travel bits & bites: what to expect in hobbiton

A view of Hobbiton and the Party Tree from the Green Dragon Inn.

This post is an unapologetic nerd out moment. When I was a wee girl, I read J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit (it was a short book), and became immediately immersed in the goings on in Middle Earth. As a young lass, although I attempted to finish reading the inches thick Lord of the Rings trilogy by Mr. Tolkien, I must admit that I never got through them (I must have been distracted with a deep desire to play outside with friends).

Several decades after I last cracked open a Tolkien book, Peter Jackson birthed The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. I absolutely adored all the movies so much that I watched every single movie -- in the movie theaters and the extended versions at home -- multiple times. But, this time, Mr. Tolkien's stories and the visual imagery on the screen made me hunger for more -- more stories, more Tolkien, more movies, more New Zealand.

So, during a trip to New Zealand as part of our mini round-the-world trip, I not only forced Mr. Sazy Rock to watch one of The Hobbit movies in New Zealand with me (I thought it added cinematic context), but I also insisted that we visit Matamata, a.k.a. Hobbiton, in the North Island.

Hobbiton.

There are a few things I learned about Hobbiton that you may find useful:

1. The admission ticket was not cheap.

A Hobbit hole.

Mr. Sazy Rock and I paid NZ$ 75 each (approximately US$ 62 each) for the pleasure of touring Hobbiton. Our tickets entitled us to a tour that started at a fixed time.

Another Hobbit hole.

We drove our camper van directly to "Hobbiton" or "Shire's Rest," where there were plenty of parking spaces for cars, vans and tour buses. We did not pay extra to park. We decided to drive there directly (as opposed to catching a shuttle from the town of Matamata [for the same price] of from the town of Rotorua [for a higher price]) because we had the van anyway and we wanted to tour the grounds on our own schedule.

2. The tour lasted approximately two hours.

Props in Hobbiton.

We checked in at the Hobbiton ticket office, which was adjacent to a store, a cafe (called the Shire's Rest Cafe), and a fenced area for lots of sheep. Because we arrived well before our allotted tour time, the good folks at the Hobbiton ticket office were kind enough to switch our tour to an earlier time.

Thereafter, other visitors lined up to ride a big bus to the actual shooting location for Hobbiton. Visitors were prohibited from driving directly to the shooting location.

3. We could not dilly dally.

Sazy Rock inside a Hobbit hole.

During the tour, friendly and energetic guides led groups to various Hobbit holes where folks like me nerded out at every. single. hole.

Other than one Hobbit hole, visitors could not enter any of them (the holes were built for outdoor shots only.) Because guests visited during a specific time period, guests were herded from spot to spot with just enough time for pictures. Let's just say I was not allowed to take a nap in front of the party tree.

4. We had a drink (an ale or non alcoholic ginger beer) at the Green Dragon Inn.

Sazy Rock inside the
Green Dragon Inn.

After walking around Hobbit holes and hills, we were led to the Green Dragon Inn. It was a beautiful pub with lots of Hobbit references. Some visitors also took the opportunity to don Hobbit costumes for pictures.

The ticket price also included one free ale (or non-alcoholic ginger beer) per visitor. Visitors may also order food at an additional cost. We stayed approximately 30 minutes to one hour at the pub.

5. It was totally worth it!

So, in summary, we paid about US$ 62 for about two hours of walking through Hobbiton and spending time at the Green Dragon Inn (and there were no adventure/themed rides or costumed guides). Yes, it was pricey. But, for a nerd like me, it was totally worth every single penny.