FAQ
Beaches and walking need no lessons, gear or booking, a normal pair of shoes and a look at the tide or track conditions is enough. Camping at a Holiday Park is close behind, easy for a first NZ trip once you've got a car. Surfing, skiing and snorkelling all need either a lesson, rented gear, or both before the first attempt, and fishing has a licensing step that catches visiting anglers out. If you've got one spare afternoon and no gear, start with beaches or walking, not surfing or skiing.
Walking and wine pair naturally in Central Otago, where the Otago Central Rail Trail sits close to the wine region, so both fit in the same few days without much extra driving. Beaches and snorkelling pair well around Goat Island or the Poor Knights, since it's the same coastline and the same trip. Skiing and camping don't pair well in the same week, they run in opposite seasons, so check the activity page's season notes before you plan the pairing, not just the map.
Walking covers DOC's track grading system and the tracks under a few hours that need no overnight gear or booking. Hiking covers the multi-day Great Walks, hut bookings, and the fitness and gear reality of an overnight tramp. If you want a few hours outdoors with no planning, use Walking; if you're weighing up a multi-day hut booking, Hiking is the one with the actual booking-window detail.