Chasing the playgrounds

🧒 Travelling with Kids: Follow the Playgrounds — North Island Edition

When travelling with kids, one thing quickly becomes clear — your itinerary follows the playgrounds. Forget perfect schedules or ticking off every “must-see” attraction. The best family road trips happen when you go with the flow, park somewhere fun, and let the little ones burn off energy while you enjoy a hot coffee that’s still hot.

At Why Not? Motorhomes, we’ve explored the North Island many times with kids in tow. If there’s one golden rule we’ve learned, it’s this: the best family adventures are built around great playgrounds.

🥕 Ohakune — The Carrot Capital’s Ultimate Playground

Ohakune’s playground is enormous and can easily fill a whole day. Each station is sponsored by a local business or community group, giving it charm and character. Highlights include the carrot rocketship, carrot Mazda car, hopscotch, bunker-style forts, climbing ropes, bike circuits, an exercise area, and a thrilling flying fox. It’s fun for all ages and a true must-stop for families.

⛵ Thames Coastal Playground — Inspired by the Steamer Wakatere

This is no ordinary playground — it’s a full-scale adventure inspired by the iconic steamer paddler Wakatere. Sponsored by major local businesses, it features endless bridges, towers, ramps, massive swings, a pump track, and even a quirky pipe-style walkie-talkie system. Kids can climb, race, swing, and explore for hours while parents relax nearby. Perfect for picnics, coffee breaks, or just letting the little ones run wild.

⛏️ Waihi Rocketship Playground & Gold Discovery Walk

Waihi combines playground fun with local history. The playground is a little retro, but the rocketship slide makes it unforgettable. Nearby, the Martha Mine Pit Rim Walkway offers a scenic loop with epic views of the working gold mine and informative panels about its history. Kids can ride bikes along the rim, making it an educational and active stop.

🌋 Rotorua Lakefront Playground — A Must-Stop for Families

Rotorua’s lakefront playground is truly impressive. A massive tower dominates the area, while the lake views and water play are just the beginning. Kids (and adults!) can enjoy a pump track, exercise area for all ages, basketball pitch, large swings, and of course, a flying fox. Designed with input from children (and their little helpers, the architects), it’s a playground built for kids, by kids. Hours of fun are guaranteed.

🏖️ Mangawhai Activity Zone — Fun by the Beach

Mangawhai is more than a playground — it’s a full activity zone! Kids can climb a tower, swing on flying foxes, explore a pirate ship, ride a pump track, skateboard, or play tennis. All this sits just minutes from a wide, wild, sandy beach in Northland — the perfect mix of play, adventure, and fresh sea air for the whole family.

🧭 Road-Tripping with Kids — Our Golden Rules

• Keep drives short: 1–1.5 hours max, with stops to stretch legs, grab a snack, and refresh.
• Playgrounds first: Whoever said “happy wife, happy life” was… sooo far from the truth — it’s happy kids, happy trips!
• Bring bikes, scooters, or even a beach trolley: Anything the kids can push, pull, ride, or sit in when they’re bored works perfectly.
• Coffee breaks count as parenting breaks: A hot coffee and a moment of calm make all the difference. ☕

🌿 Why It Works

Going on holiday as a family means that every family member gets to have fun and do what they came to do. For kids, that’s spending endless hours on the swings, climbing towers, and flying foxes. For parents, it’s seeing their children happy — because honestly, who cares about world-famous geothermal wonders, ancient kauri forests, epic waterfall views, or rare NZ birds when you can see the smile on your kids’ faces? That’s why we do it, right?

Following the playgrounds isn’t just for kids — it’s for parents too. It takes the pressure off planning and gives your trip a natural rhythm. You’ll discover towns you might otherwise miss, meet locals, and collect the kind of memories that no itinerary can plan.

So when you pick up your motorhome, don’t stress about ticking off every sight. Just follow the playgrounds — and let the adventure unfold.