Family Fun in Rotorua
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Searching for somewhere to go for the next school holidays? Rotorua makes the ideal spot for a family getaway. World-class visitor attractions, vibrant Maori heritage and spectacular thermal areas guarantee plenty of entertainment whatever the weather, and beautiful lakes add to the area’s scenic appeal with mountain biking, trout fishing and boating.
The distinctive smell of sulphur in New Zealand’s thermal capital soon lets you know you’ve arrived. Just minutes from the city centre, you’ll find hissing geysers, bubbling mud pools and steaming fumaroles. For the adventurous, there’s a huge range of adventure activities with everything from luging and zorbing to bungy jumping and jetboating, while traditional family favourites such as the Rotorua Agrodome, Rainbow Springs and The Polynesian spa offer the chance for more laidback sightseeing. We’ve put together some of the top city sights to get you started on your Rotorua adventure.
Attractions:
- Wai-o-tapu
The famous Lady Knox Geyser erupts at 10.15am every day at Wai-o-tapu. Other attractions include collapsed craters, mud-pools, acid-green water and the famous orange-rimmed Champagne Pool. The reserve is 30km south of Rotorua on SH5.
- Rotorua Museum of Art & History – Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa
Housed in the historic Tudor-style Bath House in the city’s elegant Government Gardens, the museum is the perfect place to begin your Rotorua adventure. A 12-minute movie containing special effects to the tune of $1.4 million looks at the area’s fascinating past. Exhibitions include the dramatic eruption of nearby Mount Tarawera.
- Skyline Skyrides
A great way to get your bearings is the gondola ride up to the summit of Mt Ngongotaha (487m). At the top, there are panoramic views over the city and the lake, walking tracks and a downhill luge trail, or just
relax over lunch at the Skyline restaurant.
- Rainbow Springs Nature Park
This showcase of NZ’s flora and fauna is both informative and fun. There’s a trout hatchery and a kiwi house where young kiwi are hatched and raised, and walking trails through the native bush.
- Rotorua Agrodome Adventure Park
The agrodome is a firm favourite, and not just for overseas visitors. You can shear a sheep, roll down a hill inside a zorb (a giant plastic orb), ride the agrojet sprint boat, take a scenic helicopter flight or even do a bungy.
- Polynesian Spa
Rotorua’s reputation as a natural spa destination dates back more than 160 years. Housed in the Government Gardens, this luxury lakeside spa is a great place to relax after a hard day’s sightseeing, with thermal mineral pools, health and spa treatments.
- Te Whakarewarewa
You can take a guided tour and cultural show or sample a delicious Maori hangi at Rotorua’s largest thermal reserve – and don’t miss the world-famous Pohutu Geyser, which erupts up to 31m high.
Useful Websites
www.rotoruanz.com – Rotorua’s official tourism website