I read The Hobbit series back when I was a teen and always loved the idea of circular doors, leading into precious little homes, set into the hillside. I think I've seen bits and pieces of the movies, but wouldn't call myself a true fan. Bosco, however was very excited to see this magical land. He has seen all the movies, The Hobbit and Lord of Rings and is a big fan. Knowing how popular this excursion was, I made reservations months ago.
The ride from Tauranga to Hobbiton takes a little over an hour. Once there you drive in through the existing sheep and beef farm to a section carved out for the tourist. It was a beautiful day, perfect for a stroll thru the Shire! Our guide Andrew was very entertaining.
There are 44 doored entries in the Shire, but only two of them actually lead into actually homes. These tow were built for the tourist and were never used in the movies. The detail and creativity is so impressive, there are a lot of artifacts from the movies, used as props in the houses. They encourage you to feel at home and touch and feel the items, as much as you like.
