Adventure Vacation Down Under

The real Kiwi: In search of New Zealand’s icon (with photos)

After many hours of searching and patient waiting, I finally spotted this NorthIsland Brown Kiwi with its beady eyes, unlikely bill and fur-like feathers. Whendisturbed, kiwis usually run off into dense vegetation.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Tongariro National Park protects immense swaths of pristine volcanic and alpinelandscape along with North Island Brown Kiwis that frequent the grasslands andforests.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Kiwis are not the only flightless birds on New Zealand. Isolation and a lack ofpredators allowed several species to lose flight, like the pictured Takahe, agiant flightless rail surviving on protected islands.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Cape Kidnappers on the North Island gives a true sense of land's end. The hillsare overgrazed by sheep, but the steep slopes provide nesting grounds forAustralasian Gannets, striking black and white seabirds.
Photo courtesy of DFW Aiport
Remote, rugged, nearly untouched, Stewart Island is the stronghold of the SouthIsland Brown Kiwi. Here kiwis reign and are even spotted during the day. Theirdistinct large three-toed tracks crisscross the entire island.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Three major volcanoes beckon climbers and hikers in Tongariro National Parkduring the day, but wandering the trails at night may reward one with seeing oneof the most unique animals in the world, the kiwi.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
The almost subtropical Paporoa Mountains on South Island are an incrediblelabyrinth of karst, rivers, and dense forest. Great Spotted Kiwis survive inthese remote mountains, but looking for them here is not advisable, since theground is riddled with caves, underground streams, and sinkholes. Signs warnhikers to stay on trail and rushing into the forest after dark can be dangerous.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Native Kauri trees often thousands of years old create the perfect habitat forkiwis. Here in Trounson Kauri Park dozens of these unique birds survive andtheir loud eerie calls are heard every night.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Restored native vegetation and some patches of old forest on Tiritiri MatangiIsland near Auckland support one of the few populations of Little Spotted Kiwiremaining in the world.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Forbidding-looking Little Barrier Island can only be visited by scientist. Itharbors pristine forests and has never been invaded by non-native predators. Itsupports all species of native birds found in New Zealand, including two speciesof kiwis and the amazing Kakapo, also known as the Owl Parrot.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Lake Taupo makes a great stop between kiwi searching on the way south towardsSouth Island.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Signs warn drivers of kiwi crossings in order to reduce the risk of birdswalking across the road at night. If driving in protected areas at night, slowdown!
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
One of the best known birds in New Zealand along with the kiwi is the Kea, alarge parrot of alpine areas in the South Island. Most people are familiar withits destructive habit of tearing into windshield wipers and insulation on parkedcars, but it does not stop there, Kea’s have been known to kill sheep in orderto feed on the fat on the animals. It is definitely not your pet kind of parrot.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
The Southern Alps are rugged and cold, supporting populations of the rarestkiwi, the Great Spotted Kiwi, but dense forests and rough terrain makes it nextto impossible to see one.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Due to its long isolation and distance from major landmasses, New Zealand isrelatively impoverished when it comes to animal diversity - besides birds. Thereare only two native mammals - both bats - and two native frogs, but the islandsupports many unique plants.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
New Zealand is blessed with good empty roads that make for easy travelthroughout the country.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
The dramatic coastline of New Zealand offers unlimited photo opportunities andis a welcome distraction from kiwi hunting.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Car rental can be incredibly cheap in New Zealand and there are endless campingopportunities, making it one of the more affordable places to travel.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
The Natural History Museum in Auckland exhibits stuffed dusty specimen of threespecies of kiwi: North Island Brown Kiwi (bottom left), Little Spotted Kiwi(top), Great Spotted Kiwi (bottom right).
Photo by Stephan Lorenz
Besides kiwis, New Zealand is also famous for seabirds that visit the coldnutrient rich waters just offshore. Even the most avipathetic person will notavert eyes when a wandering albatross, with the largest wingspan of any bird onearth, puts in an appearance.
Photo by Stephan Lorenz

When you're a New Zealander, or “Kiwi”, as they like to call themselves, you seem to take that rite-of-passage world trip for a year or two - sleeping in hostels and living out of a backpack - more serious than any other culture.

Well, maybe just second to the Brits.

After having met my fair share of kiwis during my own travels and eating the synonymously named fruit (fresh, with peel, without peel, in salads and baked goods) until it became as exotic as another apple, it was finally time to see the real deal.

