At a Glance
- Last Visited: Rotorua: September 2023 · 3 nights · 4th visit / Tauranga: November 2025 . 2 nights . Visit annually.
- Location: Central North Island, 2.5-3.5 hours from Auckland, 1 hour between Rotorua and Taurnaga, Rotorua 1 hour from Taupo
- Best time to visit: Year-round, though summer (Nov-Apr) is busiest and priciest – but best weather
- How long to stay: 2-3 days for Rotorua, 2 days for Tauranga/the Mount
- Best for: Families who enjoy geothermal wonders, adventure activities, beaches and the outdoors
- Budget (family of 4): Varies widely, Rotorua’s paid attractions add up quickly, Tauranga/the Mount is cheaper with more free beach days. Allow between NZD$300 – $500 / day
- Getting there: Driving from Auckland gives more flexibility or take a short domestic flight into Rotorua or Tauranga
- Getting around: A car is ideal to get between attractions
- Best area to stay: Central Rotorua for the lakefront, or near The Mount beach in Tauranga
- Family friendly rating: 9/10, geothermal wonders and adventure activities that kids will love
Quick Picks
This post contains affiliate links – full disclosure at the end
This guide covers a central North Island loop that pairs two very different family bases: the coast at Tauranga and Mount Maunganui, and the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua, just an hour apart.
Beach days, a summit walk, animal parks and waterfalls on one side, geysers, mud pools, Maori cultural experiences and adventure activities on the other.
Easily combined into one trip or visited separately if time is short.
In This Article:
- What is Rotorua with Kids and Tauranga Like for Families?
- When to Visit Rotorua and Tauranga with Kids
- Getting to Rotorua and Tauranga
- Getting Around Rotorua and Tauranga with Kids
- Where to Stay in Rotorua and Tauranga with Kids
- Where to Eat in Rotorua and Tauranga with Kids
- Things to Do in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui with Kids
- Things to Do in Rotorua with Kids
- Further Afield
- Tips for Rotorua and Tauranga with Kids
- Costs and Budget
- Is Rotorua and Tauranga Worth It for Families?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rotorua and Tauranga Like for Families?
The kids will either find the Sulphur smell of Rotorua, like rotten eggs, hilarious or disgusting. Or possibly both simultaneously.
Rotorua is unmissable for families with a car while on New Zealand’s North Island.
Located 2.5 hours from Auckland and just an hour south of Tauranga, it’s nicknamed “Rotovegas” for a good reason.
Geysers, mud pools, Maori cultural experiences, adventure activities such as zorbing, white water rafting, jet boating plus the Redwood Forest. Irresistible fun for all ages – kids and adults alike.
Tauranga is a 3-hour drive from Auckland, located on the coast, in the sunny Bay of Plenty – home to around 160,000 people.
The main city itself has no beach as it’s located in the harbour – but a ten-minute drive from the city and you reach the suburb of Mount Maunganui (“The Mount”), and the beach here stretches for 19km.
If we didn’t live in Auckland, we would live here. We are regular visitors as we just love the relaxed vibe, especially down at The Mount.
There’s plenty of activities to keep the kids entertained, making it great, easy side trip from Rotorua.
When to Visit Rotorua and Tauranga with Kids
Summer (December to February) – Beaches and Busy
The best time for Tauranga and the Mount, warm enough for the beach, though Rotorua’s attractions get busy and pricier over the school holidays.
Autumn (March to May) – Quieter but still warm
A good compromise, still warm enough for outdoor activities, noticeably quieter and often cheaper than summer.
Winter (June to August) – Cool but Rotorua Still Delivers
Too cold for the beach at Tauranga, but Rotorua’s geothermal attractions and hot pools are arguably better in winter, nothing like a natural hot pool on a cold day.
Spring (September to November) – Shoulder Season
Mild and quieter than summer, a reasonable time to visit either without the crowds or the peak prices.
