Pukeiti Gardens is roughly 30 minutes drive from New Plymouth but feels like it’s a whole world away! It went through a major redevelopment in 2017 which has totally transformed this place into a great family attraction with things to do no matter what the weather is like. Access is…
This is a central eating place that really is very true to a 1950s retro American diner, from the look of it with the big jukebox, to the food on offer. The menus cover breakfast, lunch and dinner and offer lots of choice, including a separate big kids’ menu. Both…
This floating jetty is popular with families and is a good place to bring kids to fish. Make sure you have all your fishing gear and bait with you, as it’s a bit of a walk back to the closest carpark if you forget anything. It’s an exposed spot, so…
Looking out onto the port, this café is just out of the city centre but still very accessible (it’s at one end of the coastal pathway) and there’s always something to look at from the big picture windows. There’s lots of outdoor seating with shade sails as well as various…
This is 2 buildings that seamlessly join the old with the new with a very impressive façade on the outside which is worth visiting even if you don’t venture inside! The shiny façade is mesmirising and unlike any other building in New Zealand. Not only can kids have fun looking at…
This rock along with the Sugar Loaf Islands are distinctive and visible from much of the New Plymouth coast but did you know that you can walk up Paritutu? It’s really not a long walk in terms of distance but due to being really steep and rocky under foot, it’s…
This is made up of 3 different attractions; a museum, a (new) Traders and Whalers Museum and a separate Bush railway ride (limited operating times, see under ‘Open’). It is worth deciding which part your kids will enjoy most and just paying for one attraction at a time, as there’s…
This pub also seems to be known as The Butlers Bar and Cafe. This is a family friendly pub serving good pub food. There’s a separate kids’ menu with all the usual pub staples on it (fish and chips, burgers etc). It has a garden area big enough to kick…
This family friendly market runs on the first Sunday of every month (check website for dates) and is the biggest market in Taranaki. A good atmosphere is created by local artists who come along and play music. There are stalls selling food and locally made produce including clothes, jewellery and home…
With 52 hectares of land, there is a lot to do in Pukekura Park! There’s a playground with some interesting equipment; a waterwheel and channel for controlling the water, tunnels through a little hill, a couple of slides, the rope structure for climbing on (as pictured above), mini trampolines, flying fox…
