This is a very popular spot on a long weekend or when the weather’s fine over the weekend. The beach is beautiful and as the name suggests, it’s long (about 1km) so plenty of space for everyone even when it’s busy. There are life guards in the summer months so…
These hot pools come highly recommended by lots of families. Unlike some other hot pool complexes in the country, the ones at Waikite aren’t treated with chemicals and come directly from the naturally boiling spring, with the only ‘treatment’ being that the water is cooled before it enters the pools.…
Just 10 minutes from the city, this domain gives you views over to Stewart Island in one direction and back towards Invercargill and the harbour in the other direction. With lots of tracks to choose from, you should be able to choose a walk or cycle that suits your family. The…
This is a playground that, young or old, can’t fail to put a smile on your face. Whether you’re looking to break a journey or staying in the area, it has been around and much loved by kids for decades. The playground reopened in early 2016 after being damaged by flooding…
Set within a housing estate off SH6 between Frankton and Arrow Junction, this makes an unlikely destination playground but it’s one that locals rate highly. There are the usual features of a playground in terms of equipment like swings, slides and a flying fox. But there’s also a large sand…
This is a popular cafe for breakfast, lunch and treats for local families, although they’re also open for dinner. There’s a full menu with the usual breakfast meals like eggs benedict, a build your own breakfast with eggs and extras, granola, a breakfast burger etc. The kids’ menu covers the usual favourites; waffles,…
When you have children that need to burn some energy when the weather isn’t great, this rec centre is a great place to come. For toddlers and those 4 years and under, there’s Tinytown which is a fenced and gated area with a bouncy castle, ride ons and a range…
This cafe has been voted the best cafe in all of New Zealand (2015) and the food is certainly good as is the friendly service. If you’re looking for a healthy breakfast or lunch this is the place to come – there are the staples like eggs benedict but also…
Roughly 20 minutes north east of Dunedin lies a piece of bush that’s home to some of New Zealand’s rarest native animals, thanks to the predator fence which surrounds this Ecosanctuary. This is the place to come to get out into the rejuvenated bush, go for a walk, try and…
If you’re looking for a cafe that has both great food AND entertainment for the kids, look no further than this cafe on the waterfront in Petone. In the old rowing club building, the menu is stocked with all the popular breakfast staples including a full cooked breakfast, eggs benedict,…
