Rotorua is one of the top destinations in the North Island of New Zealand. Although a small city, you could easily spend up to two weeks here, keeping Rotorua as a base camp as you explore the city and surrounding areas. Centrally located on the North Island, Rotorua is one of the best spots for tourists. Here, you can partake in adventure sports, relax in geothermal waters, and dive headfirst into Maori (and Hobbit for LOTR fans!) culture. We might be a bit biased since we have spent months living in Rotorua, but it honestly is the best base for all of your North Island adventures.
With many months of visits to Rotorua in our pocket (it’s one of the best places to live in New Zealand), this is our ultimate list of 30 things to do in Rotorua, New Zealand! Let’s dive in.
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1. Ride Luges Down the Skyline
If you have ever played Mario Kart, you’ll have the time of your life riding luges down the Skyline in Rotorua. You’ll find the Rotorua Skyline at the top of a hill overlooking the entire city. To get to the top, you must take the Skyline Gondola, which costs around $43 NZD. Keep in mind luge rides are not included in the gondola, so you’ll need to purchase these as well. A gondola pass + 3 luge rides will set you back $78 NZD.
We are big fans of adventure sports, so we head to the luge tracks every time we visit Rotorua. Imagine racing down a mountain at up to 50 km/h—it is thrilling, to say the least!
Since we visit Rotorua quite often (and love riding the luges!), we have the annual pass to the Skyline, which costs $92 NZD per year. This allows you to ride the gondola for free and gives you discounts on luge rides as well as food and drinks. So, if you plan to visit the skyline more than twice in a year, we highly suggest going for the annual pass.
2. Watch the Te Puia Geyser Erupt
One of the most unique things to do in Rotorua is to visit the natural wonders at Te Puia, a geothermal valley with hot pools, geysers, and volcanic activity. This is one of the most popular sites in the city and a top reason to include it in your New Zealand North Island travel itinerary. Here, you can see the Pōhutu Geyser erupt to heights of more than 30 meters. If you missed its last eruption, don’t worry! The geyser erupts more than 15 times per day.
Beyond the Pōhutu geyser and thermal areas of the park, you can experience Māori culture as the geyser is owned by a local tribe. Here, you can watch local craftsmen and weavers work, try a hāngī (traditional Māori cuisine), and learn about New Zealand traditions.
3. Visit a Thermal Spa
You can’t go to Rotorua without spending a day or evening at a thermal spa. After all, the reason Rotorua smells like boiled eggs is due to the volcanic activity underground, and you’ve got to take advantage of it! Head over to one of the many thermal spas in the area to soak in the warm mineral waters that generations have enjoyed for centuries.
Here are some of our favorite thermal spas to visit in Rotorua:
This is why you should never forget to pack a bathing suit when traveling to Rotorua, no matter how bad the weather looks like it’s going to be. In fact, the worse the weather outside, the nicer it is when you’re relaxing in the warm thermal waters of Rotorua! For more packing advice, check out our New Zealand packing guide!
4. Take a Day Trip to Hobbiton
Even if you’re not a Lord of the Rings fan, you can’t deny the impact the LOTR series has had on millions of people around the world. In fact, many travel all the way to New Zealand specifically to check out LOTR filming locations. While you can find plenty of free filming locations across the North Island, the most iconic is Hobbiton. The actual movie was filmed here, and it is now a major tourist attraction for LOTR fans around the world.
The Hobbiton movie set is not located in Rotorua, but it is nearby. You will need to make your way to The Shire’s Rest or Matamata. If you don’t have your own form of transportation, just take an InterCity bus from Rotorua to Matamata, and you will be picked up via shuttle.
The tickets to tour Hobbiton are currently $120.
5. White Water Raft the Kaituna Cascades
Up for a bit of an adventure? One of our absolute favorite activities in Rotorua is white water rafting. While there are many different rivers to choose from, by far the most exciting white water rafting experience is on the Kaituna River, which is 50 minutes of a crazy ride down 11 rapids and 3 waterfalls. One of these waterfalls, Tutea Falls, is the highest rafted waterfall in the world at 7 meters! This is a must-do experience for thrill-seekers!
6. Go Ziplining
White water rafting not for you? Another popular adventure sport in Rotorua is zip lining. There are many ziplining opportunities around Rotorua, so you can take your pick depending on what you feel comfortable with. The experiences generally take around two and a half hours and include multiple zip lines and even swing bridges.
