Family Activities

Activities

Family Activities New Zealand

Family Activities

There’s no shortage of stuff to do around New Zealand and it doesn’t matter how old you are or what you’re into! Here are some of our favourite past times – walking (we’ve got hundreds of well-maintained tracks throughout the country, from 20 minutes to several days), mountain biking, swimming and surfing (we’re generally an outdoor lot!), bungy jumping (minimum age 10), skiing or snowboarding (both islands have great ski areas with family facilities), jetboating (well it was invented by a Kiwi!), wine tasting, glacier exploring, horse riding, soaking in natural hot pools or tucking into a good ol’ Kiwi barbeque.

On top of these top ‘kiwi’ experiences, you can find entertainment for all ages, just about anywhere. Most cities have ‘playlands’ – fantastic children-only entertainment with bouncy castles, adventure or trampoline playgrounds and lots more. You can often leave your children at these establishments for a few hours. See individual cities for more details. Other top family entertainment includes adventure mini golf, farm tours, dolphin watching, luging, kiwi parks, mazes, cinema, lake and fiord trips, maori shows, thermal pools, glowworm caves and much more.

If your family is keen to experience some action and adventure, don’t leave the kids at home! Did you know you can do a bungy jump at age 10? You can go rafting at age 3 and tackle the rapids at age 13. Why not have a go at canyoning or river surfing, horse riding, hot air ballooning or paragliding? What about a swim with the acrobatic Hectors dolphins or a quad bike ride? All these adventures and many more are suitable for children, but most have minimum age, weight or height requirements. Please see individual listings on this website for more information.

North Island

Map of New Zealand

Our favourite destinations…

Auckland

New Zealand’s economic heart and biggest city is also an exciting family visitor destination, situated on a sunny harbour with city beaches just minutes away from the CBD. Orientate yourself by heading down to Viaduct Harbour, wandering the waterfront, checking out the super yachts or enjoying the waterfront restaurants. Nearby is the must-visit Sky Tower along with excellent and kid-friendly museums and tons of exciting activities!

Wellington

Wellington is New Zealand’s capital. Here you will find New Zealand's parliament buildings, including the 'Executive Wing', more well-known as 'The Beehive' due to its distinctive shape. Another icon to look out for is the Wellington Tram, which was the main means of public transport between 1878 and 1964.

Christchurch

With a population of around 400,000 Christchurch, in Canterbury, is the South Island ’s largest city, yet much of it has the feel of a small town. Perhaps that’s why it’s known as the Garden City but with the expansive Hagley Park, Botanic Gardens, Port Hills, River Avon and numerous beaches the city certainly has an open, relaxed feel that’s hard to beat.

Queenstown

With its well-deserved reputation as New Zealand’s activity adventure capital you’ll never run out of activities and things to do in Queenstown, but you may run out of time! With breathtaking scenery, activities and festivals, cafes and restaurants, skiing and snowboarding, shopping and wineries, this lakeside alpine resort rates as one of the world’s top vacation destinations for all ages and seasons.

Rotorua

Rotorua sits on the shore of Lake Rotorua, one of sixteen lakes in the area formed by hundreds of thousands of years of eruptions from the Taupo Volcanic Zone. The area is renowned for its geothermal activity and top of any activity list is to see the bubbling mud pools that are around the region for yourself. The Waimangu Volcanic Valley offers a first hand insight into the devastation caused by the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera and is a great place to discover steaming volcanic craters and bubbling, spitting pools of mud!

Nelson and Golden Bay

The Nelson and Golden Bay regions, at the top of the South Island, boast enviable sunshine hours, glorious sandy beaches, safe swimming spots, lots of wildlife to look out for, and Abel Tasman National Park - an absolute must to explore, on foot, by kayak, your own craft or watertaxi. Nelson is home to a vibrant arts and crafts community with a fabulous Saturday market, and is close to award-winning wineries and family-friendly bike tracks to take you around the coast.

Hawkes Bay

Napier was rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake and is now known as NZ's Art Deco City. The Art Deco influence has created a unique city – nowhere else can you see such a varied concentration of art deco style. With over 2,200 sunshine hours a year, Napier is a year-round holiday destination with countless activities to entertain the kids – there's days of entertainment on Marine Parade alone, plus numerous other family-friendly trips and activities. Add to that the beaches, walks and flat cycle paths, outdoor cafes and entertainment, and you have a perfect holiday destination!

Northland

Beautiful, unspoiled beaches, fishing, historic gum fields, kauri forests – the Far North has it all. With subtropical temperatures, it's often known as ‘the Winterless north', with warm, humid summers and mild winters.
Gateway to the Bay of Islands, Paihia is a pretty, lively beachside town and a perfect base for your family holiday. It’s your start point for Bay of Island adventures including day cruises, sailing, kayaking, swimming with dolphins and reef or wreck diving.