Kids grow up pretty fast and before you know it they don’t want to go on holiday with you. So make the most of every school holidays and enjoy a family getaway in one of these great resorts.
Copthorne Hotel & Resort Bay of Islands
Copthorne Hotel and Resort Bay of Islands is a true resort with a huge rock lined swimming pool your kids will love, as well as a huge hot tub, tennis courts and a great buffet breakfast. It’s really close to Waitangi Treaty Grounds, Waitangi Golf Club and Paihia. The perfect spot from which to explore the Bay of Islands. Don’t miss the hole in the rock cruise, or dolphin watching. It’s also close enough for a day trip to Cape Reinga. There’s plenty of accommodation in Paihia but nothing better for families than the Copthorne.
Taipa Beach Resort
Taipa Beach Resort is as close to Fifi as you can get without leaving New Zealand. It’s located at Taipa Beach in the middle of Doubtless Bay. Several of New Zealand’s best beaches are in easy reach, including the one right outside the door. While you are staying here make sure to do the hike to the Dukes Nose in Whangaroa, (You can take a boat if you don’t want to walk all of it). Visit Matai Bay at Kari Kari peninsula. And go sandboarding at the Te Paki sand dunes. Or relax at the resort and enjoy the swimming pool, hot tub, tennis courts and beach.
Carrington Estate – Tokerau Beach
Carrington Estate Is great for families. There’s a large really nice heated pool and a smaller hot pool. The Villas have three bedrooms and are great for a families with 3 kids. There’s private beach access 50 minutes walk from the resort or a 5 minute drive to matai Bay, which is one of New Zealand’s best beaches. There’s a great restaurant on site, and when you get sick of the kids they have one of New Zealand’s top 20 golf courses too. There’s also horse riding, and fishing nearby. As well as the Te Paki Sand dunes and Cape Reinga if you don’t mind a drive.
The Heads Hokianga
Hokianga Harbour is stunning, and The Heads Hokianga is where you want to stay. It’s a great resort, right on the beach with a beautiful pool and sensational views. It’s close to Waipoua Forest so make sure you take the kids to see Tane Mahuta (NZ’s Biggest tree) while you are there. Also great fun are fishing charters, and sandboarding at Opononi where you can skim down the dunes and out into the harbour, where your board skips across the water. Keep a look out for dolphin and orca which are frequent visitors to the harbour and book in to go Kiwi spotting in Waipoua Forest or Trounsan Kauri Park.
Grand Mercure Puka Park Resort – Pauanui
A heat swimming pool, tennis courts, a restaurant with great breakfast, and one of New Zealand’s most famous beaches. Puka Park in Pauanui has everything you need for a family holiday. There’s a great skate park, in Pauanui so bring the scooters. There’s also surf sun and sand. Climb the mountain if your looking for some extra exercise or check out the waterways.
Lake Taupo Holiday Resort
New Zealand’s best resort pool without a doubt. This has a thermal heated pool that’s safe to put your head under, there’s a big screen for movies and sport that you can watch from in the pool, a swim up bar, a cave with a 4m deep bit that’ll keep older kids entertained for hours. There’s also all manner of playgrounds and jumping pillows in the resort. Plus there’s everything the Taupo region has to offer from fishing, mountain biking, hiking and skiing. Taupo has enough to keep the kids entertained for a week.
Holiday Inn Rotorua
The perfect school holiday getaway in Rotorua. Holiday Inn Rotorua is right next to Whakarewarewa. You can actually see the geysers from window its so close. It’s close to the Redwoods mountain bike park, (You can easily ride there from the hotel). They have a great heated pool too. Kids love the buffet breakfast. Make sure you do the luge while you are in Rotorua, I’ve never seen or heard of a kid that doesn’t love it (or a Dad).