11 Fantastic Things to do with kids in Whakatane and nearby

Whakatane is one of my favorite places to explore with kids. Nestled on the beautiful coastline of New Zealand’s North Island, it’s packed with activities that are perfect for families. From scenic hikes and playgrounds to delicious berry farms and hot springs, Whakatane offers something for everyone. Based on our experiences, here are some of the best kid-friendly things to do in the area.

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Walk up to the lookout in town for spectacular views

Whakatane has a cool little lookout walk starting from town. Look for the Kohi Point lookout on Google Maps, and that’s where you start.

It begins with some beautiful colored steps up the hill. Then, you’ll need to walk along the footpath a short while before reaching the sign for the Papaka Redoubt walk.

If you prefer, you could drive up the road to this point and then walk up the Papaka Redoubt trail (there’s also an alternative trail option across the road).

The trail up the hill takes only about 10 minutes, and the coastal views are glorious. We also saw lots of beautiful Pohutakawa (the New Zealand Christmas tree) in full bloom, which made it extra gorgeous.

We’d definitely recommend this walk if you’re looking for things to do in Whakatane with kids!

Go on a kiwi hunt

For a fun activity with kids in Whakatane, you can go on a kiwi hunt around the town. It’s a pretty neat way to explore the streets and discover NZ’s iconic bird!

Just head to the i-site for the clues to where these wee creatures are hiding🙂

Whakatane skate park and playground

The Whakatane skate park and playground is a fantastic spot to hang out with your kids. It boasts a pretty estuary setting, and with two skate parks and a fab playground, you can certainly hang out for a while.

There’s also a riverside walk you could start from here (which is also great if the kids have bikes, scooters, or skateboards).

The Whakatane fitness and aquatic centre

The Whakatane Fitness and Aquatic Centre is a great place to take the kids for a fun, budget-friendly day out.

We think the Gisborne Kiwa Pools could learn from this facility, considering it spent so much on refurbishment but is still missing a few welcome touches.

The Whakatane pools are actually warm! Therefore, it’s easy to stay in the water for ages with your kids without freezing your butt off.

They also have two hot tubs, which makes such a difference for grown-ups.

Their hydro slide is pretty tame, so it’s very family-friendly. Three- and four-year-olds can go on with a grown-up, and five-year-olds and older are generally fine on their own.

The hydroslide is also warm and open year-round, so they get bonus points for that too! Check out the Whakatane Aquatic Centre if you’re in the area and looking for things to do with kids.

Summer berry picking

Julian’s Berry Farm and Cafe, on the edge of Whakatane, is an awesome place to take the kids. It’s open seasonally from September to late January and offers all sorts of fun.

We recommend picking your own berries as a fun activity. Depending on what’s in season, you can choose from three sizes and all sorts of berries. They also have ready-packed containers, and the fresh berry ice cream is a must-try.

Julian’s Berry Farm is also a great place for lunch. We got excellent service even though it was very busy (the staff told me it’s always busy, but it did clear out by mid-afternoon). They also have a mini golf course if you want to stay a while, and the kids’ playground is a good selling point if you have little ones.

Explore kohi point

Kohi Point is a must-visit destination in the Whakatane area. This small headland is super picturesque and boasts epic views across the sea.

You have a few options for exploring it. Firstly, you could drive to the lookouts to enjoy the stunning views. Follow the turnoff to Otarawairere Bay, which is between Whakatane and Ohope Beach, and you’ll see the lookouts along there.

Secondly, Kohi Point is a brilliant place for hiking. You could do either a short or long walk. We only had a short time (about two hours to ourselves, kid-free!), so we did a short walk to a lookout and then parked the car at Otarawairere, a small residential area.

It’s easy to think you’re in the wrong place to access the bay because there’s no parking space. But we saw a few cars parked on the side of the road and then spotted a small beach access sign.

From the sign, it’s a 15- 20-minute walk down to Otarawairere Bay, a gorgeous place to play! It’s one of the most beautiful bays we’ve been to, with huge Pohutakawa trees, plenty of rocks for rock hopping, and a vast collection of soft shells underfoot, carved by the ocean over the years.

Otarawairere is seriously breathtaking and lovely for swimming. Due to the walk required to get there, it shouldn’t get overly crowded.

If you fancy a longer walk, you can make a day of it and hike all the way from Whakatane, across the headland, and then over to Ohope. The direct route is about 11 kilometers. We definitely recommend stopping at Otarawairere on the way.

Alternatively, you could park on top of the headland at the main lookout point and start your walk down to the bays from there. The small part of the walk we did was well-maintained and easy to follow.