You’ll be pretty high up during these ziplining experiences, so only do this if you are comfortable with heights!
7. Hike or Mountain Bike through the Redwood Forest
The Redwood Forest is one of the best places in Rotorua to go for a walk and enjoy the gorgeous and tall trees. There are over 5,600 hectares of forest to explore. While you can definitely walk around the forest, as there are tons of walking paths, one of our favorite activities is mountain biking, as there are over 160 kilometers of bike trails to ride around.
Don’t have your own bike? No worries! There are companies you can rent bikes from so that you can partake in this super fun activity.
8. Walk the Redwood Treewalk at Night
While the Whakarewarewa and Redwood Forest is a wonderful daytime activity, it’s even more magical at night. We recommend heading over to the forest around 20 minutes after sunset to be welcomed by the stunning lanterns and lights strung across the forest. While you can certainly admire the lights from below, we highly recommend buying a ticket to walk across the 28 suspension bridges and 27 platforms across the 120-year-old redwood trees, from 9 to 20 meters above the ground. The entire walk takes around 40 minutes to complete.
9. Experience Māori Culture
There’s no better place to experience and appreciate Māori culture than in Rotorua. With these experiences, you may be able to experience a variety of different aspects of Māori culture, such as:
- Haka war dance
- Poi performance
- Hāngī feast (traditional Māori way of cooking)
Here are the three places where you can experience Māori culture. The first two are the best if you want a well-rounded view of the culture, including performances and a traditional hāngī meal. But if you’re on a budget, the third experience can also provide a quick overview and a snack cooked in a hot pool.
10. Hike Up Rainbow Mountain (Maunga Kākaramea)
There’s no shortage of hikes to do in New Zealand. And if you’re in Rotorua, one of our favorite hikes is the Rainbow Mountain hike. You can divide the hike into two sections: the first track is the Crater Lake Walk, which takes you to two gorgeous crater lakes. This part of the hike is super easy! But if you want a 360-degree view of the surrounding area from the summit, you’re going to have to keep hiking for an additional 1.5 hours. While summiting Rainbow Mountain will definitely require some cardio, we think it is well worth the effort.
11. Explore Geothermal Areas
One of the best things to do in Rotorua is witness the amazing geothermal activity in the area. Rotorua is unique as it sits above the Taupō Supervolcano, which is one of the largest supervolcanoes in the world. So, you won’t have to venture far to find volcanic activity in Rotorua. In fact, you can find hot pools, geysers, steam pockets, and sulfur patches a stone’s throw from just about anywhere in the city.
Here are a few of our top picks for geothermal sites in Rotorua:
- Wai O Tapu: Unique and colorful geothermal hot pools, mud pools, and a geyser.
- Kuirau Park: Free public park with natural many hot pools in the middle of Rotorua city.
- Maunga Kākaramea: The crater lake at Rainbow Mountain is another geothermal area with steaming hot pools.
- Kerosene Creek: A natural hot creek near Rotorua, the river is hot but safe to swim in, so you can enjoy a hot bath in nature!
- Waimangu Volcanic Valley: Amazing geothermal valley experience in which you can see pink and white terraces, a lake cruise through a caldera, and beautiful views.
12. Walk Around Lake Tikitapu
Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) is one of our favorite lakes to visit in New Zealand. This large lake is located just 15 minutes from central Rotorua and has some of the clearest water you’ll ever see. If the weather is nice, you can take a swim in the lake, and there are a few man-made beaches spread around it. There is also a 5.5km loop track that circles the Lake Tikitapu. This hike gives you the full panoramic experience and allows you to see some of the dense, protected forests in the area.
13. Summit Mount Tarawera
Mount Tarawera is a towering volcano located around 24 km south of Rotorua. This mountain was the site of the deadliest volcanic eruption in New Zealand in recorded history. In 1886, the volcano exploded into a plume of smoke and ash, killing around 120 people. While the volcano is still technically active, it has not erupted since then.
Tarawera is a sacred mountain to the Māori people, so you can only summit the volcano as part of a guided excursion with a local Iwi (Māori tribe).
The hike takes around 4.5 hours and is surprisingly easy as the 1,000-meter climb is fairly gradual. If you are interested in seeing a raw volcanic landscape and panorama views of the Bay of Plenty, you should definitely consider hiking Mount Tarawera.
