Fun activities open on Christmas Day

Skyline Rotorua is one of many attractions inRotorua that will be open for businesses on Christmas Day. Photo / File

If you are looking for something to do on Christmas Day with friends and family, Rotorua will still be bubbling away.

There's a wealth of activities in Rotorua and many of the city's attractions will remain open.

It's business as usual at Skyline Rotorua and everything will be operating as normal, including the Luge, Skyswing and Zoom Zipline.

"It can all be enjoyed," said general manager Bruce Thomasen. "Many thousands of people joined us last year and we expect Rotorua tourism will be booming this summer. Rotorua has never been hotter and it's all been fed by mountain biking, the lakes and the forest."

Mr Thomasen said tourism in general was between 10-20 per cent higher than last year and the region was enjoying the top end of national growth.

Skyline's Stratosfare Restaurant is fully booked, but the Market Kitchen cafe will be open. The Atlas Restaurant at Novotel is also booked out for lunch, although at this stage it has seats left for dinner as does Restaurant Nikau at the Millennium Hotel.

Rainbow Springs will be open until 5pm and visitors to the park could check out the trout and farm animals, the Kiwi Encounter, take in a guided tour of the wildlife park, play with the children in the playground, or take on the Big Splash. The park has a new series of summer Encounters experiences starting on Boxing Day. Christmas Day at the Polynesian Spa is normally very busy and this year it's expected to be the same.

Overseas guests may want to try a farm experience at the Agrodome. It opens every Christmas, as does iconic cultural centre Te Puia. Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland will also be open. If you are looking for free activities, why not check out one of the lakes around the region, or one of the many walks? The Redwoods has dozens of different trails of varying lengths and if you have a mountain bike it's perfect for biking. Kuirau Park has a great children's playground and Government Gardens provides plenty of spots to share a picnic and throw a ball.

Destination Rotorua has listed Agroventures adventure park, Rotorua Canopy Tour, Rotorua Duck Tours, Rotorua Museum Ogo Rotorua, Waikite Valley Hot Springs, Whakarewarewa and the Zorb as closed on Christmas Day.