Getting to Rotorua and Tauranga
By Car
From Auckland: Rotorua is a 2–3-hour drive from Auckland. Tauranga is about a 3-hour drive.
Tauranga and Rotorua are about 1-hour apart by car, an easy add-on to combine both in one trip.
Both Rotorua and Tauranga have small regional airports with domestic flights from Auckland, worth considering if you’d rather not drive the whole way with young kids.
🚗Book your car hire for New Zealand here
Getting Around Rotorua and Tauranga with Kids
A car is needed for this region. McLaren Falls and Marshall’s Animal Park are about 10 minutes from Tauranga city, Kerosene Falls is about 20 minutes from Rotorua, and the Redwoods are about 10 minutes from Rotorua town. Central Rotorua and central Tauranga are both walkable once you’re settled, but getting between attractions needs a vehicle.
🎟️ You can a tour or combo activity tickets to save heaps of money here
Where to Stay in Rotorua and Tauranga with Kids
Rotorua: Staying in central Rotorua, close to the lakefront and Kuirau Park, makes it easy walking distance to plenty of central attractions.
The other option is near The Skyline – there’s heaps of motel type accommodation this end of town and it’s very convenient for attractions this end of town.
Some hotels have thermal pools which is a bonus, after a long day sight-seeing, to soak those aching muscles.
Tauranga/The Mount: Near The Mount beach, walking distance to the summit track and the village’s cafes and restaurants – although the closer to The Mount, the more expensive.
We often stay a few KM further along the waterfront near BayFair Shopping Mall, which is a quick 5-minute beautiful drive along the water to The Mount.
🏨Find Rotorua Accommodation here
🏨Find Tauranga Accommodation here
Where to Eat in Rotorua and Tauranga with Kids
Rotorua has many dining options in the town centre of varying levels of quality and service.
The Pig and Whistle Pub has been a venue we’ve frequented several times, severing a good sized, quality food and a decent pint of beer.
Tauranga has many great options along The Strand, it’s main restaurant drag. But The Mount is where it’s at. Heaps of trendy places to eat in the village or down by the Surf Club, right by the beach. There’s also food trucks down this end of the beach for quick snacks to feed those hungry mouths.
Fish and Chips
In my humble opinion, NZ struggles to make fish and chips as good as the UK, but this place is one of the best in the country in my opinion – Bobby’s Fish Market, located near The Strand in the city centre. Always busy and for a good reason. They have plenty of seating outside or jump in the car and drive to the beach to enjoy them.
Things to Do in Rotorua with Kids
1. ⭐ Our Top Pick: Skyline Rotorua – Gondola and Luge⭐
No trip to Rotorua is complete without a trip up the Gondola – at Skyline Rotorua, and at least one ride on the Luge.
The views from the top across the lake are breath-taking.
There are several activities you can do from up the top:
- Mountain Biking – a 12KM track runs around the mountain with different options
- SkySwing – reaching seeds of 150KPH as you swing from 50 metres above the Skyline
- Zipline – none of us have done it but It looks awesome fun – zipping across 400-metres
- The Luge – there are 5 different tracks for different levels. The kids will love it. Ours have been going since they were 4.
- There’s a great café at the top, a souvenir shop, and of obligatory photos to buy to remind you of your awesome day.
🎢 Get your discounted Rotorua Skyline tickets here
2. The Redwoods Forest and the TreeWalk
Located in the Whakarewarewa Forest, just a 10-minute drive from town, thousands of redwood trees, planted in the early 1900’s stand tall creating a dense forest area for the kids to play. Our kids love running around here and building bases from fallen branches.
There are heaps of walking tracks and cycling tracks here too.
But the main attraction is the TreeWalk – a 20-metre high, 700-metre long walks cross connecting swinging bridges high up in the trees. Our kids love going there. They have a daytime option and a nighttime option – they used to allow you in for free at night, if you had a day ticket but sadly now they charge for both – so you need to decide. For younger kids, this will likely depend on tme of year and bedtime but if you’re able to make the nightwalk, it’s probably a more magical experience in our opinion. At night, the whole experience is lit up by lights, lanterns and magically brightly lit creatures, which the kids love. Allow about 45 minutes to walk all around.
