UPDATED FEB 2020. Welcome to my first New Zealand blog post. I’ve visited a few times for family trips but this is my first time writing about it. Today we are taking a visit to Rotorua. During our North Island road trip, my dad and I did local things at the other stops on the trip and hit the touristy things here. Today I’m sharing my guide on how to spend a weekend in Rotorua with a mix of activities that made my stay a super fun one. There is a lot on offer but I hope this can get you started on planning your stay.
How To Spend A Weekend In Rotorua On Your New Zealand Road Trip
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What to expect at Rotorua
Rotorua is very touristy so it’s a good place to do some of the touristy activities and souvenir shopping.
It’s a thermal wonderland known for geysers, boiling mud and thermal pools.
It also has a distinct thermal smell that you will smell before you see anything as you drive in.
Where to stay
I stayed at the Silver Fern and would certainly stay there again.
The staff there were so welcoming, helpful, and gave great recommendations for things to do during the stay.
The Silver Fern was a good base for visiting Rotorua because it was close to the city but just outside the main strip so it was a little quieter.
The room was comfortable and came with all the basics as well as a spa bath. You’ll find many hotels in Rotorua offer this and it’s a pretty cool bonus.
Things to do
1. Polynesian Spa
It’s no surprise that I loved the Polynesian Spa since I love being in the water.
At the Polynesian Spa, you can completely relax as you go pool-hopping to soak in the different mineral pools.
The pools vary in temperature and have minerals from two different springs so you should be able to find one that suits you.
They also have private pools you can rent for half an hour and I booked this through the Ultimate Double Dipper package.
This is a two-person package for about $50USD per person and was worth every cent in my opinion, but again, I’m a water lover.
If you want to save a little money and aren’t interested in the private pool, you can get a regular pass to the pools for about $20USD and also bring your own towel to save renting one.
Travel tip: Allow about 2 hours here and it’s busier in the evenings so if you want to avoid the crowds, try to go in the morning.
For more information, visit the Polynesian Spa website.
2. Mitai Maori Village
If you would like to experience Maori culture, check out dinner and show at the Mitai Maori Village.
Over the course of three hours you get to eat a Hangi feast, watch a cultural show, go for a bushwalk in the dark to see the sacred spring and glowworms, and learn about the Maori culture from dancing, skill-building, weaponry, and you also get to see a Haka.
At about $77USD per adult, it’s a little on the pricier side but it’s a jam-packed night which makes for good value for money in my opinion.
Travel tip: If you stay at The Silver Fern, they will be able to help you book it and arrange a pick-up and drop off.
Also, when you do the bushwalk make sure you turn your flashlight off as you get to the glowworm section because you will only be able to see them if it is dark.
For more information, visit the Mitai Maori Village website.
3. Te Puia
This was probably my second favorite activity next to the Polynesian Spa.
At Te Puia you can walk the landscape of the geothermal valley to see boiling mud pits bubbling on the ground, geysers erupt high into the air, and boiling cooking pools.
You can also see traditional housing and, my favorite, a Kiwi enclosure. I was pretty excited to see a Kiwi for the first time!
There’s a lot to see here and it’s only about 35USD for the day pass.
You could have a similar experience at Wai-O-Tapu or Hell’s Gate so check them out to find which is most suited to you.
Travel tip: They have free guided tours that run every hour. If you would prefer a guide you can join them. Alternatively, you can walk the grounds on your own by following the signs.
For more information, visit the Te Puia website.
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4. Redwoods Treewalk
This is another activity that gets you out into nature, but this time you get to walk high up in the trees on a series of suspension bridges.
You get to learn about huge Redwood trees, the environment in the area and the construction of the bridges.
It’s all pretty interesting and it’s just fun to be there walking on the bridges. Tickets are about $20USD for the day pass.
After walking through the treetops, I hiked around in the Whakarewarewa forest on the ground level.
It was such a serene and beautiful area. The trails are clearly marked and there are signs posted to help guide you. It’s easy to find your way around amongst the gorgeous nature.
Travel tip: I don’t think it’s worth doing the Treewalk in the day and night.
I think it’d be worth putting that extra money and time towards doing a different activity.
Otherwise, you’re doing the same thing at a different time of day. I recommend just picking one time, either day or night, and doing that.
For more information, visit the Redwoods Treewalk website.
5. Skyline Rotorua
This is the only one I didn’t get time to do. People I met who had done it raved about it so I think it’s worth mentioning on this list.
You can the gondola up to the top then luge down the hill on different tracks.
They have scenic, intermediate, and advanced so there is one for everyone. If you’ve ever watched Cool Runnings and wanted to give it a go, maybe this is as close as you can get. It looks like a lot of fun too.
Here is the Skyline Rotorua website for more info on the luge and other activities they have on offer.
6. Shopping in the mall
If you need to pick up some souvenirs, walking around the mall is a nice place to go.
There are a lot of shops to choose from there.
I got some of my souvenirs from the gift store at Te Puia and some from the shops in the mall.
7. Walk the waterfront
The waterfront is another nice place for a stroll and some bird watching.
There are a lot of beautiful black swans that chill out on the water here.
Especially if the weather was hot it’d be a nice place to walk around with ice cream. They also had seaplane and jet boat tours running from here that looked quite popular.
Where to eat
Here are a couple of food spots I enjoyed while I was there.
Breakfast and brunch
I loved Scope Rotorua so much that I went there twice for breakfast because they had a casual atmosphere, free WiFi, nice staff, and served up delicious bacon and eggs which is my go-to cafe breakfast meal.
The creamed mushrooms were also delish!
The Robert Harris cafe was another one that I really liked and would recommend.
Dinner
For dinner, head down to Eat Streat which is a street that’s closed off to cars and you can walk along to choose from one of the restaurants that line it.
There’s a lot of places to choose from and just about every cuisine on offer.
Mac’s Steakhouse was an awesome spot that I stopped at for a great steak dinner.
Another place I loved for dinner was the Pig and Whistle which was nearby to Eat Streat just down the road a little. I got an amazing steak and ale pie while I sat by the cozy fire.
This was probably my favorite meal aside from the Hangi at the Maori village.
Other guides to help you plan your trip to New Zealand
How To Spend A Weekend In Whangarei On Your New Zealand Road Trip
How To Spend A Weekend In Gisborne On Your New Zealand Road Trip
Travel Diary Ideas – 21 Thoughtful Prompts For Your Travel Journal
I hope this guide on how to spend a weekend in Rotorua can help you plan your own visit.
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Very cool! I’m bookmarking this article for later. I just bought my flight to New Zealand today, and although I’m only going to the South Island, for now, I look forward to reading your posts about New Zealand.
So awesome! Have fun in NZ when you go!