Dreaming of a Kiwi winter
It may feel to tired parents like the kids have just returned to school after the summer holidays, but Easter and next lot of school holidays are almost upon us. If you’re stuck for ideas where to take the little and not-so-little ones, Brett Atkinson has
Idon’t know about you, but I’m starting to accept that summer is over. The days are getting shorter, the evenings are chillier, and all of my New Year’s resolutions are well and truly out the window. (Life’s too short to swap chocolate bars for carrot sticks.) But while this time of year can leave you feeling very aware of the long slog ahead through the winter months, this year it feels different, like there’s a lot to look forward to.
Maybe it’s because last year – despite being one of the most eventful, hopefully, we are likely to experience in our lives – was such a non-event here compared to a lot of the world. I saw a joke online that described the 2020 calendar as ‘‘January, February, lockdown, December’’. Even though we were able to stamp out Covid-19 to enjoy a life that many envied from afar, the whole year still seems like a giant blur.
The recent lockdowns in Auckland were a stark reminder that we’re not out of the woods yet. But this week, the Government revealed its vaccine roll-out plan. The vaccination of border workers and others in high-risk areas is already under way, and the vaccination of people aged over 65 and those with health conditions is set to begin in May.
The rest of us can expect to receive the jab from July. It might be too early to celebrate, because we still don’t have all the details. But I can’t help but feel lighter. For those of us eager for international travel to resume, it increasingly looks like the vaccine will be our golden ticket.
In the meantime, there’s still so much to discover in our own backyard. It’s been a year since Stuff Travel launched our Back Your Backyard campaign, and our team is still having amazing adventures all over Aotearoa.
And we’ll continue to champion domestic travel, long after the virus has (fingers crossed) been eradicated.
I know this pandemic has changed the way I think about New Zealand as a destination. I used to be obsessed with country counting, constantly dreaming about where I wanted to go next, and bemoaning the fact we were so far away from everything.
Now, I find myself planning domestic trips with the same level of enthusiasm I once reserved for my overseas jaunts. I’m starting to think about what I might like to do during the winter months. Skiing and snowboarding have never been my jam, but I reckon I could get onboard with snowshoeing, or snow tubing. (Look them up!)
You can also recreate some overseas experiences here at home. Brook Sabin has managed to find an alternative to Antarctica in Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. Read about his experience on pages 34-35. Or for a taste of Italy in Wairarapa, check out my room review on page 32.
Awesome Adventures Hokianga Opononi
Hook up with long-time Hokianga local Lenny Naera to explore the rugged upper west coast of the North Island. Experiences for active families include guided jetski safaris and sandboarding, and Lenny and his wife Antoinette also offer comfortable bed and breakfast accommodation in Opononi. aah.nz, phone 09 405 8224
Sea Life Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium Auckland
Say hello to Auckland’s most diverse collection of sea creatures, including turtles, sharks, tropical fish, and jellyfish. Book ahead online for significant discounts. Special Penguin Passport experiences from Friday to Sunday offer on-the-ice interaction with king and gentoo penguins. visitsealife.com/auckland, phone 09 531 5065
Whoa Studios Auckland
Explore the Urban Playground – attractions include Pirate Ship Cove and the Rocket Ship – before diving into the family-friendly menu at the adjacent Grounds eatery. Check out Whoa’s website for April school holiday theatre performances of its new family musical, Who Wants to be a Superhero? whoastudios.co.nz, phone 09 838 4553
Weta Workshop Unleashed Auckland
Entertainment, interactivity and education combine at Auckland’s newest attraction for movie-loving families, with immersive, 90-minute experiences exploring how Weta’s innovative team bring to life the cinema genres of fantasy, science fiction and horror. wetaworkshopunleashed.com, phone 04 909 4035
Hamilton Gardens Hamilton
Enjoy an Instagram-worthy and surprising journey around the Surrealist Gardens, an entertainingly perplexing installation inspired by Salvador Dali and Alice in Wonderland. Animatronic trees have moving branches, gardening implements are five times their normal
size, and other visual sleights of hand abound. hamiltongardens.co.nz, phone 07 838 6782
Waitomo Adventures Waitomo
Combine abseiling and subterranean ziplining when discovering St Benedict’s Caverns, or float on an inner tube (blackwater rafting) on an underground river in Tumu
Tumu Cave. Children need to be at least 12 for these experiences, but the interactive riddle-solving at Troll Cave is ideal for younger travellers. waitomo.co.nz, phone 0800 WAITOMO
Spike’s Bricks & Models Waihi
