Must-Do Experiences in New Zealand's South Island with Kids

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1. Ride one of the world’s longest flying foxes – Nelson

Treat the kids to a one-of-a-kind experience with a ride on the 300-metre-high, 1.6 km-long Skywire. Before you begin your ‘flight’, you’ll start with a 4 km ride in a four-wheel drive shuttle van, passing through pristine native forest. You’ll then be strapped securely into the ride which is a combination of a chair-lift and flying fox. Then it’s time to soar with around 1 km of gravity-assisted free-wheeling, reaching speeds of up to 100 kph! The last 600 m continues at a more leisurely pace - ideal for taking in the incredible scenery. Then you do it all again… backwards!

Skywire is part of the Cable Bay Adventure Park in Nelson. The park has loads of other great activities too including quad bike tours, paintball, a climbing wall, mountain biking, and archery.

Image: Tourism New Zealand - Fraser Clements

2. Tour a peanut butter factory – Nelson

Got a peanut butter fanatic in the family? Treat them to the ultimate experience with a tour of the Pic’s Peanut Butter Factory in Nelson. Learn all about Pic’s peanuts and watch as nuts tumble out of the roaster and into the grinder before being squeezed into jars. The kids can try their hand at making their own peanut butter, while the adults have a taste of Pic’s almond and cashew butters. Yum! Complete your visit with a trip to Pic’s dedicated Peanut Butter Store and a coffee from The PC Eatery.

3. Visit the Antarctic Centre – Christchurch

Spend the day in the company of little blue penguins, chilling out in a Storm Dome, and riding an all-terrain amphibious Antarctic vehicle. Sound like fun? Don’t worry, you won’t have to board a plane to the Antarctic. You can do it all at the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch. There’s lots more family fun on offer too including a 4D theatre, behind-the-scenes tours, Lego creations, and more.

4. Explore Christchurch Botanic Gardens

It can be tricky to find an activity that the parents love as much as the kids. But a visit to the Christchurch Botanic Gardens definitely ticks the boxes for all ages. Visit in spring to enjoy the colourful blossoms or autumn to go leaf-crunching. Plan for a picnic in summer and let the kids cool off in the paddling pool. The playground is popular year-round with swings, slides, and climbing towers. In winter, enjoy strolling the grounds in the fresh crisp air with a hot drink or see what’s growing in one of the conservatories. Budding scientists may also like to check out the Magnetic Observatory exhibition. The observatory was famously used by both Captain Robert Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic teams to make magnetic surveys in preparation for their expeditions.

5. Climb gigantic rocks – Castle Hill

About 90 minutes’ drive west of Christchurch is one of the South Island’s most special conservation areas. It’s also a great spot for a family walk and to climb some impressively big rocks. The landscape of Kura Tāwhiti / Castle Hill is dotted with hundreds of spectacular ancient rocks and boulders – some up to 30 metres high. A walking track loops around the rocks providing an easy 20-minute walk and plenty of fantastic photo ops.

6. Visit Orana Wildlife Park – Christchurch

Whatever age or stage your kids are at, you can’t go wrong with a visit to a wildlife park. One of the best in New Zealand is the Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch. This 80-hectare park is home to over 1000 animals and 90 species, including New Zealand’s only gorillas. For an unforgettable experience, book into a Lion Encounter. You’ll hop on board an enclosed vehicle with a keeper who will feed the big cats. They often climb onto the roof of the vehicle cage so you can get up close with these majestic animals. Be at the park at 3 pm for the daily rhino encounter or to hand-feed the giraffes.

Image: Tourism New Zealand - Miles Holden

7. Feed alpacas in Akaroa

For a healthy serving of cute cuddles, head along to Shamarra Alpacas in Akaroa. Alpacas are unique and gentle animals with loads of love to give. And the perfect opportunity to meet the friendliest of the bunch is a Shamarra farm tour. The kids will love learning about the loveable alpaca as they interact and feed these friendly cuties. At the end of the tour, everyone can enjoy a drink and some home-baked cookies. And for a memento of your visit, browse the shop’s boutique collection of luxurious, natural and 100% dye-free alpaca knitwear made in New Zealand.

