[sizzlingbadger]

Looks like we'll be heading to Rotorua for a week in the Easter Holidays :raebanana

Has anyone got any suggestions on what to do activity wise. We've got 3 kids in tow (aged 6, 4, 3) so I think that rules zorbing out, although my 3 year old is always up for a challenge :D

Ruled out Hells Gate have heard it's very expensive and we like to keep things cheap when the accommodation is costing us the earth.

[jubjub]

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8069&highlight=rotorua

Have a look at this for some ideas, we went last year...

[sizzlingbadger]

Thanks, did a search but nothing seemed to come up :confused:

Going to sneak another question in ...

Is the Cormorandel a driveable day trip from Rotorua ?

[Kim39]

You want to kill a few hours, then go up on the Gondola and have a go on the luge run. A adult ticket for the ride up on the gondola and 5 luge rides is $39, and for a child $29. We did it the other week and spent 4 hours up there. Had an absolute ball, and the wife who is scared of heights even did the Skyride.

As for a day trip up to the Coromandal from there will take you around 3-4 hours.
Kim

[Carol]

There is a park near to the swimming pool with lots of thermal activity going on - enough for kids of your age to see - free of charge.

The luge is excellent. We had a picnic at the bottom - there is a mini golf down there too.

My six year old had 3 rides in the Zorb and loved every minute - BUT - it was $90 :uhoh I think your others may be too young...

The info centre is excellent - they will give you lots of ideas of things to do at low cost.

The Agrodome is cool - they will love the sheep show. Not sure of the cost to get in - but it will be on the net somewhere I guess.
(We had 3 teens with us this time so we didnt bother with it - not "cool");)

[sizzlingbadger]

Looks like it's going to be an expensive time :D Just seen the link for the boat and walking cruise with 2 adults and 3 kids that's a family around $70 then another lot for the skyline, better start saving.

What age is suitable for the luge ?

With the Waimangu walk and cruise around the lake, would a 3 year old or a pushchair be able to manage it ?

[Carol]

What age is suitable for the luge ?

With the Waimangu walk and cruise around the lake, would a 3 year old or a pushchair be able to manage it ?


You can go down it with the little ones on your knee - the six year old will manage fine on the Scenic slope and possibly the intermediate.

Sorry - dont know anything about the walk......

[sizzlingbadger]

Cool, I'd imagine it'll be my 6 year old on the knee and my 3 year old taking off on his own :laugh

[jubjub]

SB we are going back in a couple of weeks (hubbys works family weekend) so may be able to add a couple more suggestions, think we are going to Paradise Valley Springs as part of the package... and staying at a holiday park, so will let you know what thats like too.

Yup, it is going to be a bit expensive if you do everything, thats how we only did one paid activity per day (or tried to!) Kuirai Park is nice, its right by the hospital, and on the main road, so you cant really miss it, it has a swing park, and some mud pools, and its free!

Start saving and have fun!

[sarahw]

There are quite a few places with free mud pools etc - we're off to Rotavegas in a week or so & one of our friends is going to give us a map with all the free mud pools on it - I'll let you know where you can find a map like it when we get it...

[britchik]

The Blue and Green lakes are also worth a look - and free :yes
There is also a small beach (Blue Lakes) so the kiddies will be able to have a swim. (water sports also available) If your into Campsites there is a Holiday Park right opposite which would keep your costs down also.
In my opinion it really is worth a drive out that way to see them, the Green Lake is absolutely breathtaking.

[Big Puku]

We went in September and had a great time, we stayed at a great Bach on Lake Rotorua (which was a bargain at $100 a night) and the kids spent alot of the time playing outside/feeding the ducks/kayaking etc. Also went to:

Agrodrome - eldest (15) went skydiving, zorbing, and on the Jet (5 year old loved it too!). Sheep show a must IMO - our 3 year old is still set on having her own pet sheep!

Skyride/Luge - great fun for everyone, although the cost adds up when you get addicted

Te Puia - awesome place; take your shoes/socks off when you're near the big geysers for the full effect.

Polynesian Spa - good for relaxing after a packed day, they've also got a kids pool with slide.

Also stopped off at Taupo on the way - Hukka falls on the way there (ok, but not that exciting!) and the Prawn Farm on the way back (the tour is great fun and you can fish for prawns afterwards!).

Have fun :)

[willsken]

Ruled out Hells Gate have heard it's very expensive and we like to keep things cheap when the accommodation is costing us the earth.

