Top North Island Attractions & Museums

Auckland’s 1076-foot (328-meter) Sky Tower is one of the city’s most popular attractions, especially for first-time visitors. Save money and time by pre-booking your general Sky Tower admission ticket, which allows you to visit the observation decks. Get quickly orientated and spot key landmarks such as the Harbour Bridge, Mount Eden, and Waiheke Island. Souvenir photos are available to purchase.

Explore the well-marked paths of Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland with this admission ticket that grants you all-day access to one of New Zealand’s most popular geothermal parks, just outside Rotorua. Stroll past gurgling mud pools, volcanic craters, and steaming lakes at your own pace. Consult your complimentary map to learn about the area’s volcanic activity, and view informative displays along the trails and at the visitor center.

Enjoy one of New Zealand’s original tourist attractions: a tour of the magnificent Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Your guide—who may be descended from the Māori chief who first discovered the caves—leads you underground and tells you about the cultural significance of this site. Hop into a boat and glide on an underground river, enjoying the light show put on by millions of tiny bioluminescent insects hanging above.

The ultimate movie adventure Dive into our immersive world at Auckland’s SkyCity and get hands-on with movie magic like never before. This is your all-access pass to a world where creativity knows no limits. Come to our place, where imagination and creativity reign supreme. With our entertaining hosts at the helm, we’ll guide you on an adventure beyond our doors to break into our secret world of practical movie effects. Join us and journey through three jaw-dropping, highly imaginative films created by our visionary Wētā Workshop crew where everything is not as it seems. It's our time to share with you! We’ll reveal the workshop magic kept under wraps and how we bring the impossible to life. Unleashed isn’t just a tour, it’s a hands-on magical carpet ride through the practical effects making process. We believe there's a creator in everyone. Ready to fuel your curiosity and ignite your imagination? Your movie adventure begins now! Jump on board.

Make the most of your time in Auckland with skip-the-line access to the Auckland War Memorial Museum (also known as the Aukland Museum). Housed in a beautiful heritage building, the museum's three floors showcase New Zealand's diverse culture, rich heritage, and its role as a place of remembrance for those who sacrificed their lives in war.

Gain entry to the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute at Te Puia on a guided tour of this geothermal hot spot. Take a walking path up to steaming vents, boiling mud pools and erupting Pohutu Geyser at Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley; observe the emblematic kiwi bird; and discover Maori traditions at the cultural center. Upgrade to include a cultural performance of Maori song and dance, including the warlike ‘haka.’ Showtimes are available several times a day during admittance.

Learn more about Rotorua’s culture and natural history when you visit the Hell’s Gate geothermal park. Simplify your visit by pre-purchasing your entry ticket. Take advantage of the included guided tours, which includes a self-guided option if you’d prefer to go at your own pace. Try Maori carving in the carving house and soak in the geothermal waters, if you like.

Challenge yourself with New Zealand's largest and most diverse range of mazes, mind-bending puzzles, and game attractions! Navigate Rotorua's famous 1.7km 3D Maze, explore our NEW glow in the dark Neon Cave experience, plus try New Zealand's tallest wall maze. Keep the family entertained for hours with the ultimate maze experience with so much to do - colour maze, puzzle path, arrow maze, Tui's Tangle maze, children's playground, tilt maze, giant games and rope maze. Wonderworld has been an icon in Rotorua’s family entertainment and tourism industry, bringing fun and happiness for over 40 years. We're conveniently located 12 minutes from Rotorua & 3 minutes from the Airport making it a perfect thing to do in Rotorua!

Slip into steaming water and cold pools at the Rotorua Deluxe Lake Spa, where pre-booked admission gets you access to premium changing rooms, an indoor lounge, mineral pools, and heated poolside recliners. The all-ages facility is a family-friendly alternative to Lake Rotorua’s adults-only options, and with four hours of spa time, you won't feel rushed as you relax, soak, and pamper sore traveling muscles.

Our Gallery Highlights Tour is the perfect introduction to the Museum and its wonderful collections, giving you a window into New Zealand’s past and present. Over the course of an hour, you’ll be guided through our renowned galleries, giving you an understanding of Māori culture and the achievements of Polynesian navigators. Explore the unique natural history and geology of Auckland and Aotearoa New Zealand and look back on the conflicts that have shaped the nation. The tour covers select galleries across all three floors of the Museum, and our guide will be happy to answer questions about collection items or galleries along the way. Let us show you around our place. Note: This tour requires visitors to walk up a flight of stairs, therefore is not suitable for visitors with additional mobility considerations. PLEASE NOTE: Te Marae Ātea Māori Court & Pacific Galleries are temporarily closed until further notice due to essential maintenance work.

