Accommodations

Nelson shares the title of the sunniest place in New Zealand and is also the geographical center… Welcome to the middle of Middle Earth!

Nelson offers fabulous outdoor activities such as swimming and a fun park at Tahunanui Beach a great place for a picnic or to enjoy the beach cafe there.

A visit to the Founders Historic Park – a “living” museum with an adventure playground is well worth the time.

Nelson has a very quaint and easy to navigate downtown, wonderful craft beer, a nice biking/walking trail right in the center of the city near the iSite. The “one ring” in the Lord of the Rings was created here in Nelson.

If you are lucky you may get to visit the Saturday market which is considered one of the best in the country. Not only all the fresh locally grown produce and products but many artists and craftspeople display their wares and crafts.

Top Things to do in Nelson with Kids

  1. Hike to the Center of New Zealand: A short hike that begins right in the middle of the city and will take you atop a mountain to the center of New Zealand. It is a mildly steep grade but short enough to be enjoyed by the entire family.
  2. Take a beer tour – In Nelson there is even a brewery in an old converted church. This way you can ask God’s forgiveness for bringing your kids to a bar while you enjoy a local craft beer!
  3. Go to Tahunanui Beach and the fun park
  4. Visit the Saturday Market if you can
  5. Take a bike ride down a bit of “The great wine trail
  6. Visit the World of Wearable Art and Classic Cars
  7. Play at the skate park

Also, as a runner I found Nelson a wonderful place for a trail run. Follow the river for miles through rolling hills, mountains and grazing cattle!

Where to Stay with Kids in Nelson

There are several holiday parks in the region but we opted for an apartment instead.

We stayed at the Nikau appartments which gave us a full kitchen, bathroom and 2 bedrooms for the same price as it would have been to stay in the communal hostel.

The only downside that I see with apartment rentals is that it is easier to isolate yourself. But sometimes, for parents and kids alike, it can be nice to take a break and have a place to call “home” for a few days as you explore a city.

The Nikau apartments have a college dorm room feel but are still very nice for a short stay.

Wellington New Zealand is a wonderful place for kids.

Why?

Because it has more free activities than any other place in New Zealand!

I would liken Wellington to the Washington DC of New Zealand, for its abundance of free museums that are spectacular for kids.

It is also easily navigated by foot (or in our case “scooterable”) which makes it a fun city to explore.

What to do in Wellington with Kids

1. Te Papa

Every guide-book says it, and I didn’t really believe that it could be that great after going to the Auckland Museum and being a bit disappointed. But Te Papa, as its name would suggest, is the granddaddy of all museums.

Every floor is designed to be a treasure trove for kids, walk about 5 minutes and you will come across a kids activity center. Go to the art gallery and they even have a special super sleuth game designed to get your kids excited  about art.

Kids naturally want to learn and it does my heart well to see a museum designed to build upon this innate love for learning.

If Te Papa is the only thing you do in New Zealand with your family  you won’t be missing much as it truly is spectacular.

2. The Cable Car

The following day after we visited Te Papa we went back into town to find the cable car and visit the botanical gardens.

We were met by  70 mph winds and some rain, but surprisingly our kids didn’t seem to mind.

We found the cable car entrance (thank you trusty Google Maps) and we took the cable car up for about $13 US. The best part is, you can get a one way ticket and walk, or again in our case scooter, all the way back down to the start.

The gardens are free and there is an amazing playground with a flying fox. Takes about 30-45 minutes to make it down the back of the mountain and the trail ends right back in the city where you started.

This was a half day adventure in my book (at least when it is windy and rainy) but it was a lot of fun and totally worth the effort.

3. Mount Victoria Lookout

We didn’t mean to go the lookout, our car just headed up there while discovering the city and driving the coastal route.

The road is awesome, straight up the mountain and narrow with two-way traffic! You will wonder several times if you are going the right way but this is what makes it fun.

The view from the top on a sunny day is amazing and is worth the drive up. Our kids liked it, we drove down and then followed this up with a trip to Te Papa to make a day out of it.

4. The Weta

The Weta Workshop was another accidental find, somewhere in our readings I heard that Peter Jackson had a production company in Wellington where they did the special effects for the Lord of the Rings. As a movie and effects buff this sounded like fun for the entire family.

Once again, I heard the workshop was FREE,  I couldn’t believe it so I had to see it.

We took a half day before the cable car ride to go to the Weta Workshop. They showed a 30 minute feature film showing how they do movie effects, it was gross and a bit violent, the kids loved it. Then we paid the $40 to take the 45 minute workshop tour.

They have the real props from some of the best movies of all time, your tour guide will be one of the Weta artists and after you leave you will be thinking about a change of professions.

It was super cool, and super fun, and I would do it again.

The best part: The Hobbit Trolls!

Where to Stay With Kids in Wellington

We stayed in the Wellington Top 10 Holiday Park outside of the city, it wasn’t bad, but if I were to do it again I would recommend staying in the city if you can.

The kitchen cabin in the Top 10 was lackluster (despite an awesome jumping pillow) and it looked a bit like a prison cell.  I thought it was a bit overpriced at $120 NZ per night. That being said, most Wellington accommodations will be in th range of $160 for families.