We went to Hells Gate and I can say if you have little ones, don't bother! We were only in there for 5 minutes and had to leave. They couldn't take the smell, kept saying they were going to be sick. (Might be just my kids though! :o ) The staff were very good and gave us our money back. :nice1

[sizzlingbadger]

:laugh Willsken there's no way we'll be going if it smells that much, can just imagine our lot making comments :D

Thanks guys for all the great tips, getting quite a list now :) Managed to find somewhere available for $100 a night, yipee . Just got to get the husband to sort out his leave.

Keep the suggestions coming :nice1

[jubjub]

Well, we went to http://www.paradisev.co.nz/, and while it was very nice, I am not sure its worth a special visit, as its not a concept particularly unique to Rotorua (if you know what i mean) its a very nice flat smooth walk round the trout ponds, you also see ducks, wallabies, merino sheep, possums, and pigs, and they have a pride of lions which we actually got quite close to, as they were asleep by the fence.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v690/asjohnstone/IMGP2324.jpg


We stayed at http://www.rotoruathermal.co.nz/, which was very nice, as it was a company do, they had booked out the entire lodge just for us, comfy enough, but no ensuite :rolleyes: ... the park was very nice and quiet, lots of greenery and open space, and an excelent cafe.

We also went to a cultural show at the Millennium hotel, which, although it was my first one, I did not think it was particularly good ... I suspect there are better ones out there, so will give another one a try at a later date. (edited to add, Billy Connoly sang Kare Kare ana better....)

[gil]

This is really interesting guys, thank you! We will be in Rotorua weekend of May 11-13 as our nephews are competing in the World Waterskiing Champs which are in Taupo and Rotorua. Can't wait to see it all. We are staying at The Comfort Ledwich Inn, 2 nights for 5 of us comes to approx $270.
Any restaurant recommendations?
Gil

[K&CS]

Is Rotorua a good winter destination?

[jubjub]

Is Rotorua a good winter destination?

I don't see why not? As long as its not raining cos most of the cool stuff is outdoors...

[sizzlingbadger]

That certainly looks close Sal :D I know what you mean not being uniquely Rotorua but we'll put it on the list and if we have time we'll make a visit.

Will let you know how we get on at Easter as to whether it will be a great winter destination. You can always guarantee the rain whenever we go away :roll

We've booked a bach, lakeside, not a bad price at $100 a night for a week away. Some of the hotels we were looking at were around $1400 for that week :exit

[sizzlingbadger]

Well we've just returned from a fantastic holiday.

Rotorua was fantastic and if anyone wants details of a brilliant bach then PM me :D

The kids loved paddling and swimming in the lakes. OH did the luge six times with the kids :exit There was no way I was going on it with the ski lift on the way back, way to scary for me. Got to have a girly trip out horseriding for 1/2 hour, Miss 4 hasn't stopped smiling since doing that. Had a trip out down to Orakei Korako thermal land. It was lovely going over the boat and walking around the silica terraces. Also walked around the Redwood Park, got to have a go on the paddle boats on Lake Rotorua. 3 d Maze on the last day which the kids loved. Went to Landing Point Cafe on Lake Tarewera even though it was cold that day the kids still stripped off and went into the lake :D

Then we went on around the East Cape on Saturday. Very, very long drive of over 7 hours :roll But definitely well worth it some amazing scenery especially from Opotiki up, not so good from Hicks Bay down as it's mainly countryside. Although Anuara Bay and the beach house we stayed in was amazing, another recommendation there as well. It was literally a stones through from the sandy beach and the kids had great day Sunday paddling and swimming.

Came back down to Gisborne and then Napier on Monday. Gisborne was lovely, very clean and extremely sunny.

Is Rotorua a winter destination ? I think so, most mornings it was quite cold but soon warmed up. There's plenty to do in wet and dry weather, the lakes are all quite spectacular.

Glad to be home but we'll definitely be going back up to Anuara Bay and Rotorua.

I'll have to sort some pics out when I get a spare moment.

[thezorbster]

We had 3 nights in Rotorua on our recce and had a great time - we have a 4yr old. We did the gondola and luge which she loved - she went down with other half and was shrieking with laughter. Also did the agrodome, a duck (amphibious vehicle) trip which was fun and Whakerewera maori/thermal village. All activities for under 5's were free which was fantastic, in fact we didn't pay fees for Sarah anywhere in NZ apart from our whale watching trip so you should save some money with a 3 & 4 yr old.There is also a really good kids playground down at the lakeside where we spent a lot of time and various boats for hire. There is also a really good indoor swimming pool complex for a wet weather day.

There is a road locally called The Streat , full of every imaginable restaurant and we had some good meals there.

[Debbie P.]

Is Rotorua a good winter destination?

We went in August and thought it was great. Yes, it rained a bit, but wasn't really cold, and the thermal pools were more dramatic in the rain.