WellingtonNZ.com,
New Zealand 

If you haven’t made any school holiday plans yet, it’s time to get your skates on and head to Wellington.

The Wintergarden Ice-Skating Rink is just one of many special events on in the capital of cool these holidays. The 15m x 35m rink in the heart of the city promises to capture the magic of an outdoor skating experience with all the fun and atmosphere of New York's Rockefeller Centre or Central Park. Families can skate amongst the hustle and bustle of the midday lunch rush, witness the evening sun setting on the horizon, or skate under the glow of the city lights in the coolest little capital in the world. Fri 30 Sep to Sun 30 Oct

Spectacular sets, sumptuous costumes and breathtaking classical choreography bring one of the most traditional ballets and timeless fairytales to life at the end of the holidays. Three years in the making, a trip to The Meridian Season of The Sleeping Beauty will be the highlight of your little ballerina’s life. The Sleeping Beauty is the pinnacle of the classical ballet repertoire and this is the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s biggest production to date. Fri 28 Oct to Sun 5 Nov

This spring also sees a rare opportunity to come face-to-face with a living legend, with a visit to see Sirocco at ZEALANDIA: The Karori Sanctuary Experience. Sirocco is one of only 131 kākāpō left on the planet and DOC have flown him to Wellington for a special one-month assignment: to charm visitors and help raise awareness for conservation and the Kakapo Recovery Programme. Evening tours run for an hour, including an indoors introduction at the ZEALANDIA Visitor Centre and a short film, followed by a face to face visit with the strange and charismatic Sirocco. Thu 29 Sep to Mon 31 Oct

Capital E’s Give it a Try offers your future All Black or Black Fern the chance to score a game-winning try. Share the resulting film on youtube and take away your clip on USB stick for the family files. Until Sun 23 Oct. Capital E Theatre for Children also presents Songs of the Sea these holidays, a beautiful play featuring puppets by Sue Hill. Songs of the Sea weaves together stories of the deep; following a hit season in Australia, this enchanting production will delight you with its wondrous tales of the ocean told in English and te reo Maori. After you have enjoyed the performance, drop by the playground and make yourself a school of fishy friends – kids can create bright sock sea creatures, puffer fish or your colourful wind mobiles. Sat 8 to Sat 22 Oct

Then of course there’s all the popular and educational favourites – be sure to stop by Carter Observatory’s From There to Here: 1000 Years of Navigation showcase, Te Papa’s kids activities like Make it at Te Papa, the school holiday programme at Wellington Zoo and you can always take a free tour of Parliament.

HOTEL DEAL: School Holiday Madness with Rydges Wellington $149
Stay at Rydges Wellington during the School Holidays and get one night's accommodation in a superior room, two for one breakfast and a late check out of 1pm. At Rydges, children 12 years and under dine and stay for free using existing bedding. To add to the madness they are offering Free Kidz Club on site from 5.30pm - 8.30pm, subject to availability.
Valid 10th October – 24th October 2011. Subject to Availability. Book online at WellingtonNZ.com/accommodation.
 

:: For more details on the above activities and more visit our school holidays page.