Bay of Plenty, North Island

including Tauranga

HERO Bay of Plenty with kids3

Bay of Plenty family holidays

HERO Bay of Plenty 2

Bay of Plenty family holidays

HERO Bay of Plenty 3

Tauranga, Bay of Plenty

Welcome to the Bay of Plenty

Walks and Parks

Walks & Parks

Get Outdoors!

Discover the region's walks, parks, beaches, lakes or rivers.

The Bay of Plenty is one of the most significantly historic areas of New Zealand and it was here that three of the seven original migrating waka made their first landing in New Zealand. Named by Captain James Cook over 400 years later, the Bay of Plenty still lives up to its name. With its scenery and  lifestyle, mild climate and beautiful beaches it makes for a perfect family holiday.

Tauranga

Tauranga is the largest town in the Bay of Plenty. The waterfront area has restaurants, water features and a children’s play area. There is a good variety of cafes and restaurants in the town and lots of places to picnic, like the unique Tauranga’s Cascade Fountain Gardens. Tauranga is the departure point for several dolphin encounters while for those after a bit more excitement, just ten minutes away from the city is Waimarino Adventure Park. Surf Lifesavers Tauranga

Mount Maunganui

Mount Maunganui or ‘The Mount’, is known as the surf capital of New Zealand but its white sandy beach and safe sheltered harbour is also a popular destination for families. The Mount is a good base for visiting Moturiki Island, a tiny island great for walks but also know for its geyser-like displays. Mount Maunganui hosts a variety of events during the summer months with activities for the whole family.

Waihi Beach

Just on the boundary of the Bay of Plenty and the Coromandel, Waihi Beach is well known for its nine kilometres of beautiful white sand and is one of the safest beaches in New Zealand. As well as the beach, activities such as bush walks, fishing, boogie boarding and kayaking are all waiting to be tried out by the visitor. At the southern end of Waihi Beach, Bowentown which looks out onto Tauranga Harbour, also offers a safe beach for children as well as attractive parks.

Katikati

Katikati is best known for its art, and 40 murals decorate the walls of businesses throughout the town. Katikati’s soil and climate are ideal for growing kiwifruit, and Kiwi360, south of Katikati in Te Puke, is a great place to learn all about this iconic fruit. The privately owned Katikati Bird Gardens with its secret paths and lily ponds, features a wide range of colourful and native birds and Katikati has its own museum for those interested in the heritage of the region.

Whakatane

Located 90 kilometres from Tauranga, this attractive coastal town is located on the Whakatane River. Over the hill from Whakatane is Ohope Beach, with its 11 kilometres of sand and its safe waters making it a popular beach with holidaymakers. Activities in the area include a huge pictorial maze, watersports and scenic walks.

 

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North Island

South Island

Map of New Zealand
  • Central Otago
  • Auckland
  • Bay of Plenty
  • Christchurch
  • Dunedin
  • Coromandel
  • Gisborne
  • Fiordland and Milford Sound
  • Hawkes Bay
  • Marlborough Sounds
  • Manawatu
  • Nelson & Golden Bay
  • Northland
  • North Canterbury
  • Queenstown
  • Rotorua
  • South Canterbury
  • Taranaki
  • Southland
  • Taupo
  • Wanaka
  • Waikato
  • Wellington
  • West Coast
  • Whangarei
  • Bay of Islands
  • Tauranga
  • Gisborne
  • Hamilton
  • Napier
  • Kapiti
  • Palmerston North
  • Whanganui
  • New Plymouth
  • Arrowtown
  • Te Anau
  • Akaroa
  • Ashburton
  • Hanmer
  • Kaikoura
  • Methven
  • Mt Cook
  • Oamaru
  • Tekapo
  • Timaru
  • Abel Tasman
  • Motueka
  • Nelson Lakes
  • Blenheim
  • Picton
  • Catlins
  • Gore
  • Stewart Island
  • Central Plateau
  • Invercargill
  • Cromwell
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Westport
  • Glenorchy

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.