Man-made

Men love their man caves, so we’ve put together a selection of New Zealand attractions based on their man cave things.

Fishing Rods

If he loves fishing, take him to Hook in Wanaka. Described as the ultimate lake-to-plate experience, budding fishermen, novice through to veteran, can fish for their dinner. The spring-fed lake is replete with Chinook salmon. Simply sit, hook and leave your catch with the staff. By the time you’ve knocked back a glass of Otago wine, your seafood will be served: hot and smoked or raw and sliced. In fact, they’ll prepare it whichever way you like.

Lake Wanaka © Getty Images

Golf Clubs

Some of New Zealand’s most spectacular golf courses are found in Queenstown. Jack’s Point fronts the shores of Lake Wakatipu beneath the sky-high Remarkables mountain range, while Millbrook Resort in nearby Arrowtown has been voted the best golf resort in Australasia. For a challenge, The Hills is a par 72 course and one of New Zealand’s premier golf courses, or, if he’s after something really special, Over the Top Helicopters deposit golfers 1372 metres above sea level on a course only accessible by chopper. He and his pals can tee-off above Queenstown.

MOVIE MEMORABILIA

If the walls of his man cave are plastered with nostalgic posters from the movies he grew up with, a trip to Weta Workshop is a must. Book the classic Weta Cave Workshop Tour or, because not all movie sets are made to scale, the fascinating Miniature Effects Tour. Perhaps he’d like to partake in the hands-on introduction to building armour, or a clay sculpture workshop? In late 2020, a new and immersive Weta Workshop experience will also launch at SKYCITY Auckland.

Golum, Weta Cave, Wellington © Tourism New Zealand

BEER

Does he know that a miniature portable pub regularly travels around the country? With just enough space for two punters (him and his mate) and a barman, the tiny travelling pub is run by Emerson’s Brewery and boasts the interior of a classic British pub, complete with brass pumps and old glass lamps. Keep an eye out for its seasonal, nationwide schedule.

Emerson’s Brewery, Dunedin © Hayden Parsons/DunedinNZ

cars

Does his car glisten like glass? Nelson’s Classic Car Museum just got bigger and better, with more than 160 mint condition cars now on display in a mightily impressive building. Bill Richardson Transport World is an Invercargill highlight with hundreds of motor vehicles and over 200 vintage petrol pumps to admire, and Hamilton’s Classics Museum features over 100 classic cars and a retro 1950s diner.

World of WearableArt and Classic Cars Museum © NelsonTasmanNZ.co.nz

Power Drills

Construction is in his heart, in which case, a day out at Invercargill’s Dig This will delight. Best described as a childhood dream blown up into adult-sized fun, Dig This is essentially an enormous gravel pit filled with diggers. Jump in and have a go in a four-tonne skid steer; use a five-tonne digger to dump, dig and push, or go full throttle and crush a car. There’s also a mini dig for children, although it’s usually ‘the big kids’ that cause most destruction.