🌲Book Redwood TreeWalk combo tickets to save money here
3. Te Puia
The main geothermal park with the famous Pohutu Geyser – New Zealand’s largest active geyser, erupting to 30 metres. The site also has a Maori cultural centre with carving and weaving schools and evening cultural performances. The cultural tour is the best that we have done in NZ – there are several options with many of them family friendly, so take a look here. The kids will love the haka performance. If you manage to get a night away from the kids, the evening dinner and performance is worthwhile. The buffet-style food is fantastic. A truly epic cultural experience.
🌋Book your discounted Te Puia tickets here
4. Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
Another geothermal site in the Rotorua area – a 3km walking loop through coloured pools, craters and silica terraces. The Lady Knox Geyser performs at 10:15am daily (with a little help from soap powder so it can feel a little commercialized – but the kids won’t care!).
5. Kuirau Park - ⭐Free ⭐Mud Pools and Hot Pools
See some geothermal activity – mud pools and hot pools for free! This is a city park, like any other, except it’s got dozens of hot mud pools bubbling away with steam rising into the air – with barriers to protect the kids from a fatal fall of course. The kids will love walking around spotting the bubbling mud. There’s also a handful of small public hot pools to bathe in, so bring your togs at the same time. All for free.
6. ⭐Top Tip - Kerosene Falls⭐
Kerosene Falls is about 20 minutes’ drive from the city and one of the best secrets. Find it on google maps, park in the car park and follow your nose, down a rough path, into the bush and you’ll eventually come upon one of NZ’s natural wonders – a natural hot pool / flowing river with waterfall. A swim here is a delight and standing under the waterfall as hot water cascades over your shoulders is one of life’s best feelings – all natural and totally free.
7. The Lakefront Playground
Rotorua has many playgrounds but this one is huge and in a lovely location by the lake. There’s heaps of grassy area / trees around (we had a favourite toy get wedged in one of the trees which kept us busy for a fair while trying to retrieve), areas for parents to relax. The kids can burn off energy as they ride on swings, spinny things, climbing frames – everything you’d expect from a good quality playground.
8. The Maze (aMAZEme)
1.4km of hedge to find your way to the centre and back out again. A great way to kill an hour with kids – and it is challenging! Don’t let young kids wander off on their own. There is an escape door if it all gets too much. They have a few other games there for kids to play too.
9. Zorbing
Only Kiwis could have invented Zorbing. Strap yourself into a massive plastic ball, through in a large slosh of water and roll down a hill – straight or slalom – your choice. I’ve done it a couple of times and had to have my stomach muscles stitched back up from laughing so much. I took my daughter once when she was 5 but to be fair, she was a bit too young and hated it. So, I would suggest maybe age 7+ is best.
Book your zorbing experience in advance here
10. 3D Trick Art Gallery
There’s so much do in Rotorua, there are some activities we’ve not yet tried but know from others that are worthy mentions and great fun for the kids:
Just on the edge of town, near the Skyline, this place is great for 3D photos for the kids (& parents) to show off to friends – think shark attacks, falling from a hot air balloon, playing rugby with Jonah Lomu. We’ve been to a couple of these in Asia and got some incredible photos for lasting memories and we’ve heard this one is no different.
Buy your 3D Trick Art tickets here
Things to Do in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui with Kids
1. Mount Maunganui (The Mount) - The Highlight
The Mount itself is a buzz of joggers and walkers taking one of two tracks.
The first up to the summit – a steep 45-minute walk with rewarding incredible 360 views across the Kamai Ranges, over Matakana Island and over to Bowentown and all the way along down to Papamoa. The kids can do the walk – our kids first done it aged 5. They may need a lift towards the top, but they’ll enjoy scurrying around at the summit.
It is possible with a stroller as it’s designed to be stroller friendly, but it can be tough going near the top.
