If you’re looking for a destination that the whole family will love, then New Zealand is the answer. Nestled in the South Pacific Ocean, Aotearoa (the Māori word for New Zealand) has a lot to boast about:
• some of the most dramatic and spectacular scenery in the world
• a wide range of activities from lounging on stunning beaches, to bungy jumping in canyons (did you know it was a New Zealander who invented bungy jumping?!)
• a strong indigenous culture, and welcoming, friendly locals
• internationally acclaimed food and wine
• beautiful native flora and fauna
Read on to see why New Zealand is perfect for a family vacation of a lifetime!
Experience more, travel less
Unlike larger countries, you don’t have to travel far in New Zealand to experience dramatic differences in the surrounding landscapes. A couple of hours drive can get you from snow-capped mountains to pristine beaches, from a volcanic plateau to native rainforest. This is great news for families wanting to get the most out of a vacation, without spending the whole time getting to the fun stuff!
Activities to suit the whole family
Vacations are an opportunity to get out into nature, and create lifelong memories with your loved ones. An adventure 'playground', New Zealand is the perfect place to forge family memories, with an ideal mix of adventure-filled and more reflective activities, that both parents and their kids will enjoy. Here’s a selection of amazing things to do, that are all included in our New Zealand Family Vacation guided tour. Your kids will be talking about these awesome experiences in the years to come!
Gentle-Thrill Activities for the Whole Family
Float rafting in Skippers Canyon
Near the mountain resort of Queenstown, float rafting is the perfect level of adventure for the whole family to experience.
Hiking to a backcountry hut
Hike to a hiking hut in Mount Aspiring National Park. Toast marshmellows on the campfire and look up at the millions of stars in the southern night sky.
Kayaking Lake Mapourika

Kayaking the tranquil waters of a lake created in the ice age is super fun for the whole family. Lake Mapourika on the South Island’s West Coast, provides a kayaking experience suitable for all ages and abilities.
Reflective Family Activities
Sometimes it’s the quieter moments on a vacation that build the most meaningful connections with each other, and the world around us.
Stargazing
The kids will love identifying the Southern Cross star formation - only visible in the Southern Hemisphere! With a combination of clean air, and a small population, New Zealand has several world-renowned stargazing zones, with the largest Dark Sky Reserve in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.
Glow-worm spotting
How about a night walk with the kids on New Zealand’s West Coast to find glow-worms? Our guides know all the secret hangouts for these amazing little critters.
Discovering native wildlife
The elusive kiwi (New Zealand’s national symbol, and colloquial name for New Zealanders) is a very cute, nocturnal, flightless bird. Experience the wonder of seeing this endangered species close-up at Willowbank Wildlife Centre in Christchurch.
Your family will get to stay in some key South Island destinations on the New Zealand Family Vacation. Here's some more detail on what to expect...
Queenstown
The jewel of the south, the home of the original bungy jump, and the adventure capital of New Zealand. Picturesquely perched on the edge of Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown is a mountain ski resort town, with activities galore, and amazing cafes and restaurants to explore.
Franz Josef
The settlement might be small, but the nearby glacier is mighty. Near the sea on the South Island’s West Coast, Franz Josef is a service town for travelers who visit this rainforest clad ‘glacier country’ with over 140 ancient glaciers at its backdoor.
Christchurch
This is the start and finishing point for the tour. Modelled on an English city layout, the elegant ‘Garden City’ of New Zealand, is a great stopover point for the family. Check out the Antarctic Centre, mountain bike in the Port Hills, or pop through the tunnel to the pretty port town of Lyttelton.
Getting to New Zealand
New Zealand is just a 12-hour flight from North America’s Pacific coast. With a number of airlines flying direct to Auckland (in the North Island), and to Christchurch (in the South Island). Air New Zealand (the national carrier) offers direct flights from major North American cities such as New York, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Honolulu, and Vancouver. For any assistance with organizing flights to New Zealand, get in touch with our preferred flight experts, Fuzion Travel.