Local Attractions

Kerry's Recommendations...
 

Funky Cafes & Pubs

• Capers Epicurean - awesome dessert/sweet treet cabinet

• Ciabatta Cafe & Bakery - yummy breakfast / lunch food and coffee

• Secret Spot Hot Tubs & Cafe/Pub - you must go here - great setting and service

• Fainting Goat - group dining favourite with fantastic platters and drinks selection

• Brew Bar - boutique Croucher ales and great food in 'Eat Streat'

• White Tiger - Asian fusion shared platters are their speciality 

• Urban Gusto - lovely Italian food in 'Eat Streat'

• Pig & Whistle - former Police station - now a funky pub with great food, ales and music

• Zippy Central - funky cafe, great food and coffee

• Eastwood - lovely setting down Long Mile Road for pizza and coffee

• Abracadabra - funky middle eastern themed cafe with lovely food and coffee

• The Landing - great setting and best eggs bene in town at Lake Tarawera

​

​Best Asian Food

• Indian Star - the best Indian meals in town in 'Eat Streat"

• Saigon 60s - quaint Vietnamese cafe - delicious food

• Wild Rice - delicious Thai food - the best of many great Thai restaurants in town

​

Classier Dining

• Stratosphere - at the top of the gondola - best views and best buffet in town

• Pātaka Kai - rivalling Stratosphere for views / buffet quality is the restaurant at Te Puia

• Regent of Rotorua - a more formal, evening dining option

• Peppers on the Point - very classy - for special occassions

• Urbano - popular daytime cafe and more formal evening dining option

​

Activities

• Mountain Biking - have a go if you're not already hooked - great fun!

• Blue Lake Loop Walk (5km/75 mins) - lovely bush walk around Lake Tikitapu

• Trout Fishing

• Golf

• Motion Entertainment - for the kids or rainy days

• Basement Cinema & The Climbing Wall - boutique cinema and rock climbing facility

​

Tourist Attractions

• Secret Spot Hot Tubs & Cafe - you must go here - great setting and service

• Skyline Skyrides: Gondolas and Luge - the luge is a 'must do' in Rotorua

• Canopy Tours - NZ's best tourism experience two years running

• Redwoods Tree Walk - a great experience for all the family

• Waikite Valley Hot Pools - take a family picnic and stay till they empty the pools

• Zorb - loads of fun - go on - have a go

• Waimangu Volcanic Valley - great geothermal visitor attraction

• Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland - see the amazing champagne pool and Lady Knox geyser

• Te Puia - another great geothermal visitor attraction with the Pohutu geyser

• Mitai Maori Village - traditional Maori village offering a guided bush walk, cultural performances & a delicious ground-cooked meal (hangi)

• Te-Pa-Tu - great traditional Maori cultural experience, formerly Tamaki Maori Village

• Hell's Gate Thermal Park - have a theraputic soak in the mud

• Amaze Me - excellent family fun with lots of activities for the kids

• Glow Worm Kayaking or Paddleboarding Experience - evening tours on Lake Okareka

• Volcanic Air - the float plane can pick you up from The Willows

• Velocity Valley Adventure Park - lots of high adrenaline fun

• Polynesian Spa - World Top 10 spa - indulge yourselves ladies

• Wai Ariki Spa - Rotorua's newest world class spa experience

​

Explore

• Rotorua Lakefront - newly upgraded and with two fun playgrounds for the kids

• The Forest Loop Trail - a 'must do' for mountain bikers - the best trail loop in NZ

• Lake Tikitapu/Blue Lake - a local favourite swimming spot - check out the Airstream Cafe

• Lake Tarawera - lovely swimming, picnicing and boating lake with The Landing Cafe

• The Redwoods - walking and mountain biking trails galore

• Kuirau Park - lovely gardens and geothermal features and free

• Eat Streat - pedestianised cafe / restaurant precinct - loads of great dining options

• Kerosene Creek - popular natural hot water swimming near Rainbow Mountain - free

• Government Gardens - lovely gardens and geothermal features and free

​

YouTube Videos of Rotorua Attractions

• Rotorua's best kept secrets

• Top 10 free things to do in Rotorua

• 13 free or cheap things to do in Rotorua

• Skyline Skyrides - night luge

• Luge, mudpools and hangi 

• Redwoods treewalk and hot pools

• Rotorua Forest Loop - Great Mountainbike Ride

• 11 Top things to do in Rotorua

• Top 10 attractions in Rotorua

• 3 Epic things to do in Rotorua

• Lake Rotoiti hotpools by floatplane

• Treetop canopy walk and Polynesian Spa

• Velocity Valley

• Motion Entertainment

• Mitai Maori Village and Te Puia