Hobbiton

The Hobbiton Movie Set is built into the hills of a private farm in Matamata, two hours south of Aukland. You can get your tickets online, in town, or right at the set. Peter Jackson and crew spent many months right here on the farm filming and building the immaculate set for the films.

It truly is incredible to see the craft that went into recreating Tolkien's Shire. You will learn all about the time, effort, and commitment to perfection that Jackson and company toiled over in order to construct the small town. You honestly feel like you are right there in the fantasy land. Which can turn into a more depressing feeling once the tour is over and you have to go back to reality. I don't want to give away too much because I think it's important to experience the nostalgia of the setting on your own, but I will give some pointers!

Being that Lord of the Rings is one of the most revered stories of all time, it will be crowded. I suggest going on either the very first tour of the day, or the very last. There will be much less people and the light will be better for photos. If you really want to soak in Hobbiton, there are options for private tours. There have been people who are married on site, rent out The Green Dragon for parties, and in the summer they offer a night tour which ends with a Shire themed feast! Of course all this will cost you a pretty penny. Also, the tour goes by very fast. They say 3 hours but you really only spend about 2 on set, so take it all in as best you can!

Needless to say, this is a must see. And coming from someone who typically does not enjoy guided tours, I would encourage everyone who is a fan to witness the glory that is Hobbiton.