14. Mini Golf with Bunnies
Most of the things to do on this list are outdoor adventure activities, but if you are looking for something chill, why not try mini golf with bunnies? Yes, you read that right! At Mini Golf Rotorua, you can put 18 holes in an enclosed area with several rabbits running around. These rabbits are super friendly, so feel free to give them a pet! A game of mini golf costs $20 NZD or $15 NZD for kids.
15. Take a Day Trip to Lake Taupō
Lake Taupō is New Zealand’s largest lake, stretching more than 600 square kilometers. The lake was formed when the Taupō Supervolcano erupted around 26,000 years ago. This was the most recent known supervolcano eruption and one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history.
Taupō is only about an hour’s drive away from Rotorua, making it an excellent day trip. Here, you can take lake cruises, paddleboard, see massive waterfalls, and explore the massive caldera. Taupō is also an excellent jumping-off point to Tongariro National Park, which houses a few of the tallest volcanos in the North Island, Ruapehu, Tongariro, and Ngauruhoe.
16. Roll Down a Hill in a “Zorb” Ball
A “Zorb” ball is a large plastic inflatable ball with a hollow area inside that a person can fit inside. The idea of “Zorbing” is to go inside the ball, fill the ball slightly with water, and then roll it down a hill. Sounds crazy, right?
Zorbing has become a worldwide phenomenon in recent years, but it was actually invented in Rotorua. This is a super unusual thing to do in Rotorua, so if you want to try out Zorbing on a track owned by the inventors of Zorb, head to Zorb Rotorua and prepare for the experience of a lifetime!
17. Learn About the Kiwi Bird
New Zealand’s National Bird, the Kiwi, is unfortunately in short supply. This flightless and nocturnal bird is quite helpless as it scurries about the forest floor looking for grubs, nearly blind! These birds are endemic to New Zealand and are the namesake for the common word for New Zealanders, Kiwis!
While you are not likely to find Kiwi birds while you are out and about, you can learn all about them and see a handful at select sanctuaries. In Rotorua, you can learn all about these interesting birds at The National Kiwi Hatchery, which is the most successful Kiwi bird hatchery worldwide! You can also see some Kiwis at Te Puia.
18. Visit the Food Market on Thursday Nights
If you’re in Rotorua on a Thursday night, you’re in luck! Weather permitting, from 5 to 9 PM, head over to the city center at Tutanekai Street between Hinemoa and Haupapa streets to check out the Rotorua Night Market.
At the market, you can try a variety of different cuisines represented in the city. You can try many different delicious bites as you walk around enjoying the live music. The Night Market has an electric atmosphere that brings the city to life on a Thursday night.
19. Rejuvenate Yourself in a Medicinal Mud Bath
You can’t go all the way to Rotorua without an experience soaking in a medicinal mud bath at Hell’s Gate. Hell’s Gate is a classic Kiwi experience you absolutely cannot miss. The therapeutic mud bath and sulfur spa at Hell’s Gate have healing properties. So, head over to lather the mineral-rich mud onto your skin, exfoliate, and then soak in a sulfur spa! Your skin will feel like a baby after this super relaxing experience.
20. Explore Whirinaki Forest
If you want to feel one with nature, there’s no better place to do this in Rotorua than at the Whirinaki Forest, which is 90 km from the city. This is one of the world’s final prehistoric rainforests, hosting some huge native trees that are more than 200 meters tall! Some of the trees in this rainforest are 1,000 years old!
At the Whirinaki Forest, you can do the popular Whirinaki Waterfall Loop Track or the easy H-Tree Track. You can even stay overnight on the Whirinaki Track. If you stay after sunset, you might be lucky enough to see the endangered North Island brown kiwi, amongst other rare birds.
21. Go Horse Back Riding
We have been horseback riding in many places around the world, but our horseback riding experience in Rotorua was definitely one of the most memorable. On this guided horseback riding excursion, you’ll ride through the hilly forest of the Mount Ngongotaha Scenic Reserve. During the experience, you’ll be greeted by incredible views of Lake Rotorua and the surrounding landscape. Don’t worry if you haven’t ridden a horse before, as this activity is super beginner-friendly!
22. Head to the Trick Art Gallery on a Rainy Day
As with most destinations in New Zealand, Rotorua gets quite a lot of rain throughout the year, especially in the winter months. And since most of the things to do in the city are outdoor activities, it is always a good idea to have a backup plan.