Te Papa Museum of New Zealand is unique for its innovative, interactive exhibits that engage visitors through cutting-edge technology, its deep respect and authentic representation of Māori culture and heritage, its comprehensive displays of New Zealand's diverse natural history and cultural narratives, and its commitment to inclusivity and community engagement, making it a dynamic and inclusive cultural hub.

Treat yourself to a relaxing spa experience at adults-only Lake Rotorua hot pools, where pre-booking admission gets you access to acidic and alkaline pools, a reflexology walk, and a hot pool with views across the lake. It’s a serene and soothing alternative to the all-ages Rotorua spas, and includes plenty of spa time to ensure you never feel rushed.

Open 7 days a week from 9am - 5pm, self guide your way through a range of exhibits from Mountains to sea. You will see introduced species, native tuna (eels), our brown kiwi and tuatara of Aotearoa before finishing under the sea, our largest exhibit. Experience the wonders of the ocean as you witness the stingrays gliding through the water and the grace and beauty of the sea life. Feeding times 10am and 2pm daily.

Head to the Milky Way Glowworm Cave to learn facts about the luminous worms’ lifecycle that most guidebooks miss on this guided tour. Descend into the dark depths of the cave with your handheld flashlight and see the cave’s craggy ceiling lit up as bright as the sky at night. A longer premium tour option offers more time and information for photography enthusiasts.

If there's one thing people associate with New Zealand, it’s sheep, so make your trip to Rotorua complete with a visit to the Agrodome. Interact with the wooly animals during and educational and family-friendly farm tour experience that includes sheep-shearing, wool-spinning, and sheep dog demonstrations.

Gain insight into Kiwi culture when you visit the All Blacks Experience in Auckland. Whether you’re an avid rugby fan or simply interested in learning more about the Haka and the New Zealand national teams, this interactive experience entertains and informs. Hear interesting stories about the team and famous players, see All Blacks memorabilia, and even watch a powerful haka.

Art, craft, and culture-loving travelers will enjoy this guided tour of a New Zealand jade (pounamu) carving studio. Learn about the cultural significance of jade to the local Maori people, and about traditional and contemporary designs. Get the chance to meet jewelry artists and to see them at work. Choose a piece of jade to string and keep as a memento.

Get a personal introduction to Te Papa Tongarewa, New Zealand’s national museum, with a guided experience that adds meaning and context to what you see. Explore key highlights from the museum’s interactive exhibits, cultural collections, fine art, and natural history, while a guide shares stories and insight that bring the displays to life. Gain a deeper understanding of Māori heritage and New Zealand’s colonial history, and receive recommendations tailored to your interests so you can continue exploring with a richer perspective.

Save time and guarantee your time slot by pre-booking admission to the Odyssey Sensory Maze. This admission ticket makes it easy to enjoy a trip to the sensory maze. Store your belongings in a locker, then experience the challenging spaces, illusions, scents, and sound effects of the mysterious maze. A fun, family-friendly attraction that’s ideal for kids aged 8 and over.

New Zealand’s first multi-sensory immersive art experience.Seven dreamlike worlds brought to life through stunning 360° visuals and sound.More than an art gallery — a fully immersive journey for all your senses.Explore seven dreamlike interactive worlds in New Zealand’s first multi-sensory immersive art experience.

Whangarei is home to the largest collection of painter, ecologist, and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s work outside Vienna. Explore his art and architecture, as well as his dedication to nature on this self-guide or optional guided tour, as well as taking in the Wairau Māori Art Gallery, which features contemporary Māori artists exploring indigenous themes and Aotearoa’s history.

Gain entry to the National Kiwi Hatchery in Rotorua with this guided tour and ticket combo. Learn about New Zealand's renowned conservation program as you take a tour of the hatchery which has successfully hatched over 2,500 kiwi chicks. After a guided experience, explore the interactive kiwi burrow where you can see the life cycle of a kiwi from egg to burrow. Children under 5 years old cannot participate in this experience.

Gain admission to your choice of several heart-thumping activities at Velocity Valley, an adrenaline-inducing theme park located just minutes from central Rotorua. Not for the faint-hearted, each extreme ride provides non-stop blood-pumping action. Whether you’re traveling with family or friends, this adventure park has something for (almost) everyone. Choose from various handy admission packages to suit your time, needs, and budget.