My friend Lana had lived in Hamilton many years ago, and she became my impromptu tour guide as we walked through the Hamilton Gardens. Actually she was my real-life Google Maps for the weekend. I was in Hamilton to compete in the National Poetry Slam Finals, and we decided to make a weekend of it.

The Hamilton Gardens

How To Get There: Hungerford Crescent, Hamilton, New Zealand

The gardens are divided into smaller themed areas - arranged in interlocking paths that are pretty well sign posted. If you’re like me and love taking photos, it can be tricky to get shots without people on the foot paths (especially during their busy times), but if you’re patient enough, there are rare times when you feel like you have the gardens to yourself.

Two of my favourites are the Italian and Japanese gardens. The Japanese garden for its Bonzai trees, water features and understated tranquility, while the Italian gardens for its romantic vines, statues and fountains. There was a couple having their wedding photos in the Italian gardens, which made us feel a bit voyeuristic, but we were respectful not to intrude and kept our distance.

There’s also a cafe and restaurant on site, which means you can spend a few hours getting lost in the flora then take a break and enjoy the waterfront view of the man-made lake.

COST: FREE