Things to do in Whangarei with kids

Whangarei is an easy city for a few days with kids. Most of the good stuff is close together, plenty of it is free, and you're rarely more than a short drive from a beach, a waterfall or a patch of bush. Here's where we send families who are staying with us.

See a kiwi at Kiwi North

Out at Maunu, ten minutes west of town, Kiwi North has a nocturnal house where the kids can watch real kiwi snuffling around in the dark, plus the regional museum and a heritage village of old Northland buildings. On some Sundays the live steam train runs. It's the kind of place that fills a whole morning.

Glowworms and waterfalls

Whangarei Falls is the easy win: a 26-metre waterfall with a viewing platform at the top and a short loop track to the bottom. Older kids tend to love Abbey Caves, where you can walk into limestone caves with a torch and look up at glowworms on the roof. Take shoes that can get wet and keep little ones close, because there's a stream and uneven ground. Both are free.

For a gentler bush walk, the canopy walkway through the kauri at AH Reed Memorial Park gets you up into the treetops without much effort. There are more ideas on our walks page.

A rainy-day plan

When the weather turns, the Whangarei Quarry Gardens still work under a brolly, and they're entry by donation. The Town Basin has Claphams National Clock Museum, the playground, and cafes if you need to bribe anyone with a hot chocolate. The attractions page has the full list.

Beaches without the long drive

Head out to Whangarei Heads and you've got calm harbour beaches for small kids and Ocean Beach for a proper surf and sandcastle day, all about half an hour from town. Pack lunch and make an afternoon of it.

Staying with us

A family of four or five fits comfortably in one of our family rooms, and there's a playground, a BBQ area and plenty of grass to run off the day's energy. If you've got a bigger crew or a couple of families travelling together, our group rates are worth a look. Have a look at the accommodation and book direct when you're ready.