All about New Zealand travel for families with kids
New Zealand is the home we chose, it’s where we base ourselves when we’re not traveling, and it’s one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
A pin made for you!
It’s super safe, it’s easy going, it’s incredible. It’s also Middle Earth (if you have no idea what that means, I think you need to read Tolkien – or maybe watch some movies, like The Hobbit, and The Lord of The Rings).
The country is small and perfect for a road trip. Have you ever thought about renting a camper and driving for weeks? Well, this is the perfect place for it!
I think its only flaw is the price tag. Everything is expensive, and the flight prices are ridiculous in and out.
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There are the 2 main islands: North Island (with Auckland and Wellington) and the South Island (with Queenstown and Christchurch). There’s a ferry between them – around 4 hours of seasickness, but the view of the sounds is just unbelievable.
We have a lot about New Zealand because we live here and because we traveled a bit around. We did spend 5 months traveling around it before we took off!
So choose one topic and start planning your family trip to amazing New Zealand!
The kids when they’d just arrived in NZ – so tiny! They’re at the top of One Tree Hill volcano, with the views of Sky Tower.
Whole country
- New Zealand Trip Planning guide for families – with everything! Tips, prices, companies, and all else!
- Air NZ review for families – We went from Auckland to Tokyo with them! Great flight!
- Leaving NZ – About the time when we were leaving this place we call home
- Interislander x Bluebird – the inter-islands ferries – If you’re taking a car from one Island to the other, you’ll need it.
We visited Queenstown during winter. It was freezing cold, but it’s just so beautiful we couldn’t resist staying out!
Road Tripping
- Road Tripping around NZ with kids – We did it, for 5 months, and it was great!
North Island
- North Island of New Zealand with kids – Full of beautiful beaches, warmer weather (than the South Island, that is), and great food!
Auckland
- Auckland for families – It’s where we used to live, and it’s one of the best cities in the world!
- Best food in Auckland
- Kelly Tarlton Sea Life Aquarium – We visited it a few times while we lived there. It’s small but beautiful.
NZ has stunning and dramatic skies almost all year round. This is from Golden Bay, in the South Island.
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National Park
- Tongariro National Park Village for families – our first stop in our trip, we LOVED IT!
- Tongariro Alpine Crossing – without kids – a long, full day walk. Angelo did it alone, though.
- Otorohanga Kiwi House – a bird rehabilitation center, where we saw the kiwi from very close!
Mount Maunganui
- The Mount with kids – just one great and beautiful town in NZ!
in Hobbiton, Coral was trying to get inside a hobbit hole. I wanted to live there.
Rotorua:
- Rotorua with kids– it’s one big city, full of geothermal activity!
- Hobbiton for families – How not? Just a dream, seriously, a dream.
- Hobbiton Evening Dinner Tour with kids – Well, a prettier and most delicious dream…
- Te Puia: geysers, Maori Village, and more – an Amazing learning experience for us!
- The Buried Village of Te Wairoa – One great museum, combining indoor and outdoor activities!
Wellington:
- Wellington for families – The Capital, a must-visit-city for sure!
Tongariro National Park has 3 incredible volcanos, waterfalls, a chateau, and it’s a great place to take your kids to!
South Island
- South Island with kids – The South Island is just wonderful in all senses. There is no how not to fall in love
- Marlborough, Picton, and surrounding areas, with kids – This is the northern part of the South Island – beautiful and the first stop for everyone traveling by ferry
- The glaciers: Fox and Franz Josef – The glaciers in NZ are quite impressive. The only way to actually be on them is by heli, but all we did was walk to the closest spot we could. Still impressive.
- Milford Sounds with kids: it was a bad luck day, though – People say it’s one of the most beautiful sites in the world, but it really wasn’t when we were there. It was a bit sad. If you wish to see wild keas, well, that’s the place, though!
- Dunedin with kids – Dunedin is pretty cool, but it was one of the places we loved the least so far.
- Christchurch with kids – Well, Christchurch! The earthquake city is one awesome place to be! It’s one of our favorite places in NZ!
- Kaikoura with kids – When I hear Kaikoura, I hear fur seals, whales, dolphins, and albatrosses. Well, and sea and mountain. And the best fish & chips in NZ!
- Kaikoura’s Fur Seals – These cute things are all around Kaikoura and they’re not scared of humans! Perfect place to get as close as safely possible!
Sand dunes, sea lions, beaches: we saw it all in Sandfly Bay, in Dunedin, with the kids. What an amazing day! It must be a lot better during summer, though.
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- Whale Watch Kaikoura for families review – We had one great trip that day! We saw sperm whales that day – our first whale encounter! Amazing!
- Golden Bay for families – This is just beautiful, what a wonderful place! We love it!
- Queenstown, Kingston, Arrowtown, and Wanaka with kids – One of the prettiest places in NZ, but also highly touristic and with everything very overpriced. Lake Whakatipu surely deserves a visit, though!
- Wanaka for families – Gorgeous place, one of my favorite towns in NZ! MUST VISIT!
- Lake Tekapo for families – Well, we went during summer and it was blooming with lupin flowers!
- Invercargill for families – It’s the South of the South! Where the skies have stunning colors all day long!
From the kids
- Kaikoura, by Melissa – Melissa loved Kaikoura, and she wrote about it!
- Wellington, by Melissa and Joao – Melissa and Joao wrote about Wellington together. It’s one of their first posts!