and back trips like this trump any tournament in any sport, at any time, unless they have a pro contract.
Posted on 8/10/26 at 6:25 pm to okietiger
One thing is January is prime summer season in New Zealand. I'd aim for there over spain/Portugal just for the month you're going
Posted on 8/10/26 at 8:57 pm to okietiger
I haven't been to Auckland, but I spent a week in the Queenstown area in 2019 with girls 14 and 13 years old, and we had an awesome time hiking the Routeburn Trek and also to the Mueller Hut near Mt. Cook. Milford Sound is spectacular, and the glowworm cave at Te Anau was great. Great trip.
I haven't been southern Spain or Portugal since 1992, but I was in Lisbon and the Azores twice in the last 10 years. The Azores might be my favorite place on Planet Earth (and I've traveled to 46 countries), but the weather is terrible in January and I can't recommend it. I just, in general, don't think that January is a good time to go anywhere in Spain or Portugal. The average low temp in Grenada in January is 35 degrees.
I haven't been southern Spain or Portugal since 1992, but I was in Lisbon and the Azores twice in the last 10 years. The Azores might be my favorite place on Planet Earth (and I've traveled to 46 countries), but the weather is terrible in January and I can't recommend it. I just, in general, don't think that January is a good time to go anywhere in Spain or Portugal. The average low temp in Grenada in January is 35 degrees.
Posted on 8/11/26 at 8:56 am to okietiger
I would normally recommend New Zealand over most places, but that's a rough flight and bad jetlag with three kids and only 8 or 9 days on the ground. TBH, Spain is probably a safer bet.
One tip I will give you, I have twice flown from LAX to Australia/New Zealand on the night of New Years Eve and both times the plane was over half empty so I had an entire middle row to myself to lay down and sleep. I think a lot of people just want to be somewhere to celebrate New Years so they avoid this particular flight.
A good alternative to the South Island of New Zealand, if you're interested in a nature/outdoorsy trip, could be Argentina - Patagonia. Also Summer down there in January, no jetlag and prices are much cheaper.
Posted on 8/11/26 at 1:12 pm to AUFANATL
That's good feedback.
My parents went to Patagonia and loved it. That's a great option to consider!
My parents went to Patagonia and loved it. That's a great option to consider!
Posted on 8/11/26 at 7:21 pm to AUFANATL
quote:
plane was over half empty so I had an entire middle row to myself to lay down and sleep.
I took a Singapore 5th freedom flight from IAH to MAN, and booked premium economy. This was a mistake, because premium economy didn't have movable armrests, even though both premium economy and economy were probably 25% full. Regular economy were all sleeping across rows, I was stuck.
Posted on 8/12/26 at 5:38 am to okietiger
Wife and I spent this past January in Sevilla, Spain
It rained almost every single day and the weather was 40's-50's on average straight through.
We had a great time but the weather was a bummer
Since you mentioned January specifically, based on the weather, I'd choose NZ
It rained almost every single day and the weather was 40's-50's on average straight through.
We had a great time but the weather was a bummer
Since you mentioned January specifically, based on the weather, I'd choose NZ
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