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New Zealand’s towering mountains, icy glaciers, adrenalin activities, gorgeous beaches, modern cities and sweeping scenes straight out of Middle Earth tick all the travel boxes and send it straight to the top of many bucket lists.
Geared for both young and old, the country offers many family-friendly activities with a thrill factor – so don’t leave the kids at home if you’re looking for adventure! Jetboating is suitable for youngsters and the minimum age for zorbing – hurtling around in a giant transparent ball – is 6. Bungy operators usually require a minimum age of 10, though this might rise to 12 or 13 for the bigger jumps. Whitewater rafting is typically for 13 and over, though there are a few easier family-oriented trips. For something a little gentler, try ziplining, canyoning or river surfing, horse riding, hot air ballooning or paragliding and swimming with the acrobatic Hectors dolphins. New Zealand is also excellent for skiing, with slopes for the whole family around Queenstown, in the South Island. Other top family entertainment includes farm tours, kiwi parks, mazes, cinema, lake and fiord trips, Maori shows, thermal pools, glowworm caves and much more. All these adventures and many more are suitable for children, but most have minimum age, weight or height requirements. Family tickets are often available and usually cost about the same as two adults and one child.
Most cities also offer ‘playlands’ which are fantastic children-only entertainment for the little ones, with bouncy castles, adventure playgrounds and lots more, and you can generally leave your children at these establishments for a few hours if you’re looking for some adult time.
