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HuMum 
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 Topic: Where in NZ would you go with a 2yr old
Posted: 27 February 2011 at 12:23pm |
We had a holiday booked to christchurch later in the month, but for obvious reasons will be cancelling it, so we are looking for a replacement destination.
If you could go anywhere in NZ with your toddler for a holiday, where would you recommend and what can we do...except wellington since we call that home.....
Love to hear some ideas 
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millymollymandy
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Posted: 27 February 2011 at 12:36pm |
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Three places I would recommend:
Rotorua - heaps to do, rainbow springs, aquatic centre and polynesian pools. Can get expensive though.
Napier - marineland, great pools there too (our wee one loves swimming), nice climate etc.
New Plymouth - my home town. Heaps of free stuff, great parks, museum, beaches right in town, coastal walkway (hire a bike with a toddler seat), get a backpack and walk up the mountain (our girl loves doing this). There's some great campground with large family sized motel units close to town and right on the walkway.
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Raspberryjam
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Posted: 27 February 2011 at 1:22pm |
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I live in aucks now but spent 9 years in hawkes bay - awesome for kids!!
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pikelets
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Posted: 27 February 2011 at 3:12pm |
 millymollymandy wrote:
Three places I would recommend:
Rotorua - heaps to do, rainbow springs, aquatic centre and polynesian pools. Can get expensive though.
Napier - marineland, great pools there too (our wee one loves swimming), nice climate etc.
New Plymouth - my home town. Heaps of free stuff, great parks, museum, beaches right in town, coastal walkway (hire a bike with a toddler seat), get a backpack and walk up the mountain (our girl loves doing this). There's some great campground with large family sized motel units close to town and right on the walkway. |
Totally agree! We have family in New Plymouth and have the best holidays down there. Lots to do for kiddies!
We also love the coromandel (Whangamata and Whitianga) but guess that is long drive for you from Wellington.
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queenbean
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Posted: 27 February 2011 at 4:31pm |
millymollymandy wrote:
Napier - marineland, great pools there too (our wee one loves swimming), nice climate |
Hmmm, might find going to marineland difficult now as it's closed down :(
Lots of other things to do here though, National Aquarium, gannets, big cycleway, petting zoo, etc.
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kiwigal
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Posted: 27 February 2011 at 4:36pm |
millymollymandy wrote:
Three places I would recommend:
Rotorua - heaps to do, rainbow springs, aquatic centre and polynesian pools. Can get expensive though.
Napier - marineland, great pools there too (our wee one loves swimming), nice climate etc.
New Plymouth - my home town. Heaps of free stuff, great parks, museum, beaches right in town, coastal walkway (hire a bike with a toddler seat), get a backpack and walk up the mountain (our girl loves doing this). There's some great campground with large family sized motel units close to town and right on the walkway. |
Marinerland is closed they only have got the aquarium
I love Hawkes Bay Splash Planet, Aquarium and the weather is great down there. It is my hometown and looking at going back there since we have just sold our house.
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Whateversville
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Posted: 27 February 2011 at 4:36pm |
millymollymandy wrote:
New Plymouth - my home town. Heaps of free stuff, great parks, museum, beaches right in town, coastal walkway (hire a bike with a toddler seat), get a backpack and walk up the mountain (our girl loves doing this). There's some great campground with large family sized motel units close to town and right on the walkway. |
Another vote for New Plymouth 
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millymollymandy
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Posted: 27 February 2011 at 5:47pm |
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Durr...yep I meant the aquarium...love that place.
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jaz
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Posted: 27 February 2011 at 8:45pm |
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Taupo is quite good too, the playground there is great, there are some nice walks around Huka Falls, around the lake etc. There are pools, a petting zoo type of place, puzzle world and a good day trip is the Tongariro Trout centre where you can buy a bag of fish food for about $1 and feed the trout.
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Troods
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Posted: 27 February 2011 at 10:19pm |
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Yep Rotorua would be a really good place to go - so much to do there - especially with places like Rainbow Springs and Paradise Valley for the kids. There are heaps of parks, gardens and the lake too for free outings - the ducks and swans keep the kids entertained.
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kiwikid
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Posted: 28 February 2011 at 9:39am |
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My vote is for Rotorua and Taupo, it's an easy drive between the two and so much to do and see. We spent a few days there recently with my 2.5yr old and had the best time!!
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kiwikid
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Posted: 28 February 2011 at 9:58am |
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Oh and our favourite was Paradise Valley where you can pat a lion cub and hand feed ducklings, feed trout plus lots of other animals to see / feed and daily lion feeding, you get a day pass so can go away and come back again if necessary.
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My3Sons
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Posted: 28 February 2011 at 10:13am |
I miss Marineland!
Thats a hard one, so many places to choose from!! We usually head up to Taupo if we are going anywhere but I would love to take the boys up to Auckland at some point.
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MrsH
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Posted: 28 February 2011 at 10:55am |
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We went to Taupo recently and stayed at Debretts. The pool there was awesome and DS LOVED it!!!
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HuMum
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Posted: 28 February 2011 at 12:03pm |
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Thanks for all the suggestions!!!
Looks like we will try Rotorua this time.
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tictacjunkie
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Posted: 28 February 2011 at 12:17pm |
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I third/fourth New Plymouth for family holidays, it's got pretty much the same attractions zoo/park/aquatic centre wise as other centres but it's cheaper & being a not-so-touristy place is quieter, which is easier with a toddler. (Actually New Plymouth has 2 zoos, a free council-run one with meerkats, monkeys, farm animals etc, then Pouakai Zoo, short drive from the city, you have to pay to get in, but it's got tigers, monkeys, lemur, zebra etc.). =)
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pikelets
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Posted: 28 February 2011 at 8:23pm |
jaz wrote:
Taupo is quite good too, the playground there is great, there are some nice walks around Huka Falls, around the lake etc. There are pools, a petting zoo type of place, puzzle world and a good day trip is the Tongariro Trout centre where you can buy a bag of fish food for about $1 and feed the trout. |
I haven't heard of the puzzle world there and we are heading down for a long weekend in June. Is it like the puzzle world at wanaka?
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Where in NZ would you go with a 2yr old
