Fun family activities that kids will love
Whether you're a family that likes to get outdoors or prefers art and culture, there's plenty of things to do in Wellington that children and adults alike will love
Seal Coast Safari - Wellington Tours
145 Wakefield Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Rated as one of Wellington's best tours, take a tour with Seal Coast Safari to meet some of Wellington's most wild residents. The three-hour 4WD safari tours begin by travelling up to the Wellington Wind Turbine to take in the panoramic views across the city, before adventuring across private farmland towards the rugged South Coast.
Once on the coast, the safari continues along the beaches with a stop to view (from a distance) the famous Leaning Lighthouse and what you've all come for - a chance to see some New Zealand fur seals. Soak up the wild beauty of the South Coast as you enjoy a hot drink and a snack and learn more about the local flora and fauna from your driver and tour guide.
Adrenalin Forest
Okowai Road, Aotea, Porirua
The courses at Adrenalin Forest are designed to challenge you emotionally and physically. Bring your friends and family and challenge your skills as a team in an unfamiliar environment. Use the pathways to figure out each other's strengths, weaknesses and see how well you all adapt to complete the challenges. Adrenalin Forest is a great group activity for all ages and abilities. Test everyone's limits and make your way through the bridge, swing and treetop courses.
Kāpiti Island Nature Tours
Kāpiti Boating Club, Paraparaumu
This internationally renowned nature reserve and bird sanctuary is one for your bucket list. Take a day trip or spend the night and enjoy famous hospitality and delicious meals, surrounded by stunning native bush and some of our most rare and beautiful native birds - take a nighttime guided tour for your best chance at spotting a little spotted kiwi.
Even if you can only spend a day on the island, you're in for an unforgettable time. Experienced nature guides will walk with you and explain the rich human and ecological history, and help you identify the flora and fauna around you and afterwards, you'll sit down together to enjoy a delicious cooked lunch at the Lodge. Note that the tours are closed for July and August with limited trips available in June and September.
Fear Factory
2/120 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Are you feeling brave? Venture below the deck of the lost ghost ship, the HMS Wayfarer for a nautical-themed nightmare. Wellington's most haunted attraction features a dark, interactive maze that will entertain and terrify you in equal parts. Real actors provide real frights and real fun. This adrenaline-packed activity is suitable for teenagers and families - and if you decide it's not for you, you can leave anytime by yelling 'I chicken out!' but be warned, you'll be added to the ever-growing 'chicken counter'.
Staglands Wildlife Reserve and Café
2362 Akatarawa Road, Akatarawa Valley, Upper Hutt
Located in the scenic Akatarawa Valley in Upper Hutt, Staglands Wildlife Reserve is home to an amazing array of native birds and fish, as well as heaps of cute and cuddly farm animals. The reserve features a variety of streams, ponds, hills and gullies, which have been created and developed over the past 40 years that visitors are welcome to explore. Visitors of all-ages can feed and freely interact with wildlife including rabbits, guinea pigs, deer, goats and horses in a safe and fun environment.
Wellington Nature Tours
Explore Wellington with a local on one of Wellington Nature Tours outdoor adventures around the capital. There's a range of tours exploring some of Wellington's top nature experiences, ranging from half-day to full-day tours. Wellington Nature Tours' highly-trained and passionate guides will be able to tell you more about the local history, flora and fauna while keeping you safe and comfortable.
Take a Seal Colony Tour and head to Wellington's wild South Coast to see the New Zealand fur seal colony that reside there. Take an Otari Eco Trek and you'll visit Otari Wilton Bush, a listed 'Garden of National Significance' and the only botanic garden in Aotearoa New Zealand that's dedicated to native plants. The Matiu/Somes Island Eco Trek will take you on a ferry ride to Matiu/Somes Island - a nature reserve with a fascinating history on an island in the middle of Wellington Harbour.
Petone Settlers Museum
The Esplanade, Petone, Lower Hutt
Situated on the Petone shore of Wellington Harbour, the Petone Settlers Museum tells the stories of the people who have made Petone their home. The museum has a series of small exhibitions which focus on different historical and cultural aspects of settlement in the area. The museum occupies one of New Zealand’s most significant memorial buildings, which was built to commemorate the arrival of the first British immigrants in 1840. Before becoming a museum, it served as a bathing pavilion for Petone beach-goers.
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