Lots of families LOVE this aquarium. It’s small but much cheaper than Kelly Tarltons in Auckland, however, you can go round it again and again and for littlies it’s perhaps a little less daunting than Kelly Tarltons. It’s probably not a whole day trip but you could spend a couple of enjoyable hours here seeing lots of sea-life up close including penguins, stingrays and sharks (lookout for the feeding times). There’s no moving walkway through a tunnel of glass like there is in Auckland but the National Aquarium is a great option if you need an indoor activity in Napier, whether you’re trying to escape the rain or heat! It’s also good for little legs, as it’s more than manageable for even toddlers to walk round.

Located right near Marine Parade playground and Junior Bike Park if you want to tie a trip here in with some outdoor running around as well. In fact if you’re staying locally, you could get there by bike or scooter along the esplanade.