Things to do in the Coromandel with kids

Things to do in the Coromandel with kids run from a hand-built forest railway to digging a hot pool at Hot Water Beach, with calm water at Hahei and boat trips along the coast. Most family days on the peninsula are outdoors, so planning comes down to tides, weather and how far you want to drive.

Forest rides and ziplines at Driving Creek

At Driving Creek in Coromandel Town, a 75-minute railway tour runs on a hand-built mountain railway across 10 bridges and through three tunnels to the EyeFull Tower lookout, while the guide tells how a kauri-logged forest became a wildlife sanctuary. The tour is described as family-friendly, wheelchair-friendly tickets are sold, and the railway runs in almost all weather, with free ponchos for wet days.

Driving Creek also runs a 2.5-hour zipline tour that starts with a 15-minute train ride, and a 90-minute beginner pottery class on the wheel with clay and aprons provided.

Beach days at Hahei and Hot Water Beach

Hahei Beach is fringed with pohutukawa trees, with pink shells at the northern end, and the offshore islands break the swell so the water stays calm for swimming and boating.

At Hot Water Beach, geothermal water rises through the sand and you dig your own pool within a 2-hour window either side of low tide, at the southern end near the rocky outcrop. Spades can be hired from the shop by the beach. The water can reach 64°C, so test it before anyone sits in, and the southern end is rip-prone, so swim between the flags where the surf club patrols.

On the water with children

Coromandel cruises to Cathedral Cove and the Aldermen Islands sell child and family tickets, and a 2-hour trip suits a morning or an afternoon. The Tairua cruise includes time at the cove for photos or a swim, and the Aldermen Islands operator keeps groups to a maximum of 12 and may turn up dolphins, turtles and sea birds. Coromandel water sports include guided kayaking from Hahei, with child tickets on the Cathedral Cove tours.

Planning a day with kids

Cathedral Cove has no drinking water or rubbish bins on the beach, so bring water and take your rubbish out. The coastline is unstable and rockfalls can happen without warning, so children need supervising near cliffs and should stay out of the arch when water is flowing through it.

Hahei is a 2.5-hour drive from Auckland and Coromandel Town a 1-hour drive from Hahei, so one area a day keeps the driving short. Coromandel activities cover the forest and kayaking, wet days have rainy day things to do in the Coromandel, and the wider things to do in the Coromandel fill in the rest. For ideas beyond the peninsula, see things to do with kids across New Zealand.

Frequently asked questions

What can kids do in the Coromandel?

Kids in the Coromandel can ride a hand-built mountain railway at Driving Creek, dig a hot pool at Hot Water Beach, swim at calm Hahei Beach and take a 2-hour boat trip to Cathedral Cove.

Is Hot Water Beach good for kids?

Yes, with care. Kids can dig their own hot pool within a 2-hour window either side of low tide, but the water can reach 64°C and the southern end is rip-prone, so test the water and swim between the flags where the surf club patrols.

Is the Driving Creek railway suitable for children?

Yes. The Driving Creek railway tour is described as family-friendly, child fares cover ages 4 to 16 with infants listed separately, and wheelchair-friendly tickets are sold.

What age can kids go on Coromandel boat and kayak tours?

Age ranges differ by operator. Child tickets on the Aldermen Islands boat tour start at 3 years, and child tickets on the Cathedral Cove classic kayak tour start at 5 years, so check each tour's ticket types before you book.

How long is the drive from Auckland to the Coromandel with kids?

Auckland to Hahei is a 2.5-hour drive, and Coromandel Town is a 1-hour drive from Hahei, so families often split the peninsula across more than one day.

Choose one area of the Coromandel for the day, the forest railway at Coromandel Town or the beaches and boats around Hahei, and book the family outing with Experience Oz.