Choose from 212 Fun Things to Do in New Zealand
Lake Taupo
- Lake Taupo is a must for outdoor enthusiasts and waterbabies.
- Accommodation is available all around the lake: backpackers might want to look into holiday parks at the lake’s south end, while families and others should head to Taupo, a town at the lake’s northern tip.
- Other attractions in the area include nearby Huka Falls and the Orakei Korako Cave and Thermal Park, which gets you up close and personal to Taupo’s geothermal activity.
- If you fancy fishing, you can enter the Lake Taupo International Trout Fishing Tournament, which happens each year on April 25.
Paihia Harbour
The resort town of Paihia services the villages and islands of the Bay of Islands.
Boasting the area’s best accommodation and restaurants, Paihia Harbour is the ideal place to base yourself while you explore this lovely part of New Zealand.
Hire a kayak to paddle out to the islands, follow the rivers winding in from the bay, or take a walk through kauri forest to lookouts over the water.
To walk from Paihia to neighboring Waitangi is a pleasant 40 minutes one way.
Practical Info
Paihia is 3 kilometers (2 miles) south of Waitangi on Te Ti Bay in the Bay of Islands.
Ferries leave from here to sail to nearby Russell on the facing peninsula.
Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake)
- Blue Lake is the best place in Rotorua for swimming and water skiing.
- The site is a favorite of travelers with children.
- There are public toilets, barbecue facilities, picnic areas, and a playground.
- Select a guided day trip to see Lake Rotokakahi (Green Lake) in addition to geysers and mud pools.
Lake Rotokakahi (Green Lake)
- Scenic tours with a guide provide access to multiple lakes and other attractions.
- This quiet lake is peaceful and has been largely left to exist in its natural state.
- As a show of respect to the Te Arawa tribe, visitors must maintain the tranquil atmosphere and leave the waters untouched.
Lake Rotoiti
- Glowworm caves and thermal hot springs are only accessible by boat.
- Paddling instruction, equipment, and round-trip hotel transport from Rotorua are provided on most guided kayak tours.
- Excursions last anywhere from a few hours to a full day, and may include snacks or barbecue meals.
- Bring a bathing suit, towel, water shoes or hiking shoes, and a change of clothing.
Lake Okareka
- On a Duck tour; the amphibious vehicle splashes down onto Lake Okareka and Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake).
- Birders should bring binoculars to search the wetlands for shorebirds.
- The Okareka Walkway is accessible to strollers and wheelchairs.
One Tree Hill
- One Tree Hill is ideal for history buffs and those seeking lovely views of Auckland.
- Stop in at the Huia Lodge Information Centre to discover more about One Tree Hill’s history.
- There are three on-site eateries, barbeques for rent, and picnic tables all around the park.
- Cornwall Park is a private, fully operational farm as well and has a wide range of animals and native birds—but please don’t touch them.
- One Tree Hill offers limited accessible parking, a drop-off zone, and some accessible facilities (including restrooms).
Otago Central
If you're seeking the thrill of a fine glass of wine or a round of golf then Central Otago could be just your place. The hottest, coldest and driest part of New Zealand is also home to some of its most adorable towns and finer vineyards.
The capital of Central Otago is Alexandra and its boutique hotels are a great base for exploring. The highlights of Central Otago (besides its gourmet delights) include the very well-preserved gold-rush towns of Ophir and St Bathans, the art-deco charms of Ranfurly and the picturesque orchards of the fruit-bowl area surrounding Cromwell.
Eleven golf courses dot the countryside and curling (the ancient Scottish sport) is popular in Naseby where you can play in year-round facilities. Otherwise the majority of action takes place along the Central Otago Rail Trail with walkers, cyclists and horse riders all enjoying the gentle gradient of the former railway line.
Practical Info
Queenstown is 40 minutes drive from Cromwell and an hour’s drive from Alexandra. Dunedin is 2.5 hours drive from Alexandra. A car is the best way to explore the area, moving at your own relaxed pace.
Lake Rotorua
- This natural feature is hard to miss, and is a must-see for visitors to Rotorua.
- A large grassy area includes a children’s playground.
- Wheelchair-accessible walkways make for easy strolling.
- Outdoor activities last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, while day trips take you to other lakes and beyond.
- A 10-minute Skyline Rotorua gondola ride guarantees panoramic views from the summit of Mt. Ngongotaha.
- Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and plenty of water.
Queen Street
- Queen Street is ideal for first-time visitors to Auckland, especially shopaholics.
