Kowhai Park
A great place for kids!
At Kowhai Park, you can slide on a dinosaur, swing of the arms of an Octopus, visit Humpty Dumpty and the 3 bears, whiz along on a Flying Fox, play in a Pirate Ship, travel on a train, hide and seek in a castle, have a BBQ inside a giant pumpkin and so much more! Set right on the banks of the Whanganui River, this is a magical place for children and great family memories.
Beaches
Wanganui's sweeping beaches have a wild and rugged 'West Coast; beauty, with black iron sands often strewn with driftwood.
Castlecliff beach, less than a 15 minute drive from our holiday park, is professionally patrolled by lifeguards during summer.
Kai Iwi beach is an attractive swimming beach 14 kilometres from Wanganui. There is a children's playground and wood-burning barbeques here, making it a very popular spot for summer family picnics.
Star Gazing
Ward Observatory houses a 24cm telescope, the largest unmodified refractor telescope still in use in New Zealand. Public viewings are every Friday evening or by arrangement.
Eating Out
Wanganui enjoys a thriving caf culture, where you can relax with a darn good coffee or an award-winning wine. Every taste is catered for here - from fine dining, to organic produce, from fresh-baked goods to a variety of convenience outlets for those on the go.
Durie Hill
Opposite the City Bridge, the Durie Hill pedestrian tunnels leads to the historic elevator built in 1919, the only public underground elevator in New Zealand.
Two great viewpoints are located at the top, one above the elevators machinery room and one from the nearby Memorial Tower. The 33.5 metre tower offers views of the city, Mounts Taranaki, Ruapehu and the Tasman Sea. You can also drive to Durie Hill to visit and climb this tower.
Westmere Walkway
A Rural walkway over privately owned farmland and the Matipo Park Reserve. 4 options: 1,2 km = 20 mins; 1,8km = 30 mins; 3,6km = 1 hour; 4,6 km = 1h30mins.
A lovely walk where your should expect: Cattle, Uneven ground, Mud & Manure, A poled route, Stiles over farm fences, Any weather(!), Unfenced water, No drinking water (take your own), No toilets.