New Zealand’s best destination for all things Lego is this fascinating spot in Waihi. Guided tours led by the eponymous Spike are available, with a number of rare Lego sets to see. There’s The Simpsons to the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Find Spike’s Bricks & Models on Facebook, phone 027 451 5706
Riverbug Tauranga
A cross between a boogie board and a one-person inflatable river raft, Riverbug offers a great way to discover the waterways around the eastern Bay of Plenty. Children of 5 years and older can join Fun Bug scenic tours on the Wairoa River, while Action Bug experiences on the Rangita¯ iki are open to kids at least 1.25 metres tall. riverbug.nz, phone 022 344 5002
River Rats Raft & Kayak Rotorua
River Rats’ most serene experience is a guided kayaking trip across Lake Rotoiti to the Manupı¯rua Springs Hot Pools. Morning kayak tours take place year-round and, from November to April, there’s the option of an evening guided experience, including a barbecue dinner and a stop at glow-worm caves. riverrats.co.nz, phone 0800 333 900
Rotorua Canopy Tours Rotorua
Canopy Tours’ forested labyrinth of swing bridges, platforms and ziplines offer brilliant family experiences. Best of all is the Ultimate Canopy Tour, incorporating a spiral staircase, cliff walk, and an exciting controlled descent. Some of the trees in the surrounding forest are more than 1000 years old. canopytours.co.nz, phone 0800 CANOPY
Redwoods Treewalk Rotorua
Amid a grove of Californian redwood trees that is also popular for walking and mountain biking, the Treewalk’s 700m-long elevated walkway is made up of wooden bridges suspended between century-old trees. The best experience is after dark when wooden lanterns in the trees illuminate the way ahead. treewalk.co.nz, phone 027 536 1010
Orakei Korako Taupo¯
Located off State Highway 5 linking Rotorua to Taupo¯ , Orakei Korako is often overlooked as one of New Zealand’s most interesting geothermal areas. You should allow two hours to explore a dynamic and multi-hued landscape, including the Hidden Valley and the turquoise reflective pool of
Ruatapu Cave. Entry includes a boat ride across Lake Ohakuri. orakeikorako.co.nz, phone 07 378 3131
Dive Tatapouri Gisborne
About 15 minutes’ drive northeast of Gisborne, Dive Tatapouri is Taira¯ whiti’s best place to observe unique marine life. Reef Ecology Tours offers visitors the chance to interact gently and safely with stingrays in the shallows of the East Coast. divetatapouri.com, phone 06 868 5153
Zealandia Wellington
Guided tours, including Zealandia By Night experiences for kids 12 and older, are the best way to seek out the native species living in this fenced eco-sanctuary. Birdlife seen can include little spotted kiwi, takahe¯ and ka¯ ka¯ , while
New Zealand’s oldest living dinosaur, the tuatara, also occasionally assumes centre stage. Younger visitors are welcome for daytime and twilight tours. visitzealandia.com, phone 04 920 9213
Seal Swim Kaiko¯ ura Kaiko¯ ura
It’s definitely one of Aotearoa’s most rewarding wildlife experiences, and with parental supervision, children 5 years and older are welcome at Seal Swim Kaiko¯ ura. Look forward to spending about an hour in the water in the company of New Zealand fur seals. sealswimkaikoura.co.nz, phone 0800 SEAL SWIM
Riverside Market Christchurch
From French-style crepes to Nepalese momo dumplings, there’s plenty of good-value eating on offer for foodie families at Christchurch’s Riverside Market. If your children are looking for inspiration in the kitchen, sign them up for Riverside Kitchen’s Mediterranean kids’ cooking classes during the school holidays from April 22 to April 24. riversidekitchen.co.nz, phone 021 168 7209
Margaret Mahy Family Playground Christchurch
Christchurch’s best playground is also the finest in the country, with a sprawling location near the Avon River jam-packed with family fun. Highlights include a spiral slide, a two-person flying fox, and an Astroturf mini-mountain. Everything’s built to last, so mums and dads can also have a go. ccc.govt.nz
Otago Museum Dunedin
Otago Museum’s Tu¯ hura gallery is New Zealand’s biggest science centre, with more than 40 interactive exhibits revealing the physical and natural world around us. Telling the Kai Tahu creation story in te reo, it’s also the world’s only bicultural science centre. Don’t miss Tu¯ hura’s indoor tropical rainforest with a 5m-high waterfall and hundreds of butterflies. otagomuseum.nz, phone 03 474 7474
Puzzling World Wa¯naka
Everyone loves a good maze, and Puzzling World’s 3D Super Maze is a great place to get (temporarily) lost. Other brain-bending attractions to exercise and entertain grey matter young and old include Illusion Rooms and a Puzzle Centre. puzzlingworld.co.nz, phone 03 443 7489
Moke Lake Queenstown
A local secret favoured by families who’ve been to Queenstown a few times, a gentle stroll around spectacular Moke Lake is a great value (free) way to experience the Southern Lakes’ stellar scenery. Moke Lake is located off the spectacular road linking Queenstown to Glenorchy, and an undulating circumnavigation should take about two to three hours. doc.govt.nz