Location: Taupo
Top Things to do in Taupo
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The 10 Best Sights & Landmarks in Taupo, North Island
This adrenaline-pumping city offers an abundance of skydiving, jetboating and bungee jumping. Discover the marvels of Orakei Korako thermal park, featuring caves, hot springs and boiling mud pools. Gaze across Lake Taupo to see the spectacular volcanic mountains of Tongariro National Park, and make sure to visit Huka Falls, one of the great watery wonders of New Zealand.
Restaurants in Taupo
1. Formula Challenge Racing
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 120 reviews
Drive a REAL racecar on a real racetrack At Formula Challenge, we pride ourselves at being able to deliver New Zealand's best motorsport experiences. With 15 years of experience behind us, Formula Challenge is New Zealand's only Qualmark endorsed provider of motorsport experiences, guaranteeing a great time whether it's as a birthday, anniversary gift or as corporate team building or client incentive day, you'll love it! The Formula Challenge racecar and driving experiences cater for everybody, from first timers with no track experience to hardened professionals, and with our fleet of V8 Holden and Ford racecars, along with the grid of Formula Challenge single-seaters, we're able to fit all shapes and sizes. Come and experience one of the most sensational days of your life at Taupo and Hampton Downs Motorsport Parks and you'll leave with memories that'll last a lifetime. Well, until you come back for another go that is!!
Reviewed By Chrisjnsh - Auckland, New Zealand
The single seater Formula car driving experience was a 17th Birthday gift for our son. The guys were awesome- very welcoming, explained the track really well & really made it a special occasion. Highly recommended!
2. Opepe Scenic and Historic Reserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 30 reviews
Reviewed By V2902SYrebeccaw - Wellington, New Zealand
Follow the Napier Taupō Highway (SH5) 17 km from Taupō. The highway bisects Opepe Scenic and Historic Reserve, with car parks on both sides of the road. Two walks, on each side of the road. We enjoyed walking in the cool, a pleasant relief from the hot summer temperature of the day! Although we could hear the cars from the busy highway not far away, it felt peaceful and serene. Northern Track - Time: 30 - 45 min Distance: 1.5 km loop. Southern Track - Time: 1 hr - 1 hr 30 min Distance: 3 km loop The well maintained tracks take you through the bush, and in the case of the Northern Track mature podocarp forest. DOC has labeled some of the trees ( totara, rimu, matai) and bird life is prevalent. Opepe is noted for the 1869 New Zealand Land Wars engagement between the Bay of Plenty Calvary and a band of Maori warriors led by Te Kooti. A side track brings you to the cemetary where the nine soldiers were buried. Later, residents of Opepe township and the Armed Constabulary were also buried there. Opepe was a small township with a hotel, a store and homes for up to 120 people. Relics of this settlement remain. Dogs are allowed, under control.
3. Spa Thermal Park and Riverbank Recreational and Scenic Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 376 reviews
Reviewed By batchhen2017 - Timaru, New Zealand
This is so close into town, its very available and easy to find. What a delightful thermal river and hot pools (man made little pools in rocks ) at the side of the larger pool. I was pleasantly surprised how modern the facilities are, changing rooms and toilets very clean. Someone told me its had an upgrade. This is a beautifully made attraction and its free to use, how about that in NZ? It was only 2d when I went, but the fog lifted and I had a lovely soak. I was expecting it to be hotter like 35 to 39d but it was prob about 3od. However, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and stunning scenery around the river.
4. Aratiatia Rapids
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,210 reviews
Reviewed By KiwianaNZ - Mount Maunganui, New Zealand
Second time seeing this attraction. Worth the 10 minute drive from Taupo. It’s free to watch and has excellent parking next to the dam gates and start of the rapids. Good viewing platform is also only a short walk through the bush from the car park and is a great place to see the water racing towards you. Safe for all members of the family.
5. Lilliput Farm Fun And Animal Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 88 reviews
Reviewed By reonb2014 - Taupo, New Zealand
Every time I come here I have to drag my two girls away, they just love it!! Great local farm park for kids, takes about an hour to walk around feeding the animals, then there is a cool playground area with picnic tables everywhere and a few ducks, guinea pigs, and a cheeky cockatoo that sits in the middle like he owns the place :) fun place for sure.
6. Bruce Mclaren Motorsport Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 23 reviews
Reviewed By MTBtravel2018 - Auckland, New Zealand
Excellent track and viewing opportunities, always a great place to park on the stop bank and enjoy 90% view of the track.
7. Wairakei Geothermal Power Station Visitor Center
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 90 reviews
Reviewed By K87LVmichaelb - Melbourne, Australia
It is an eerie feeling seeing steam simply rise out of the ground around Taupo. We drove into this power station not knowing if we were really allowed in there. Very interesting seeing the steam, the endless winding pipes and the surrounding scenery.
8. Lake Taupo Hole in One Challenge
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 100 reviews
Lake Taupo Hole in One Challenge is an iconic drop in tourism activity in the heart of Te Ika a Maui – the North Island. Established in 1993, the idea was born out of a conversation in a bar and written on the back of a beer coaster. In 2017 Lake Taupo Hole in One Challenge became the first tourism acquisition for local Iwi – Ngati Tuwharetoa. For over twenty-five years Lake Taupo Hole in One has averaged a hole in one every two weeks. Local’s, and Kiwi’s have repeatedly made this their ritual stop as they travel past and tourists from around the globe have been swinging by to hit golf balls a hundred meters out onto a floating pontoon on Aotearoa’s greatest inland sea – Lake Taupo. With the ultimate $10,000 cash prize on the Red Flag, a standard golf ball size hole and the White and Blue Flags which are sand bunkers with prizes gratefully sponsored by local tourism operators, hordes of people flock to take on the challenge in the hope of winning a hole in one!
Reviewed By jeanettem190 - Cairns, Australia
If you enjoy driving (a golf ball) this is for you! And you'll always have an admiring audience. It's fun! You'll see exactly where your ball lands, because it makes a high vis splash when you miss the target.
9. Maori Rock Carvings
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 463 reviews
Reviewed By ChrissyPortmacquarie - Port Macquarie, Australia
These 1970 rock engravings are certainly a wonderful feat of craftsmanship and ingenuity. Best seen from the water they are large and worth the visit. On a beautiful morning we hired a kayak ($100) and kayaked around to them from Acacia Bay. We chose the self guided which was fine. An easy 3 hour round trip.
10. St Patrick's Catholic Church
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
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