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About Me

About Me

Hi! My name is Bailey and I’m the adventure-lover behind My Queenstown Diary. Since my early 20s, I’ve been discovering my love for travel, and in the years since I’ve been pretty busy. I’ve been to over 40 countries including Brazil, Sri Lanka, Australia, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, France, Italy, and many more. It’s safe to say my love for travel became an obsession that quickly became my job.

One year, traveling brought me to Queenstown to spend the winter skiing in the mountains. Little did I know that this one-year trip would turn into many more, and lead me to finally decide to settle down in Queenstown.

Since making the move to live in Queenstown, I decided it was time to share my experiences with others by writing informative travel guides. These guides include everything I’ve learned and continue to learn about traveling New Zealand – and especially my hometown of Queenstown!

I’ve now become an expert at traveling New Zealand and have a wealth of knowledge to share. I’ve become obsessed with making New Zealand easier to travel for my readers. Seriously, my partner has to drag me away from the computer (but he loves coming on trips with me.)

If you were to bump into me it’s most likely to be on a hiking trail around Queenstown or road tripping around the country. I love epic adventures and I’m always on the search for the next one! Of course, I also love my downtime and spend lots of time in coffee shops in Queenstown taking in the magnificent views. Oh and don’t forget the wineries – they’re the place to be in summer!

Bailey sips a glass of wine in the Marlborough Wine Region near Picton
Cheers!
Bailey at the Franz Josef Glacier viewpoint along the Franz Josef glacier valley walk
Franz Josef
Bailey enjoys a coffee and brunch at Yonder in Queenstown
Oh Yonder!
Bailey holds two drinks at minus 5 Ice Bar in Queenstown (1)
Be sure to visit the ice bar in Queenstown!

Since moving to Queenstown I’ve been extremely blessed to travel most of the country. I’ve hiked all over the South Island, lived in Auckland (for a short while), gone on month-long road trips, enjoyed the stunning beaches of the North Island, and more. It’s been an unforgettable few years, and the best part is that it’s far from over.

As you can tell, I love New Zealand. I’ve been to many beautiful places, but few are as amazing and diverse as New Zealand. How many other countries can you go skiing and surfing on the same day?!

I don’t consider myself an influencer. I’m actually quite shy and freeze up when people come up to me to say hi in Queenstown. But I would still love to have a beer with you!

This blog is all about trust, and the bond I have with my community is more important than sales or page views. That’s why you can trust me – I often feel like I have your holiday in my hands, and I take that seriously.

I promise to help plan your trip with honest, informative guides based on experience. There are a lot of travel blogs out there in New Zealand, but most come from large companies in disguise.

Here, you’ll find a crazy Canadian with an obsession for traveling New Zealand and helping others.

So, be sure to reach out and say hello. I spend a lot of time replying to emails and even answering questions on my Facebook group. I’m approachable, and I want to help you!

If you’re planning an upcoming trip to New Zealand then be sure to follow along and sign up to receive my newsletter. In it, I’ll show you my latest blog posts as well as must-know info that often includes special discounts for my readers.

I also have my Facebook group called New Zealand Travel Planning. It’s the place to come ask your questions. I have a few experts in there answering questions but I personally reply to everyone too.

So don’t be shy, I’m here to help because you guys are the reason I get to do what I love every single day!

Start planning your trip…

If you’re not sure where to start, then jump in a check out some of my biggest guides. These are the best place to start planning your trip and include itineraries and listicles of the best places to visit/activities to do:

55 Best Things to do in New Zealand

75 Epic Things to do in Queenstown

31 Best Things to do in Wanaka

25 Most Beautiful Places to visit in the South Island

Queenstown 7 Day Itinerary

Looking out from the summit of Queenstown Hill