Mountain-biking in Rotorua's redwoods forests. Photo / Destination Rotorua
Mountain-biking in Rotorua's redwoods forests. Photo / Destination Rotorua
Winston Aldworth test drives a Kiwi holiday classic with a family break in Rotorua.
Mountain Bike Rotorua
What is it: Bikes in a forest, the Rotorua classic.
The experience: An almost compulsory part of any family trip to Rotorua, whether you're a nervous novice or wrapping your midlife-crisis in Lycra.You can go hard here, or just cruise serenely through beautiful forest.
Novelty factor: You can mountainbike like this all over the place, but the tracks in Whakarewarewa Forest and the bike-ish atmosphere make this special.
Where: Waipa State Mill Rd, Whakarewarewa
Contact: mtbrotorua.co.nz
Ogo
OGO Rotorua, where there's room inside for three adults and quite a lot of screaming. Photo / Destination Rotorua
What is it: A plastic bubble rolling down a hill. With you in it.
The experience: Predictably, the hill that didn't look all that steep when you were standing at the bottom of it, takes on the demeanour of a Himalayan beast once you're tucked inside a giant plastic bubble teetering and on the point of tumbling down.
Ogo balls are big. There's room for three adults and quite a lot of screaming inside one of them.
The best I can equate it to is something like a waterslide, except with a free-range vibe.
The good news is, you don't go upside down inside an Ogo ball — or at least you shouldn't. Instead, Ogoers slosh merrily (or otherwise) from side to side. Through the hazy plastic you can kind of see where. There are four tracks — we raced on all of them, with a warming spa-pool dip in between each.
Novelty factor: Like jumping off a bridge with elastic tied to your shins, this is one of those weird Kiwi-tourism classics. Get in there.
Where: 525 Ngongotahā Rd, Fairy Springs
Contact: zorb.com
Redwoods Nightlights
Rotorua's Redwoods Treewalk offers a magical experience, especially at night. Photo / Destination Rotorua
What is it: Trees — really big ones. And you're right up high in them wandering around at night.
The experience: It all sounds pretty basic: Trees (seen 'em before); Night-time (seen that, too) — but the experience of walking a beautifully created path through the treetops, surrounded by David Trubridge's 30 magic lanterns is truly something else. The 700m long pathway with 28 suspension bridges connecting 27 tree-bound platforms is a gently psychedelic trip.
Novelty factor: Never seen anything like it before.
Where: 1 Long Mile Rd, Whakarewarewa
Contact: treewalk.co.nz
3D Trick Art Gallery
What is it: A chance to goof around.
The experience: There's this weird distorted image on the wall, maybe even spreading over the roof and floor. Get someone in your group to stand near the image and take their photo from a designated point and it looks — kind of — like they're part of the image. It's as utterly ridiculous as it sounds, so naturally the kids loved every moment of it.
Novelty factor: A rainy-day classic to mess with the kids' minds and make the parents roll their eyes.
Where: 171 Fairy Springs Road
Contact: 3dtrickart.co.nz
Polynesian Spa
What is it: My idea of bliss.
The experience: You're soaking in it. There's a family pool, which is all well and good, but the real gem here is the lakeside adults-only area where those in the know go for a spot of te horoi. You can book a private spa, but the communal area has enough nooks, crannies and landscaped cul-de-sacs for guests to find their own niche — and, unlike a private spa, you can move between pools seeking the Goldilocks temperature. And these are kid-free pools.
Novelty factor: Hot springs in New Zealand are too often a let-down — the gulf between nature's bubbling bounty and the consumer experience is vast and visitors are left underwhelmed by dated concrete changing blocks and peeling paint. I often think how much better these things are done in Asia or the Alps. But not this time: The adults-only area of the Polynesian Spa is superb.
Where: 1000 Hinemoa Street — down by the lake, near the mad Tudor building.
Contact: polynesianspa.co.nz (shoutout to whoever it was that used bilingual tags on this website)
Rotorua Luge
What is it: Seemingly some sort of miracle that more people don't get hurt.
The experience: Pull the steering bar toward you to go faster, push it forward to slow down. Or don't push it forward at all. Hammer the thing ... c'mon, you're in Rotorua.
Novelty factor: A total hoot for speed-demon kids and something-to-prove dads alike. Not to be missed.
Where: Skyline Rotorua, 178 Fairy Springs Rd
Contact: skyline.co.nz
Staying there
Check into Aura Accommodation. They have cosy rooms, a heated outdoor swimming pool, mineral pools for recharging, bikes you can borrow and superb composting. aurarotorua.co.nz