No, not the currency. The actual bird native to New Zealand.

Quick reading on the Internet or in a basic natural history book will show you that the kiwi is a ratite, a group of ancient flightless birds that includes the African strich, South American rhea, and Australian emu. Kiwis are endemic to New Zealand (no surprise), and amazingly affordable airfare on nonstop flights from Los Angeles to Auckland made the trip pretty easy.

Before the trip, I studied everything I could find about kiwis, from premier places to spot one in the wild to the average incubation temperature. I learned that kiwis lay one of the largest eggs compared to body size of any bird, have a great sense of smell, feed mostly on earthworms, and are rare and endangered due to habitat loss and introduced predators.

Apparently, they are also solitary and hide in burrows underground during the day. My kind of critter.

After 13 back-bending hours, I landed with high hopes at Auckland Airport. I spent my first afternoon at the slightly stuffy Natural History Museum, housed in a temple-like structure in the center of Auckland’s largest park, the Domain.

Here, I saw my first kiwi - albeit a stuffed one - and further learned that taxonomists recognize five species of kiwis, each varying in size and color, from spotted to plain brown. All occur in different parts of the North and South Island.

Since I was not going to settle for one of those nocturnal displays where captive kiwis with antipolar circadian rhythms shuffle through dimly lit cages, it was going to be a long trip.

I threw books, camping gear, and an assortment of canned food into the cheapest rental I could find, and set out on a cross-country journey to see them all.

For a month, I worked my way from Auckland down to Wellington, took the ferry from the North to the South Island, stopped along the way for such attractions as the Milford Sound, and ended the trip after another ferry on Stewart Island. Along the way I camped among ancient Kauri trees, explored the subtropical karst cliffs of the Paparoa Mountains, hiked through a couple of rainstorms in the Southern Alps, and backpacked through swamps and endless Melaleuca woods.

Since kiwis are nocturnal, I spent countless hours at night wandering through New Zealand’s most pristine places. I watched glow worms come to light in tree hollows, and also had several run ins with the brush-tailed possum, a tenacious marsupial native to Australia overtaking New Zealand (there are currently 70 million of these raccoon sized animals in the country).

And, of course, gazed at unforgettable stars.

Through trial and error, I figured out that the best way to see a kiwi in the wild is to wait until complete darkness, listen for their loud, eerie calls or noisy scramble through thick vegetation, and be quiet and patient (very patient).

Most of the time, it will see you long before you know its there.

And even though they will not fly, they can run, and fast.

The best places to see kiwis in their natural element are Trounson Kauri Park in the Northland of North Island, and on the wild and remote Stewart Island, where the distinct three-toed footprints wander from the beaches up to the highest mountains.

But you want to know, don't you? You want to know: "Did I manage to spot a kiwi in the wild?"

I am proud to say I saw three different kinds. Mostly glimpses of brown feathers scuttling under brush, but one I was able to observe for over 30 minutes in Trounson Kauri Park as it methodically probed the mud with its unlikely bill.

Standing among towering Kauri trees with glowworms along the path, not a single possum in sight, I witnessed a scene unchanged for thousands of years.

All hail the kiwi.

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Have Fun for Less

State Fair of Texas lowers ticket prices and adds discounts for 2026

Photo by Kevin Brown

The State Fair of Texas runs September 25-October 18, 2026.

It will be cheaper to get into the State Fair of Texas this year. Admission and parking prices are being lowered for 2026, and kids will be able to get in for $10 every day, organizers have announced.

The 2026 fair runs September 25 through October 18 at Fair Park in Dallas.

Adult admission is dropping by $4, from $19 to $15 on weekdays and from $29 to $25 on weekends. Kids ages 3-12 will pay $10 every day, down from $14 on weekdays and $24 on weekends.

Additionally, entry after 5 pm on weekdays will be $10 for all visitors. On weekends, adults will see their ticket price drop from $25 to $20 after 5 pm. Seniors 60 and over will now pay $13 on weekdays, a $1 drop from the previous year.

According to a release, the decision to lower ticket prices came after feedback from fairgoers during the 2025 season and an evaluation of how to balance affordability with the quality of the fair.

Parking in official State Fair parking lots is also dropping by $5, to $25 every day.

“Families have always been at the heart of the State Fair of Texas, and every year we listen closely to what our fairgoers tell us about their experience,” said Karissa Condoianis, State Fair of Texas Senior Vice President of Public Relations, in a statement.