The Mahy Reserve at Ohope Beach

We found the most incredible trees! The Mahy Reserve at Ohope Beach is full of massive trees that our little one loved climbing and playing around in. The trees also create a lovely shaded area for picnics and relaxation.

The reserve is a fantastic part of the beach for families. There’s a playground, toilets, parking, family-friendly swimming, and a few cafes and restaurants nearby. (We ate at Quay Cafe across the road—highly recommended.)

Ohope Beach is glorious. It boasts 11 kilometers of sand and surf, nature’s perfect playground. As soon as you pop over the hill from Whakatane, you’ll find the Mahy Reserve.

The White Pine Bush Gumboot Fence and mini bushwalk

I visited the Cardrona bra fence down south long ago, but this was my first time visiting a gumboot fence!

The White Pine Bush gumboot fence is on State Highway 2 between Taneatua and Awakeri, about 12 kilometers south of Whakatane. This little slice of Kiwiana is easy to miss, so it’s best to put it in your GPS and focus on the road!

There’s a gumboot hanging on a post to let you know it’s coming up, but still, I didn’t notice it the first time we drove past, even though I was in the passenger seat!

It’s a nice spot to stop and stretch your legs if you’re on a road trip, or you can easily visit from Whakatane. Drop off your old gumboots if you like. You can leave them by the fence, and someone will hang them up for you. You could also add a witty quote to amuse fence visitors.

Soak in the Awakeri Hot Springs

If you’re looking for things to do in Whakatane and nearby with kids, take them to Awakeri hot springs, just 15 kilometers away.

There’s a big pool with a shade sail, a kids’ pool, and private hot pools. The price is really reasonable at around $9 per adult, and the kids can also play in the playground. The pools are between 37 and 39 degrees, and another visitor told us the private pools were much hotter.

Awakeri Hot Springs also has accommodation, and if you stay, you can use the pools for free. Plus, there are nice things to do nearby, like a hill walk from the springs, rail rides around the corner, and the gumboot fence a little further along the road.

Hike Latham’s track next to the Awakeri hot springs

Latham’s track offers a good hill walking opportunity at Awakeri, about 15 minutes drive from Whakatane.

The 5.8-kilometer loop starts and finishes in front of the Awakeri hot springs. However, there’s another entrance about 1.5 kilometers along the highway, where you could also start and/or finish.

We were not keen on walking 1.5 kilometers along the main road to complete the loop, so we took two cars and left one at the highway entrance. Then, we drove back with the other car to the hot springs and started there. So, I guess that made our walk about 4.3 kilometers.

There are different opinions regarding which end of the track to start at. There’s even a sign on the fence at Awakeri saying it’s recommended to start from the other side!

That’s because the steep part is on the hot springs side, so I guess some people prefer to do that on the downhill.

Personally, I recommend starting at the hot springs. Sure, it was steep to begin with and took us a very long time with our little one. We even had to scramble a bit!

However, going uphill on these sorts of slopes feels safer to me than going downhill! Plus, pine needles are underfoot, which can be slippery, especially if it’s wet.

After the initial climb, the incline becomes gentler, and soon enough, you’ll be at the top, where there’s a bench to rest and lovely views across Whale Island.

The other side is a gentler slope and a beautiful walk through the trees.

Apparently, the full loop takes an average of just under two hours. It took us quite a lot longer, even without the highway section!

Some people walk to the top of the trail from either side and then back down to their starting point, which is a good option if you don’t have two cars and want to avoid the highway.

Relax, play, and camp at Lake Aniwhenua

Lake Aniwhenua is a peaceful spot to visit or camp, about 57 kilometres south of Whakatane (on the road to Galatea and Murupara).

The kid’s playground is excellent, with shade sails, a flying fox, and even a fun and educational area about eels.

The lake isn’t great for swimming, and there are signs warning against it in areas around the dam, but it really is a pretty and well-maintained spot. It’s not a busy place, but you’ll see people enjoying the area for boating and fishing.

Take a short drive or walk about 30 minutes to the scenic waterfall area. For about two-thirds of the walk, you can follow a seemingly unused four-wheel drive-type track, and for the rest, just walk along the road. In the peak of summer, we came across maybe four or five cars on the road.

Things to do in Whakatane and nearby with kids | In conclusion

Our adventures in Whakatane have given us some incredible family memories, and I hope this list inspires you to create some of your own. Whether you’re splashing around in the warm pools, picking fresh berries, or exploring the stunning natural scenery, there’s no shortage of fun to be had with kids. So go ahead, embrace the adventure, and enjoy everything this fantastic part of New Zealand has to offer!

If you’re heading to the central North Island, you may also want to check out our top tips for walks in the Whirinaki Forest Park and experiences walking the Galatea foothills trail.

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