Do you just need a day to relax but also an excuse to get out of the house? New Zealand has some amazing places that can suit any activity! My family and I have been doing a lot of travelling around New Zealand throughout our holiday, with non-stop activities everyday. Today has been nearly 4 hours in the car, so we needed somewhere to stretch our legs and inspire our minds. Where could that be…? Cromwell Heritage Precinct!
Cromwell Heritage Precinct is a historical village with old buildings that have been restored or rebuilt from original plans, dating back to the gold rush of the 1860s. The village is a mix of museum-style buildings, telling the story of a village that was once lost, as well as modern businesses working within these historic buildings. You can go there to learn, shop, eat, or just look around this beautiful area!
As expected for a historical village, the town was fairly small. Although there were still quite a few buildings to look through and fill in some time while we stretched our legs. I can’t tell you how boring it is to sit in a car for 4 hours staring out the window when you get motion sickness from looking at your phone. It was alright for the first few trips across the North Island of New Zealand when I got super excited every time I saw a cute animal or the enormous mountains. But now I just need something to do in between drives. Cromwell Heritage Precinct also has some amazing views right by the water. And get this… Fresh air!!
Well, what’s the point of visiting a place like this without looking through all the shops and buildings, am I right? I find it really cool that they have restored and rebuilt the old post office, bakery, butchery, hotel and so much more to house modern stores, cafes and art spaces. All of these shops and the items they were selling definitely had a unique artisan personality to them. I was very interested in the hand-carved jewellery that was being sold in one of the stores, but sadly it was a little too pricey for my dwindling budget. Some beautiful pieces of art and dinnerware would have been perfect for my brother and his partner too, as they just moved into their new house, but taking something so breakable on a plane kind of scares me. Plus, I don’t think I can fit a canvas in my suitcase.
We kept walking around to see buildings set up as display spaces to look like they would in the 1800s. There was the Lowburn Cottage, London Stables and Behrens Barn just to name a few. Honestly, these were more creepy than anything, especially with the mannequins they used for people. But every building told a story. Plus, I like creepy! We were able to step into another time, another life in fact. I felt very connected to this town when I was visiting, and I could really feel the history as if I were living as a visitor in the 1800s. Cromwell Heritage Precinct has done a fantastic job at keeping this history alive!
Once we had finished looking around, we stopped to get something to eat while we sat by the water. It would be a shame to let such a beautiful view like this go to waste! We couldn’t sit here forever though, so back in the car we hopped. See you soon Queenstown!
All photos in this post were taken by me.
For more information about Cromwell Heritage Precinct and the historical buildings, visit https://www.cromwellheritageprecinct.co.nz/
The Travel Journal 
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