The second is the loop that goes around the mountain. Whilst you don’t quite get the jaw dropping view from the summit, this is still a stunning walk, with Matakana Island almost in touching distance and the opportunity to spot huge cargo ships on their way to port, as you walk through native bush for most of the circuit.
This circuit is not stroller friendly.
The Mount is one of our most favourite spots in the country.
2. Marshall's Animal Park - Petting Farm
On most of our visits to Tauranga, we visit this great petting farm, right next door to Mclaren Falls, ten minutes out of the city.
Spread over 35 acres, buy a bag of food, follow the loop trail and visit horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, emus, ostrich, pigs, goats, alpaca, donkeys, deer and many more animals, on your way around.
There’s a real good flying fox, a kids’ playground, pony rides and heaps of space for the kids to run around, and plenty of picnic tables too. Well worth and good 2-3 hours.
Cost $15 adults / kids $9.50 (2026) – food bags extra at $2.
3. Mclaren Falls
This beautiful cascade of water over boulders is located about ten minutes out of the city. A great spot on a hot Summer’s Day to cool down. Bring a towel for the rocks and your togs to jump into the refreshing mountain water.
Further Afield
If you’re still itching for more places to see, or you’ve had enough of the smell of Rotorua, there are a couple of other towns worth a mention in the area.
Waihi Beach
About an hour north of Tauranga, Waihi Beach is one of the safest swimming beaches on the East Coast, an easy, low-key add-on if you’ve got extra time. There are playgrounds at Brighton Recreation Reserve and Island View Reserve, a flat 4km trail out to Bowentown that’s manageable from around age 5 (walkable or cycled), and rock pools at Bowentown, Shelly Bay and Cave Bay good for paddling and exploring. For something different, Diamond Sands runs pony rides along the sand just south of the main beach.
Whakatane and Ohope Beach
Whakatane and neighbouring Ohope Beach make a good coastal detour east of Rotorua. Ohope Beach stretches for 11km with lifeguards on patrol over summer, plenty of room for sandcastles and rock pool exploring. Julian’s Berry Farm has berry picking, mini golf and an animal park, and the Whakatane Aquatic Centre is a solid wet-weather backup with waterslides and a heated pool.
Tips for Rotorua and Tauranga with Kids
- Book Rotorua’s paid attractions online in advance, several offer family or combo pricing
- Pack togs (swimsuits) for both regions, hot pools in Rotorua and the beach at the Mount
- The sulphur smell fades fast, and isn’t as bad as I make out above, the kids stop noticing it within an hour or two
- A car is essential, public transport between attractions is limited
Is Rotorua and Tauranga Worth It for Families?
Absolutely. Few places in New Zealand pack in this much variety within an hour’s drive of each other, geothermal wonders and cultural experiences on one side, beaches and summit walks on the other.
The Mount is one of our most favourite spots in the country, and Rotorua’s mix of free and paid attractions means there’s something for every budget and every age of kid.
Useful Links
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rotorua good for families with young children?
Yes, plenty of free attractions like Kuirau Park and the Lakefront Playground work well for younger kids, and the Luge has options suitable from around age 4.
How many days do you need in Rotorua and Tauranga with kids?
Around 4-6 days total works well, 2-3 for Rotorua’s geothermal sights and adventure activities, 2 for Tauranga and the Mount’s beaches.
Is Rotorua expensive for families?
It can add up, several of the big attractions (Te Puia, the Gondola and Luge) charge separately. Balance them out with Rotorua’s genuinely excellent free spots, Kuirau Park and Kerosene Falls among them.
Do you need a car in Rotorua and Tauranga?
Yes. Both regions need a car to get between attractions, especially if combining the two.
Is Mount Maunganui good for kids?
Yes, the beach is long and easy, the Base Track around the mountain is manageable for most kids, and the summit walk is doable with some encouragement from around age 5.
Have you been to Rotorua or Tauranga with kids? Drop a comment below.
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