Top Things to do in Taupo District
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What to do and see in Taupo District, North Island: The Best Things to do
Discover the best top things to do in Taupo District, New Zealand including Huka Falls tracks, Waipahihi Botanical Gardens, Tongariro National Trout Centre, Spa Thermal Park and Riverbank Recreational and Scenic Reserve, Aratiatia Rapids, Lake Taupo, Huka Prawn Park, Craters of the Moon, Lava Glass, Maori Rock Carvings.
Restaurants in Taupo District
1. Huka Falls tracks
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,294 reviews
Always check the website for changes that might affect your trip.
Reviewed By SteveBaldwin-NZ - Hamilton, New Zealand
Really amazing sights and walk, very relaxing walking along the tracks, great facilities and car park too which makes the visit easy. Never get tired of visiting here
2. Waipahihi Botanical Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 177 reviews
Reviewed By Naina-Damani - London, United Kingdom
Waipahihi Botanical Garden is an amazing park of native trees and colourful bushes, shrubs and plants which boasts spectacular views over Great Lake Taupo.
3. Tongariro National Trout Centre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 260 reviews
Walk the banks of the world famous Tongariro River. Visit the Trout Hatchery with its own museum and fresh water aquarium. Learn the history of fishing in Taupo. Have a picnic by the pond, feed the trout with special food available for sale from our visitor centre. See wild trout in the streams and at the underwater viewing chamber. Small charge for adults, kids free!
Reviewed By aliheydari781
Fantastic place to visit. You can see lovely trouts from a close distance, get familiar with their reproduction process. A great place for kids too.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Lake Taupo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 544 reviews
Reviewed By DavidBoardmanShifnal - Shifnal, United Kingdom
We stopped off here en route from Rotorua to Napier and enjoyed a couple of hours relaxing with a nice lunch to boot. Taupo town is situated at the head of the beautiful lake of the same name. A giant crater formed following a volcanic eruption in the year CE180 and this is now the largest lake in New Zealand by size - Lake Te Anau is the largest by water volume. We enjoyed a lovely stroll around this chic town and then it was onto our ultimate destination of Napier
7. Huka Prawn Park
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,280 reviews
New Zealand’s only prawn park offers a fun filled day of entertainment for the family. Pack a picnic and towel and spend the day creating exciting memories to last forever. From the minute, you arrive at our entrance you will be amazed at such a place existing in the world. Start by joining our behind the scenes guided tour through the nursery and hatchery, hear about our 30-year history, meet our prawns up close and personal and while you’re there you have to feel the strange sensation of hand feeding the baby prawns. Race up and down our massive new boating lake on stand-up paddleboards, water trikes, and pedal boats. Watch the excitement on your child’s face as you head down our adventure trail trying out all the interactive activities. Feed the trout, battle the family on our water cannons, only the brave tackle the water gauntlets, ending at the kids playground and geothermal footbaths.
Reviewed By AnnaNZPorirua - Porirua, New Zealand
A sign greeted us as we entered telling us the prawns weren't biting so the entry fees were discounted. We started off fishing for prawns anyway.... the kids thoroughly enjoying the experience. We went on the tour with Michaela which is worthwhile doing. Loved hand feeding the baby prawns.... such a weird sensation. Next lunch in the restaurant.... while the menu is very $$ and not a great variety, the staff were awesome. Rachael was our waitress and seemed to be in charge on the floor of the restaurant. She did a great job to keep customers happy and ensure turn over was relatively swift (without rushing people). Back outside we enjoyed the paddle boats and the Prawn walk with all its varied activities. Our kids would have spent all day there if we'd let them. One daughter wanted to do the tour again so she could feed the baby prawns again. Both went back to fishing for prawns for another 45 mins. No prawns caught, but they had a fabulous time.
8. Craters of the Moon
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,946 reviews
Reviewed By ChefPulitsir - Raleigh, United States
This was probably one of the absolute best experiences. Walking around the crater and looking at the rising steam, listening to the fizzing and hissing sound, smelling the sulfur in the air, feeling some of the warmth dissipating upward, looking at and listening to the boiling mud was an amazing and uncommon experience. I had had a somewhat similar experience in Akureyri, Iceland. The difference here is that there is greenery all around on the ground. Here you can actually see the edges of the crater where the earth is split. This is one way to experience what it might have been like when our earth was being formed. This is a great experience for parents of school-age children. But, most importantly, this is just an incredible place to enjoy.
9. Lava Glass
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 883 reviews
Lava Glass is an art glass gallery, glassblowing studio & glass sculpture garden by world-renowned New Zealand master glassblower Lynden Over. The complex offers a unique and fascinating window into the world of glassblowing. You can watch the spectacular art of glassblowing, browse through the adjoining gallery of New Zealand inspired glass art and take a stroll through our beautiful glass sculpture garden. The garden features more than 600 glass sculptures and has been endorsed as 'A Garden of Significance'. Entry glassblowing studio: $7.50 per person/ $30 per family* Entry sculpture garden: $10 per person/ $40 per family* Combination ticket studio & garden: $15 per person/ $50 per family* *up to 6 individuals. Following your visit, part of your entry fee will be deducted from any glass purchase from the gallery. Lava Glass pieces are also available in our online shop. We offer insured worldwide shipping.
Reviewed By penina638 - Wellington, New Zealand
We loved visiting the glassblwoing studio and hearing about and seeing glassblowing in action, and then walking around the BEAUTIFUL glass sculpture garden! Staff were very knowledgeable, warm and friendly. We were so taken by the stunning art pieces, we had to buy a special signature piece by Lyndon Over. A visit here is compulsory when visiting Taupo/Wairakei!
10. 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.