The Trick Art Gallery in Rotorua is an extremely unique indoor tourist activity. Here, you’ll find more than 50 three-dimensional art installations. Each exhibit is interactive and makes for some hilarious photo ops. Tickets cost $22 NZD, and the gallery is a perfect family-friendly activity in Rotorua.
23. Have Dinner and a Beer on Eat Street
Some of the best places to eat in Rotorua are located on a single street, making it much more convenient for travelers searching for food after a long day of sightseeing and hiking. Located on one end of Tutanekai Street, Eat Street hosts many restaurants with a variety of cuisines, including Italian, Indian, and more! Feel free to check out the restaurants surrounding Eat Street as well!
Our favorite Eat Street (and surrounding) restaurants are:
- Atticus Finch
- The Fat Brother
- El Mexicano Zapata Cantina
- Ali Baba’s Tunisian Cuisine
Heading to Wellington next? Make sure to check out our guide on everything to do and eat in Wellington!
24. Go Rock Climbing on a 20-meter Rock Wall
Rotorua is the adventure sports capital of the North Island, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the city houses one of the largest indoor rock walls in the country. The 20-meter-high rock wall at Rock Solid Hostel is a climber’s dream! This rock climbing gym is obviously catered to experienced climbers, but there are also several beginner zones, bouldering areas, and even a kid-friendly ladder climb. A day pass to the wall is $18 NZD, and an additional $5 NZD for climbing shoes.
25. Hunt for Glowworms
While the Waitomo Caves are definitely the most famous spot in New Zealand to check out glowworms, you can find them in other places dotted around the country, including in Rotorua. In Rotorua, you can find glowworms during an evening bush walk in the native bush. Take a guided tour that will take you trekking through the bush to find thee glowworms that light up the native flora.
26. Learn about Pounamu at Mountain Jade
One of the best souvenirs you can take home from Rotorua or a trip to New Zealand, in general, is pounamu, or New Zealand jade. Pounamu has a very long and important history in the country, so head over to Mountain Jade to learn all about its significance for Māori and its traditional uses and values. You can even watch the artists work in the carving studio. The best part? After the end of the tour, you can even pick a piece of pounamu to take home as your memento!
27. Visit the Buried Village
When Mount Tarawera violently erupted in 1886, the village of Te Wairoa was buried under 2 meters of mud and ash. The village was abandoned for several years before being partially excavated in the 1930s and transformed into a tourist attraction. You can visit the archeological site and a museum that explains the history and geology of the incident. Visiting The Buried Village will give you an interesting insight into the constant battle between Mother Nature and humanity in New Zealand.
28. Take a Day Trip to Mount Maunganui
If it’s a gorgeous day outside and you have a free day in Rotorua, one of the best day trips you can take is heading over to the beachside town of Mount Maunganui. This laidback surfer town is super cute and one of our favorite towns on the North Island of New Zealand. Here are just some of the things you can do during a day trip here:
- Hike Mount Maunganui
- Relax on the beach
- Stroll down Mount Maunganui Road
- Explore Moturiki Island
- Try local craft beer
29. Go Skydiving or Bungee Jumping
Did you know that the first commercial bungee jumping started in New Zealand? The country really is an adventure lover’s dream destination! If you are a thrill seeker, you should check out skydiving, bungee jumping, or the Rotorua Skyswing. Rotorua would be an amazing place for skydiving, as the views of the surrounding lakes and mountains during your free fall would be unmatched!
30. Smell the Flowers at the Government Gardens
While the Rotorua Museum is temporarily closed until further notice, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t head to this iconic building in Rotorua. In fact, on a nice day, it’s one of our favorite places to go for a stroll. The reason for this is the Government Gardens, a public park surrounding the museum. The gardens feature a rotunda, rose garden, croquet lawn, and cottage, amongst other points of interest. The famous Polynesian Spa is a stone’s throw away from the gardens as well.
Rotorua Is Full of Activities!
While Rotorua is not as popular as other New Zealand destinations like Queenstown or Wanaka, it is easily one of the best places to visit in the country. There is such a wide variety of things to do in Rotorua, from adventure sports and hiking to cultural experiences, indoor activities, and more!
Enjoy your time in this beautiful New Zealand city, and make sure to give yourself enough time to see and do everything. If you are planning to head down South next, make sure to check our complete guide to the South Island of New Zealand.
Thinking about moving to New Zealand? We don’t blame you! If you’re a digital nomad, here is our full guide on how to move to NZ as a digital nomad.
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