Away from the hustle and bustle of the shopping area of Wellington yet still close to the waterfront (about a block back from Te Papa) this Japanese restaurant is great very child friendly and is open for lunch and dinner. With a dedicated kids’ menu offering 2 ‘train plates’, each…
It’s not every day that you get to see some of the animals at Wellington Zoo for free but a section of the huge Southern Walkway allows you to do just this. Parking just off Russell Terrace, the walking track leads you up past a skatepark (previously Newtown Skating Rink),…
This café is extremely good for lots of reasons and is worth checking out even if you’re not exploring Zealandia – it’s a destination in itself if you’re looking for a place to eat out with your family. Upstairs in the visitor centre, Rata café is light, spacious and incredibly…
This playground is a great destination to walk to if you’re spending time in the Botanic Gardens and want to encourage your kids to have a walk. It’s not directly accessible by car and it’s uphill in one direction unless you’re doing a oneway walk! This playground has got an…
Only open on 5 public holidays a year, this maze of old tunnels is an intriguing place to visit in the western suburb of Karori, just over 5kms from Wellington City Centre. Built to protect Wellington in the 1940s, this fortress is made up of 622 metres of underground tunnels…
This is a sort of obstacle course spread out over half a kilometre, near the Mount Victoria lookout, which encourages both kids and adults to have a go and challenge themselves while taking in the wildlife facts as they go. This could be part of a longer walk through the town…
The good thing about this mountain bike park is that with 14 graded tracks, there are trails to suit most levels. If your family is new to mountain biking, the Wetland Loop is a great trail to start with but there are lots of other routes that would suit riders who are…
If you get a sunny day in Wellington, this is the beach that locals wanting an alternative to Oriental Bay often head to. Largely sheltered from a north/north-westerly wind, with a big wide beach, grassy area and generally calm shallow water, this beach has it all. Go prepared with sand…
One of the best things about this reserve is that it can be blowing a northerly/north-westerly gale in the rest of Wellington but you’d never know it here as it’s well sheltered. The other great thing is that there’s plenty of space with a few key things to do as…
Towards the south coast of Wellington, just north of the Island Bay shopping area, this bike track allows kids to test their skills on a dirt track without it being too difficult. If your child(ren) are used to BMX tracks, this one might be a bit easy for them, but for…
