As previously written for and published by The Lifestyle Edit.

As a Canadian expat living in Sydney, vacation time usually means taking advantage of the (relatively speaking) nearby continent of Asia to explore and discover lands, culture, food and beaches previously seriously far-flung from my home and native land of Toronto. Sun-seeking and beach lolling is practically a God-given right for us Canadians, as we suffer through months of a horribly dreary, frigid and generally miserable winter season.

When my husband suggested we take a long weekend trip to New Zealand, I initially felt lukewarm at best; from what I had heard, it was beautiful, yes, but astonishingly majestic mountain vistas and clean, fresh air isn’t enough of a draw for me — I’ve been spoiled with natural treasures like that all my life, and always choose swimming in the sea, tropical fruit and sunshine above all else.

Thankfully, I changed my attitude and we hopped on a short flight to Wellington, the country’s capital, where I enjoyed one of the most fantastically fun getaways in recent memory. Lonely Planet dubbed it “The world’s coolest little capital in the world”, and I am absolutely in agreeance.