Depending what special exhibitions are on, this is generally not a particularly interactive gallery but kids still love it and there’s lots to look at including light, audio and visual exhibits. It’s worth asking for the galleries publication ‘Making the most of Christchurch Art Gallery with your kids’ and grab…
Serving breakfast, lunch and sweet treats for morning and afternoon tea. Kids can order anything off the main menu as a smaller portion. They also do a ‘kids plate’ which includes ham, cheese on toast, fruit and a biscuit. Seating available in a covered outdoor area as well as inside.…
Heading into or out of the north of Christchurch, this cafe makes a good stop, especially for the breakfasts which come highly recommended. It serves breakfast and lunch but also has good coffee and can manage morning or afternoon tea treats too! Friendly staff.
**Currently closed for earthquake repairs** This cafe is set within an old station building on the old train line that used to pass through Domett in North Canterbury. It serves breakfast, brunch and lunch and is halfway between Kairkoura and Christchurch on SH1, so another option to break a journey…
An hour south of Kaikoura and an hour and a half north of Christchurch, this makes a great stop on a journey along SH1. Mount Beautiful Two Rivers is actually a cafe, wine tasting room and gallery, although it is the cafe that has specifically been recommended. The food is always…
Waitangi Skate Park is home to lots of skate boarders, kids on scooters and even those on balance bikes at the weekends. It’s a great place for kids to hone their skills with older kids being very mindful of younger ones. But if your kids really lack confidence or no…
Steeped in history, this area is named because it holds the battle ground, that you can walk up to, of the last recorded battle between Maori and colonial forces in this region in 1846. Lots of options of things to do at Battle Hill Farm from camping to fire building…
Riverstone is reasonably well known for Riverstone Kitchen which is a good family friendly restaurant to visit with a real focus on locally grown, seasonal ingredients. There’s a kids’ menu, highchairs, small play room and baby change facilities. What you might not know though is that within this site, there are also…
This is a great place to break a journey or to visit in its own right on a warm day. A large lagoon is set in 40 hectares of parkland and attracts all kinds of water birds including ducks, geese, swans and pukeko. Take binoculars for the kids and get…
There’s a small playground, skatepark and, if you have your own equipment, a tennis court just opposite the skatepark. Between the 3, there’s something for everyone to let off steam outside, whether you’re staying locally or just passing through. The playground has toilets just next to it and a small grassy…
