Take the family to Christchurch for a fun-filled holiday.
Christchurch is one of those destinations with endless opportunities for learning and inspiration, wrapped up in a whole lot of fun, writes Alexia Santamaria
As children get older, the attraction of various destinations morph and evolve. When they are young, it feels like anywhere in New Zealand with a playground and icecream is a joyous new adventure, but as they grow, it can take a little more to impress.
Now that we have teenagers, we find ourselves looking for different things on holiday - places where our boys can have fun but also widen their intellectual horizons, far from the mindless clutches of Xboxes and PlayStations.
Here are some of the activities we road-tested on a recent trip — perfect to mix and match depending on your kids’ interests and ages.
READ MORE: I went to Christchurch for the first time in 20 years. Should I have bothered?
A walking tour might not sound like something your kids would get wildly excited about, but one that kicks off with pizza and includes a stop for Christchurch’s best gelato may change their minds. Proud Cantabrians Riwai and Cate Grace are the brains, heart and soul behind Amiki Tours and run it with their nieces, Lou and Ash.
The tours highlight both Christchurch’s European and Māori heritage, and all the guides are great with kids and adults of any age, reading expertly what the group are interested in and tailoring the experience as they go. Riwai and Ash gave our group such a unique view of the city, even though we’ve visited multiple times before - the poems on the riverbank (in English and te reo Māori) - we would never have noticed; the history of Market Square as a trading place for Māori (the surrounding river was a mahinga kai - food gathering area - of significance); the tree grown from seeds brought back from Gallipoli and plenty of interesting snippets of specific interest to our boys.
The tour incorporates living te ao Māori as well as historical information. Things like karakia before connecting over food and personal stories of growing up Māori in Aotearoa. It was an incredibly interactive way for our family to learn about a side of Ōtautahi we never knew about.
We finished up at the spectacular, five-storey, seriously impressive city library, Tūranga, which is a must-visit for any family. Much more than books, there’s a cafe, Lego for little ones and so many interactive digital and analogue activities for all ages.
Amiki Tours also runs food-based tours if that’s more your family’s vibe — exploring both well-known hospitality spaces and hidden gems.
Quake City is an amazing space dedicated to understanding the events of February 2011 in a unique and interactive way. It somehow conveys the sadness and pain of that fateful day, but in a way that leaves you with hope, rather than feeling depressed.
See such features as the spire of Christchurch Cathedral, which has been preserved immaculately - and partake in fun activities like rebuilding Christchurch your style in Lego bricks, or powering a film by pedalling a stationary bike. It’s a great way for kids and adults to understand the truly tragic event that shaped so much of Ōtautahi as it is today.
It’s hardly new but somehow our family had never been to the International Antarctic Centre before and we all learned so much about the issues that face our planet, in a way we could all understand. Add this to a wild ride in a Hägglund, watching adorable tiny penguins waddle, dive and snack, a fascinating 4D movie (that may be the closest we all get to a trip to Antarctica) plus playing with gorgeous placid huskies, and feeling what it might like to be in a real snow storm — we were very grateful for the warm jackets provided for that one.
Getting kids’ perspectives on art is always a great way to enrich their creative souls, but if galleries aren’t their jam, why not go on a self-guided tour of Christchurch’s street art using the Watch this Space interactive map. Ōtautahi is filled with incredible outdoor murals and it’s a great way to orientate yourself and start some thought-provoking dialogue with your whānau.
Christchurch is going from strength to strength on the hospitality front and this visit meant even more new places for us to explore. Don’t miss a pint in gorgeous new pub The Church — the kids will love the pizzas and snacks but the space itself is what will blow your mind (the restoration of the earthquake-damaged Trinity Church has been spectacular).
Make sure you check out Bar Franco for fun vibrant, modern Italian fare perfect for family sharing (if you’ve been to Bar Miro or Eliza’s Manor you’ll already know what to expect from these hospitality legends).
Definitely hit up Central Deli Sandwiches in gorgeous New Regent St — with all its Spanish Mission architecture; the sammies are truly exceptional and if you have little ones they’ll love watching the trams go by from street level or even above.
The Welder has long been a favourite for Christchurch favourites like Bar Yoku and Salut Salut but it has recently had two new additions — Kokomo where both you and the kids will delight in interesting offerings like paua doughnuts, pork katsu, eggplant nduja and whipped tofu and udon noodle carbonara, and Bareno, which is the antithesis of all the current hospitality trends, keeping it real with premixed cocktails on tap, non-craft beer and snacks like Kiwi onion dip, pizza, nachos and potato skins.
Also on the pub front, there’s recently opened Victoria Free House for modern English pub vibes, and of course Riverside Market, which, while not new, is perfect for families with its multiple options from all over the world (don’t miss the coffee in the lane — triple shot as standard)
There are endless other options for family fun in Christchurch. If you haven’t been recently definitely check out:
For more things to see and do in Christchurch, visit christchurchnz.com
The chef chats to Herald Travel about unforgettable foodie experiences in Aotearoa.