8. Explore a castle – Dunedin

New Zealand isn’t well known for its castles. In fact, there is only one in the whole country. Dunedin’s Larnach Castle was built in 1871 by William Larnach, a politician and merchant baron, for his wife Eliza. It took more than 200 workmen three years to build the castle shell. Master European craftsmen spent a further 12 years embellishing the interior. Today, the impressive castle and its beautiful surrounding gardens (rated as a Garden of International Significance) are open every day of the year for visitors to explore and enjoy.

Image: Tourism New Zealand

9. Tackle the world’s steepest street – Dunedin

Yep, you heard right. New Zealand is home to the steepest street in the world! Baldwin Street in Dunedin has a gradient of 34.8% which earns the Guinness World Record title. It’s a challenging climb, but one that’s worth the effort just to say you’ve done it! There’s a seat halfway for a breather along with a couple of scenic rest stops. Just don’t let the kids bring their roller skates.

10. Make your way through a maze – Wanaka

If your campervan road trip takes you to beautiful Wanaka, we’ve got a great attraction to add to your itinerary. Puzzling World is packed with fun things to do. As you might have guessed from the name, this world of weirdness is all about puzzles, games, illusions, and mazes. Try out the five mind-boggling Illusion Rooms where you can watch water flow uphill, see yourself shrink, and puzzle over impossible art. While you’re there, be sure to check out the illusionary loos!

11. Ride the luge – Queenstown

Treat the family to an unforgettable day of activity and adventure at Skyline Queenstown. Take in the jaw-dropping views of Coronet Peak and The Remarkables as you climb 480 metres above Queenstown in the steepest cable car lift in the Southern Hemisphere. At the top, take a thrilling ride on the luge, enjoy a buffet lunch at Stratosfare Restaurant, or take a guided walk. For a truly memorable experience, book into a stargazing tour. Your tour guide will lead you up Bob’s Peak to a specially constructed platform high above the Skyline complex. Explore the Milky Way, spot shooting stars, and look at the sky through a Celestron telescope. Afterwards, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate or mulled wine.

12. Pan for gold in Arrowtown

The historic village of Arrowtown was once a gold-mining mecca. Miners from all over the world flocked to the township during the gold boom of the late 1800s. In 1983, around 340 kg of the yellow treasure was hauled out of the Arrow River (that’s around 18 million dollars worth at today’s prices!). Today, you can still try your luck with a gold panning experience – and take home whatever you find. This fun activity is a winner for kids and parents too – see who can find treasure (and who will shout lunch!).

13. Explore a heritage park – Greymouth

Located on the West Coast in Greymouth, Shantytown is one of New Zealand’s premier cultural and heritage attractions. Tucked into regenerative native rainforest, this faithfully restored pioneer town gives a real sense of what it was like to live in New Zealand in the early 1900s. There are lots of fun activities to choose from including riding a heritage train, getting an old-time photo, and buying old-fashioned lollies from the sweet store. But the main event is exploring Shantytown village. The village includes an original church built in 1866 with a fascinating history. Check out the old post office, jewellers, photographer’s shop, hospital, jail, and more.

14. Visit Pancake Rocks and the blowholes – West Coast

Pancakes anyone? You might feel in the mood for some after visiting the West Coast’s Punakaiki Pancake Rocks. Looking like giant stacks of pancakes, these intriguing limestone formations are around 30 million years old. Each ‘pancake’ is created by a layer of limestone made up of tiny shell fragments and separated from the next pancake by a thin layer of siltstone. The Pancake Rocks are easily accessible along a 1.1 km loop track. You’ll also be able to watch spectacular blowholes as shooting geysers of sea spray burst into the air. They are at their best around high tide.