Lonely Planet Travel with Children recommend The Carillon which is about  this price range, looks nice if it is within your budget.

Our favorite kid and family friendly Budget Accommodations in South Africa

Our South Africa itinerary consisted of 11 stops:

Cape Town → Hermanus  → Oudtshoorn →  Wilderness  → Plettenberg Bay  → Jeffrey’s Bay  → Addo Elephant Park → Chinsta → Coffee bay  → St. LuciaDurban

Hermanus

We stayed at the Hermanus Esplanade which was a good deal. At $55 US per night, we were given an entire fisherman’s cottage for our family.

Kind of dangerous but cool!We had a nice refrigerator, stove, family room and two bathrooms.

What we didn’t have was wi-fi or a swimming pool. Not biggies but the backpackers hostel may be worth the look and it seems to me it may be just a bit better for families.

Our kids had a special hideout upstairs as well which allowed them to sleep in and us parents to have a private room downstairs. The only downside is we are here in August and there is no heat whatsoever, it was quite cold in the evenings.  We improvised by firing up the hot plate and using it as a radiant heater, which I must say didn’t work that badly – just don’t tell the owners.

Oudtshoorn

The main house at Karoo SoulKaroo Soul – We stayed in the family “cottage” for US $60 per night. Nice and close to town, with a full kitchen and private bathroom.

This was a bit more than we wanted to spend for 3 nights but definitely comfortable and the staff was super friendly. On the plus side, we received discounts to activities probably worth about $20 on the first day alone.

Wilderness

??????????????Wilderness Beach House Backpackers – This place is so fun and friendly, the views are spectacular, it’s close to the beach and the owner of this lodge will make you feel right at home. It is cold in the winter and they don’t have heat, so be warned. You may want to ask for extra blankets.

Plettenberg Bay

welcome2-676x450Swallow’s Nest: We ended up at a B&B operated by a Dutch couple and their son. We talked them down to 700 Rand a night for a really nice 2 bedroom cottage overlooking the entire bay. They had a good internet connection a small pool (that was too cold for the kids unfortunately) and the best part… The most amazing breakfast I have ever had.

Honestly I would probably recommend the beachside backpackers just because their location is a bit better and it is probably a bit more budget-friendly for families but this breakfast was so good I may actually consider going back someday for that alone.

Jeffrey’s Bay

Friendly FunStay at Cristal Cove

For around $65 a night we had our own family apartment complete with two bedrooms, two baths, balcony with a view to the ocean, full kitchen, living room, TV, consistent WiFi, beer bottle candles, a friendly cat, a lively bar downstairs, a pool table, tennis courts a block away, a playground a block away, great people to talk to and to round it off, Supertubes right outside our bedroom window

Addo Elephant Park

Avoca River CabinsThe Avoca river cabins are about 15 minutes away from the Elephant Park. Hands down this is the very best place we have stayed in all of south Africa (and that is saying a lot!).

  • Free kayaks for use on the river
  • Amazing river front cabins with a heater during the winter months!
  • A beautiful pool with a slide
  • A full kitchen
  • Two playgrounds each equipped with a ground level trampoline, zipline, tire swing and a jungle gym.
  • Less than $65 US per night!

Let me say it one more time as well to make sure you get this down. There is a free and amazing kid size zipline! So cool.

Breakfast was 5 dollars for adults and free for children, and because the property is on an orange orchard you can help yourself to all the oranges you would like. Because of this we ate oranges and drank freshly squeezed orange juice for 3 days straight!

After 1 week in Bali our family was craving an ideal location for surf and fun with the kids.  We happened upon Balian Beach after changing plans to avoid the overpriced Gilis.

Here is What we Wanted

  • Great beginner/intermediate surfing right outside our door (check)
  • Surfboards to hire/rent (check)
  • A nice pool for the kids (check)
  • very close to the beach (check)
  • A spacious room (big check)

We found it all (and more) at Pondok Pitaya on Balian beach.

Although the surf was a bit bigger than I would have liked while were there, everything about Balian beach and Pondok Pitaya was perfect.

They had babysitting, yoga, message, wonderful surfing, surfing lessons, board rentals, good food, a great atmosphere and lots of vacationing families.

We stayed there for 5 days and 6 nights

The afternoon wind could be strong, but the morning and early evenings were perfect. The surf favors a 5-6 food swell with a mid to high tide. It can go from perfect to quite big overnight and is a bit fickle. There are strong rips and a rocky bottom so it is not great for surfing with small children.

The cost of a driver to Balian Beach from the East Coast of Sanur was 400,000 Indonesian Rupiah… About $35 US.

Surfboard rentals are right next to the hotel and should be no more than 50,000.  There were boards of all sizes in mediocre condition for rent.

You can get lessons from a great instructor for about $35 US.

The message and yoga options are large and varied, on-site they are more expensive than you will find in the bigger cities.

The accommodations are unique and very, I call them super bungalows.

You are right on the beach and you can see the surf from your bed.

Tide shifts are huge and there is a very strong rip so again be forewarned.

Prices on Bookings.com tend to be the best. Pondok Pitaya on Bookings.

You may also want to double check on Agoda to find the best price. Pondok Pitaya on Agoda