If you’re wanting to spend time at a lake near Rotorua, whether it be for a swim, beach time or fishing, Lake Tarawera is a lot quieter than the more famous Lake Tikitapu or Blue Lake. One of the largest lakes in the area, it is surprisingly uncommercial – if…
If you’ve never walked up high among trees, this is a great activity. It is a big outlay for an activity that might not take very long but it’s quite a unique experience. 20 metres up, the walkway is made up of 28 bridges, suspended between 22 majestic Redwoods. Look…
This is so much more than just a maze! Yes there is a maze here – it’s a hedge one that you navigate your way into the centre of and then either backtrack your way out of or use the oneway doors to go back out quickly. This can take…
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.…
If you want to see the usual features of Geothermal activity that they have in the thermal parks in Rotorua but you can’t make it there or just want to avoid the throngs of tourists, consider going here instead. Situated on the artificial lake Ohakuri, created for hydro power, a…
Often considered to be one of the best and most spectacular of the thermal parks, it can get busy with tourist groups, especially if the weather is good. It is a big outlay for a whole family but Waiotapu is actually one of the cheaper thermal parks in Rotorua and if your kids…
One of the smaller lakes in Rotorua, people of all ages swim in it but be warned that outside of the summer months, it’s cold! Try your hand at trout fishing if that’s what your family are into or there’s a small playground and beach area at Boyes Beach. There is also…
This is a wildlife park with a few extras thrown in! In terms of animals you can expect to see natives like kiwi, kea and tuatara, or see a life-sized model of the extinct Moa. There are trout in the river with a viewing window so even small children should…
There are lots of geothermal parks in and around Rotorua that are generally very expensive to enter. If you just want to get a quick taster (perhaps your time is limited?) or want to know if your kids are sufficiently interested to pay entrance fees into a bigger, more varied…
This is on the corner of a busy intersection (with no real barriers) with fairly steep, shiny skate ramps, so for those reasons, it’s probably best for those that are reasonably confident on their skateboards or scooters. There are toilets onsite and limited parking just near these. Some shade provided by big…
