Four of the best things to do on the southern road trip

NZ Herald

5 Jun, 2015 05:00 PM3 mins to read

The Maori garden is one of the many world cultures and countries represented at Hamilton Gardens. Photo / Christene Cornege

There's more to check out while you're in the region for Fieldays.

1: Go back in time: Te Parapara at Hamilton Gardens

New Zealand's only traditional Maori garden, Te Parapara, demonstrates the plants, techniques and culture of Maori horticulture, food culture and storage. With authentic palisade fencing (taepa), traditional storehouses (pataka), as well as a ceremonial gateway (waharoa) and ancestral pou, this is a great way to picture how the Waikato would have looked, pre-European.

Travel the world's gardens in the 54ha: from China to Japan, back in time to Renaissance Italian or Victorian times, as well as herbs, perfumed and more.

State Highway 1, south of the central city (access is via Cobham Drive).

2: More than cows: Hamilton Zoo

Easier to access from southern parts of Auckland, this zoo has more than 600 native and exotic animals and the largest free-flight aviary in New Zealand.

Check out the two red panda cubs now starting to venture out, join free daily Meet the Keeper talks or go behind the scenes on a Face2Face encounter with Sumatran tigers, southern white rhinos, chimpanzees or lemurs.

A Northland Green Gecko at Hamilton Zoo. Photo / Christine Cornege

183 Brymer Rd, RD9.

3: Stories of our land: Waikato Museum

Set on the banks of the Waikato River, the museum has social history, tangata whenua and science, as well as visual art.

View majestic waka Te Winika; E Nga Uri Whakatupu: weaving of Dame Rangimarie Hetet and Diggeress Te Kanawa; kids will love the ongoing Planet Warriors and Exscite hands-on science galleries.

Right now for the Fifa Under 20s, the museum has a tribute to the Beautiful Game, plus the first exhibition of works from Fletcher Challenge's offices, treasures from Te Papa and the first major survey of Euan Macleod paintings.

Join vangoyourself.com, an online interactive famous artworks programme (until Sunday).

War canoe, Te Whare Waka o Te Winika at Waikato museum. Photo / Supplied

1 Grantham St, south end of Victoria St.

4: Game time: Fifa U-20 World Cup 2015

Hamilton's Waikato Stadium is hosting six group matches, one Round of 16 match (next Thursday, June 11, 7.30pm), and a Quarter Final match ("Super Sunday" June 14, 1pm).

Today it's Senegal v Qatar (1pm) and Mali v Uruguay (4pm), so for fans, Hamilton's the place to be.

If you need to join in with some rough and tumble - not just watch it - then Waikato's Tough Guy and Gal Challenge is in Ngaruawahia next weekend. The primary school event is on the Friday, then off-road running, mud and obstacles over 6km or 12km courses.