Outdoor Activities
Select your part of our beautiful region to discover information about parks and family activities. You'll also find opportunities to cycle, walk and get in the water. Let's move.
Parks
Kawerau & Tarawera River
The Tarawera River, threading its way from its lake outlet, past Onepū to the coast, defines the beauty of Kawerau and Tarawera. The area boasts a wealth of opportunities to play outdoors with a stunning new vista always just around the corner. This is an area of three playgrounds, linked but distinct, and all thriving on the energy that drives this place from the heart of the Earth.
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Onepū Community Recreation Park (mountain biking)
Whakatāne & Ohiwa Harbour
Whakatāne and Ohiwa Harbour is a sparkling landscape of ocean and harbour, dense with sporting opportunity from foot to cycling and paddling, cradled by the headlands of Whakatāne to the west and Onekawa to the east.
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Ōpōtiki & Motu
The Ōpōtiki and Motu reserve is a diverse playground stretching from coast to hills, across dunes and down mountain valleys, and along turbulent rivers into a placid harbour. The options here are classic do-it-yourself with the wilderness on the doorstep and activities as intrepid as you want to make them, from a gentle ocean beach stroll to a rapid-strewn kayak plunge down the Waioeka River.
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Family Activities
Parks
Rotorua Eastern Lakes
Defined by a series of volcanic lakes, the area that forms the Rotorua Eastern Lakes is the home of adventure tourism in New Zealand's north island. The lakes and Whakarewarewa forest are a rich outdoor playground for mountain biking, walking, horse riding and water sports.
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Family Activities
Parks
TECT All Terrain Park
Active community groups are the go at TECT All Terrain Park, with the emphasis on adrenaline via activities from horse-riding to mountain biking and high-rope action. Dog friendly sections also make for great walks.
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Pāpāmoa Hills Regional Park
The Pāpāmoa Hills Regional Park is a compact set of parks and reserves showcasing a mix of open farmland, forestry and native forest with spectacular ocean views and picturesque waterfalls. Walking and trail running, mountain biking, geocaching and a refreshing plunge into a waterfall pool are all catered for.
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McLaren Falls & Lower Kaimai-Mamaku Conservation Park
The McLaren Falls and Lower Kaimai-Mamaku Conservation Park is a surprising mix of new and old, of the natural and the man-made, and of the tranquil and seriously wild. Surrounding this mix of natural and created waterways is a similarly mixed landscape with bush tramping in native forest in the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park contrasted by gentle walks amidst the superb collection of exotic trees within McLaren Falls Park.
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Lower Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park
Waihī Beach & Coastline
Waihī Beach and coastline is another recreational wonderland. On its inland side, this wonderland takes in coastal forest to the north around Orokawa Bay then arcs southward to enclose Black Hill near Waihi township and the Athenree wetland before reaching Bowentown on the edge of Tauranga Harbour.
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Family Activities