"This year, we are making meaningful changes to admission and parking while continuing to offer the experiences, traditions, and attractions our guests look forward to every fall. Our goal is to make it easier for families to plan a State Fair day that works for them and get the most from their time at the State Fair.”

More ways to save
There are a lot more ways to save during the 2026 State Fair of Texas. Here is a complete list of discounts:

Opening Day Peanut Butter Drive: On Opening day, Friday, September 25, visitors can enjoy the Fair while also helping the North Texas Food Bank by bringing two jars of peanut butter to donate to receive $10 admission at the gate.
Feed the Need Wednesdays: Every Wednesday, fairgoers can receive $7 admission by bringing five canned food items to benefit the North Texas Food Bank.
Dr Pepper Value Days: Every Tuesday and Thursday of the State Fair, Big Tex Insiders can purchase online admission for $12 with a promotional code. Guests can sign up for the Big Tex Insider program at BigTex.com/Insider.
Senior Day: Every Thursday, guests ages 60 and older can receive admission for $7 at the gate.
Military Appreciation Day Presented by Chevrolet: Active-duty military, retired military, and veterans can save $5 off admission any day with valid military identification.
First Responder Discounts: The State Fair honors active and retired law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and other emergency services personnel with $5 off admission any day with valid department or organization identification.

Military and first responder guests purchasing discounted admission online will be prompted to verify eligibility through ID.me. Guests purchasing at the gate should bring valid documentation.

McDonald's Discounts: Participating McDonald's locations throughout North Texas will offer State Fair admission discounts through coupons available on tray liners and inside select meal bags. Adults can save $5 on admission any day with a valid coupon. Only one discount may be applied per guest, and discounts cannot be combined, stacked, or used in conjunction with any other offer.
Free Admission for Select Texas Students and Teachers: Students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade at participating school districts receive free admission tickets, and teachers and school faculty for grades 9-12 receive free admission through our voucher program. Teachers must visit the admission ticket sales window, provide a teacher voucher, and show their valid school-issued photo ID to receive an admission ticket to the Fair.

In addition, the State Fair of Texas has partnered with Dallas Park and Recreation on their Teen All Access Pass Program, which provides free admission to the city's most popular museums, libraries, entertainment venues, and leisure facilities to registered Dallas teens ages 13 to 17. More information can be found on DallasParks.org.

If you're a State Fair fanatic, then a Season Pass is your best bet to save money. Both the Digital Season Pass, available for $52, or the Commemorative Hard Card Season Pass, available for $62, pay off in as little as three visits.

Both passes include admission every day of the State Fair, but the Digital Season Pass includes admission only.

The Commemorative Hard Card Season Pass offers extra perks like:

A commemorative card featuring annual State Fair artwork
One free single-day Bring-a-Friend admission ticket, valid one time Monday through Friday
Complimentary admission to the Texas Discovery Gardens during the 2026 State Fair
Parking pre-purchase discount

Both types of passes are available now at BigTex.com/Tickets. For those who want to save a couple bucks, the Commemorative Hard Card Season Pass is also available at the gate for $60.

The Fair also offers a variety of FLEX options for anyone who want the flexibility to choose their State Fair visit date

Guests can purchase a one-day FLEX admission ticket online for $27. Two- and four-pack FLEX ticket combinations that come with food and midway coupons and one free parking space are available for a limited time, ranging from $104-$129.

Offers are available through August 31 or while supplies last.

Savvy visitors know that savings are available in areas besides tickets. Options include:

Thrilling Tuesdays: Guests can enjoy savings on Midway rides every Tuesday, with most rides available for four coupons and select kiddie rides available for three coupons. The Thrillway and Texas Star Ferris Wheel are excluded.
Thrifty Thursday Discount Fair Food Presented by T-Mobile: Every Thursday, participating food vendors offer select signature menu items at reduced prices, giving guests another opportunity to enjoy some of the State Fair's most popular food offerings.
Kids Win Every Time Midway Games: No more spending a lot in the hopes that your kid will win a prize. At select Midway games marked by the “Kids Win Every Time” sign, kids will, well, win a prize every time they play.

Daily tickets can be purchased online in advance starting September 1. Online admission prices at BigTex.com are inclusive of online processing fees and therefore higher than gate prices.

Admission tickets may be purchased at any State Fair Admission Gate starting on Opening Day, Friday, September 25.

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