- There’s plenty of accommodation, from budget to luxury, along Queen Street and in the nearby laneways.
- Queen Street’s resplendent Civic Theatre, located on the corner of Wellesley Street West, often hosts touring international musicals and big festival events, so keep an eye on what events are coming up there.
- One of New Zealand’s oldest shopping malls, the Queens Arcade, is located at the south end of Queen Street.
- Queen Street is built on a hill with a steep slope between Wellesley Street West and Karangahape Road, so people with limited mobility should take care.
Olveston
- A guided tour is necessary to see the interior of the house, but the gardens are free.
- Dunedin is a very hilly city and Olveston House is located on a hill, so walking there may not be suited to travelers with mobility issues.
- Not all of Olveston’s guided tours are the same. You can join a tour with morning tea, an art collector’s tour, and other themed options. Check the website for timings.
- Tours operate in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, French, German, and Japanese.
Lake Manapouri
Stunning Lake Manapouri surrounded by the majestic Cathedral Ranges and dotted with thirty-four islands, is beautiful and impressive. The mountains, which make up the north, south and west sides of the lake, descend into the water creating lovely waterfalls and isolated sandy coves perfect for swimming and picnics.
The small town of Manapouri (pop. 300) lies on the east coast and is the major jumping off point for people heading to Doubtful Sound as it can be reached by boat from the Waiau River which feeds the lake.
There are a number of walking tracks around the lake, including the well known Manapouri Track which leads you up Mt. Titiroa to take in the beautiful lake views before finishing with a swim in the lake. Lesser known walks include Percy’s Pass and Dusky Track.
Fishing is also popular on the lake and suits the experienced and novices alike. If you’re after a workout then kayaks are available depending on the weather.
Practical Info
The lake is outside your door if you’re in Manapouri, otherwise it is a 15 minute drive from Te Anau or 2.5 hour drive from Queenstown.
Lake Pukaki
Lake Tekapo
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Mona Vale
Otago Museum
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Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre
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Lake Wakatipu
The Basics
- Tour options are available for families with kids and solo adventurers alike.
- Be sure to dress in layers, as wind can pick up suddenly.
- Tours range from short, 90-minute excursions to full-day, 8-hour adventures.
When to Get There
Legendary Shores
Orakei Korako Cave and Thermal Park (The Hidden Valley)
Take the bush walk through the heart of the park and you’ll be surrounded by untouched geothermal landscapes – gurgling mud pools, piping hot springs and steaming fissures interspersed with 35 active natural geysers, spurting steaming water up to 9 meters in the air. Most notable are the series of fault-stepped silica terraces, over which up to 20 million liters of water flow per day. The ‘Emerald Terrace’, aptly named for its striking jade-green color, is the largest of its kind remaining in the country; above it the terraces take on a rainbow of shades – blue, green, yellow, black – thanks to the hot water algae growing on their surface. The highlight of the park is the unique Ruatapu Cave, one of only two geothermal caves in the world and stretching 120 foot to the Waiwhakaata ‘pool of mirrors’ hot pool.
Puketi Rainforest
Set only a short drive from the Bay of Islands, this lush expanse of native foliage stretches over 37,000 acres of terrain. Here, kauri trees over 120 feet in height keep a watchful eye over the forest, and parts of the land have remained completely untouched since the arrival of the island’s first humans. In addition to the kauri—native hardwoods which were prized by Maori and exploited by European shipbuilders—there are over 370 different species of plants which thrive in the Puketi rainforest. Given the unique climate of the Northland and its geographical obscurity, a few of these plants are endemic to New Zealand and exist nowhere else in the world.
More so than simply the trees and the forest, many travelers visit the Puketi rainforest for the numerous species of birds. This is one of the few places left on the North Island with a wild population of Kiwi, and other birds such as the New Zealand Pigeon (kukupa) have been known to be sighted in the forest. Thanks to the efforts of local conservation groups, other species such as the New Zealand robin (toutouwai) have been re-introduced to the forest, and environmental efforts are currently focused on creating a sustainable habitat for their survival.
While the Puketi rainforest is open to the public, the best way to experience the forest is with some sort of a guided tour. The tours are able to provide transport from the Bay of Islands, and the knowledgeable guides who lead walks through the forest can point out features which might otherwise go unseen. For the best chance of finding birds and wildlife, consider visiting the forest at night for a tour beneath the glow of a headlamp. Here, in the silence of the forest and the creak of the kauri above you, you can truly get the feeling for the beauty of the Northland as it’s existed since the island first formed.