Every year we head to Rotorua for a week. 
Rotorua is in the North Island of NZ and about 3.5hrs from Auckland.
It’s a geothermal wonderland with a raft of attractions from adrenaline based activities to relaxing lake cruises and thermal spas.
It’s also well known as a mountain biking destination and a Maori cultural centre and is home of the Rotorua Marathon.
*Map courtesy of ‘worldmap’.
There’s so much to do in Rotorua but only doing paid activities can get pricey. Many of my favourite memories are from the cheap or free places so I thought I’d share some of them.
My Top 10 FREE Activities To Do In Rotorua
Lakefront Rotorua
Located along Lakefront Drive, this reserve area includes about 8 hectares of land and is a lovely area to pass time in.
On the water’s edge, you’ll find pedestrian walkways, ducks, black swans and geese.
Park benches provide good viewing spots to watch lakeside activities like the float planes coming and going or Lakeland Queen cruises.
The Volcanic Playground on the lakefront provides plenty of play for kids and there are often food or coffee carts nearby.
Sulphur Point Walk
There’s an enjoyable bush/ boardwalk that meanders east along the lake’s edge towards Sulphur Point and then on to Government Gardens and beyond.
There are some great boiling mud and steam vents along the way as well as birdlife in abundance. Information boards mark the way and add interest to the walk.
*Download your own Trail PDF here.
Government Gardens
The Klamath Falls Rose Gardens, Te Runanga Tearooms and Band Rotunda are all located in the beautiful Government Gardens.
Also included are facilities for bowls, croquet, petanque and golf. It is also home to the famous Rotorua Museum and the restored Blue Baths.
The Gardens are beautifully kept and Rotorua District Council operates a nursery that supplies flowers, shrubs, and trees for several public gardens and reserves around the district making it a scenic place to explore.
A great green space to walk, scoot or ride through.
Whakarewarewa Redwoods Forest
The Redwoods / Whakarewarewa Forest provides over 5600 hectares of forest to explore at your leisure.
If you love the outdoors and want to experience nature at its best this area is for you.
Around 130 km of scenic, well-established biking trails cater for all abilities from beginners to extreme track riders.
There is a visitor centre and shop plus toilets on Long Mile Rd and multiple paths to follow throughout the forest with several mapped tracks.
There is also now a Redwoods Treewalk open from 9:00 am – 10:00 pm (last ticket + entry at 9:30 pm).
It’s a half kilometre long walkway that consists of 553 m of suspension bridge traversing the gaps between 100-year old Redwood trees.
Intricate wooden lanterns hang in the trees, lighting the way from dusk onwards when the Redwoods Nightlights are turned on.
Rotorua Library
The amazing new Rotorua Library is a great place to hang out. There are multiple user spaces such as a magical sensory room for kids, a tiered seating area with cushions for relaxed reading, free wifi, tables to work at, a huge display screen, research rooms and maker spaces for community activities.
We visited several times during our stay. It was a warm, welcoming, indoor place with modern decor and facilities that made staying longer easy.
The playground just outside with in-ground trampolines was a hit too.
Ngongataha Scenic Bush Reserve
The Loop Track is a short, easy walk that showcases the beautiful flora and fauna of Mount Ngongotaha. The first part of the walk follows an easy grade through native bush, which features a large rata tree with a viewing platform.
Past this is a sign-posted intersection where the Nature Loop Track begins.
The Nature Loop Track is a circular loop with gentle grades and even surfaces. After 1.3 km it crosses the Jubilee Track.
The Loop track continues on, looping back onto the Jubilee Track after a further 1.2 km. Head downhill to reach the car park at the Violet Bonnington Reserve.
It is approx. a 15 min drive from Rotorua. Take comfortable shoes, warm clothing, a good raincoat, first aid kit, food and drink, a hat and sunscreen.
It is also advisable to leave your tramping intentions with a responsible person, in case you get lost.
Night Market
The Rotorua Night Market is a family-friendly event with boutique-style shopping, arts, crafts, food and produce.
There’s a wide range of food to savour while being entertained by talented local musicians.
The Night Market is on every Thursday evening from 5 pm – 9 pm (weather permitting) in Tutanekai Street in central Rotorua.
Warm clothing and cash recommended. Free parking after 5 pm in nearby streets.
Follow the Rotorua Night Market on Facebook for regular updates on each weekly event.
Aquatic Centre
A great, heated indoor facility with a large play pool, laned pools and spa pool. Perfect way to get indoors, stay warm and occupy everyone on rainy days.
Standard entry starts at $1 for kids and $5.50 for adults but I’d recommend the $8 adult entry as that gives you pool and adult spa access for the duration of your visit.
The centre is located in Kuirau Park, 18 Tarewa Rd, Rotorua. Link to Rotorua Aquatic Centre website here.
Opening hours: Mon – Sun from 9 am – 6 pm. Phone: 07 348 8833.
Public holidays as notified. Closed Christmas Day & Good Friday.
Kuirau Park
This is an amazing and totally free, public geothermal wonderland with established gardens, pathways, lakes, hot springs, picnic & BBQ areas, and mud pools.
This is a great place to sight-see, scoot, ride bikes, walk or soak your feet in the undercover Kuirau Park Footbath – a totally free geothermal paddling pool.
In the winter it’s often shrouded in fog in the mornings, limiting visibility.
Find this park just off Pukuatua and Ranolf streets in the heart of the Rotorua.
As they’re next to each other, combine this with an Aquatic Centre visit for a fun-filled day out.
Town Centre
Some online resources we’ve found useful in looking for what we most want to see or do while there are:
http://www.rotoruanz.com/ lists a range of categories of interest to visitors such as travel, living there and business needs.
As we were going on holiday, I clicked on the visiting tab which included things to do, dining and retail, accommodation, a what’s on guide and an Instagram trail you can follow around key places in Rotorua.
100% Pure NZ includes a list of major NZ destinations, 3 -15+ day-long travel itineraries plus a range of transport choices for travel around NZ.
Use bookme.com to check for deals on entrance prices. I’ve used this, especially for The Luge, Rainbow Springs and the Maori Cultural Village experiences. The site also gives you deal maps so you can see where the restaurants or places of interest are in relation to where you are.
For more on Maori Cultural Experiences, check out these links to the main local ones: Mitai Maori Village, Whakarewarewa, Te Puia, and Tamaki Maori Village.
Ask questions, get answers and share your tips in the comment box below.
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Thanks!
Meagan
