ParksandGardens, Rotorua

Discover Rotorua's rich culture, volatile landscape and legendary figures in this ‘must-see' museum. Explore the fascinating stories of Rotorua’s beautiful Government Gardens during the free walking tours hosted by Rotorua Museum guides who won the TrustPower Rotorua Lakes Council Community Supreme Award for their Outside the Walls walking tours. Despite Rotorua Museum being closed for earthquake strengthening until 2021, Museum guides have continued taking tours, sharing the fascinating history of the area that became known as the Government Gardens. Visitors learn about New Zealand’s most photographed building, the iconic Rotorua Bath House*, from spa to restaurant, cabaret to a night club and finally home to Rotorua Museum. Their stories include the Spanish Mission/Art Deco style Blue Baths, almost as famous as the Bath House and those of the other heritage buildings in the vicinity. https://www.rotoruanz.com/visit/see-and-do/museums-galleries/rotorua-museum

Paradise Valley Springs is Rotorua's must-see wildlife park where visitors of all ages can interact closely with a range of New Zealand’s wild animals, native birds, farm animals and trout, as well as view and get up close to a large pride of African Lions. The wildlife park is set amongst beautifully maintained New Zealand native bush, offering easy walking along flat accessible walkways in all types of weather. You can hand-feed animals that are found wild around the country such as Deer, Goats, Tahr and Wallabies. Visit the Kea, New Zealand’s infamous and comical alpine parrot in their walk-through aviary. Stroll through the waterbird wetland for great views of native and introduced waterfowl, and look out for the different native birds living wild around the park. Pat and feed the very sociable farm animals - alpacas, donkey, emus, sheep and more. Hundreds of Rainbow and Brown trout can be fed in the natural stream as well as in the spring-fed display pools, and viewed at eye level through an underwater window below their pool. Spot some of the large native long-finned eels lazing in their pools. Drink straight from the cool waters of the freshwater spring, or purchase some of their bottled ‘Paradise Pure’ to take away with you. Take the elevated treetops to walk in a secluded area, putting you up near the canopy of the trees. In a separate area of the park, there is also a pride of African Lions that can be seen all day in an enclosure that allows visitors to get very close to these wild animals. Lion pride feeding is at 2.30pm, followed by kea and possum feeding at 3pm every day. 10-15 minutes drive from central Rotorua. Open every day of the year including all public holidays. https://www.rotoruanz.com/visit/see-and-do/leisure-wildlife-parks/paradise-valley-springs-wildlife-park