School Holidays

Need some ideas for entertaining the kids in the School Holidays? There's lots to see and do with our big open spaces and stunning scenery – explore more in your own backyard!

School Holiday Events

• Pūkaha Junior Rangers School Holiday Programme - Spend the day exploring the forest, get to know the birds and tuna and watch them being fed. Each Tuesday and Thursday in the school holidays 10.30am-2.30pm. 
• Apple picking in Greytown - Pick your own apples at Molewood Orchard on Saturdays from 9am-4pm from now until 28 May. 

Dark Sky

• Family/School Guided Tour of Stonehenge Aotearoa - a story-telling guided tour with special presentation and audio-visual Wed to Sun from 10am-4pm.
• Star Safari - Discover the night sky from their astronomical observatory and learn about astronomy and modern stargazing with science communicators Hari and Sam. Kids 15 and under are free!

Farm Tour

• Martinborough Manor - loads of baby animals for you to feed and pet as you wander around the orchard farm on a tour that takes 1.5hrs. Bookings essential phone 027 249 3369.

Queen Elizabeth Park

• Try out Masterton's new state-of-the art skatepark with all the 'bells and whistles' of a traditional skatepark plus much more, that's fun for all ages!
• Visit Queen Elizabeth Park next door and ride around the lake on a pedal boat, have a round of mini golf, feed the ducks, walk over the swing bridge to the BMX track or visit the deer, walk around Queen Elizabeth Park's beautiful trees, and visit the huge playground with it's flying fox.

Mountain Biking

• Located on a section of hillside at the northern edge of Masterton the Lansdowne Mountain Bike Park is free to use with professionally designed and built tracks ideal for beginners through to experienced riders with tracks of grades 2, 3 and 4.
• Rivenrock is a purpose built and professionaly designed Mountain Bike Park for all levels of mountain bikers, located in the stunning Mt Holdsworth area of the Wairarapa.

Check out more fun activities below, loads more ideas here or download this handy booklet. 

• Run wild at the coast, check out Castlepoint and Cape Palliser
• Pop into The Woolshed across the road from Queen Elizabeth Park
• Learn about farm animals on a guided visit at Martinborough Manor
• Try out professionally designed Rivenrock Mountain Bike Park
• Check out historic Cobblestones Museum in Greytown
• Explore wildlife at Pukaha National Wildlife Centre
• Be star struck with a Star Safari
• Get out into Nature
• Let the kids loose on the Wairarapa coast
• Walk the Outdoors
• Feel like a bike ride? 
• Inside fun - if the weather isn’t playing ball

Take a short trip for a big change of scene! Stay for the holidays

• Book a family room at Copthorne Solway Park with its heated indoor pool, spa, outdoor pool and playground.
• Check out other places to stay in the Wairarapa here.
• If you need local advice or help booking your accommodation, get in contact with our friendly isite Visitor Information Centre team.