Rotorua: The heat is on

There's more to Rotorua than getting in hot water. Photo / Supplied

When the mercury plummets, the idea of spending a weekend in Rotorua seems very appealing. With favourite soak spots such as the Polynesian Pools, the Blue Baths or Hell's Gate, it's a great place to warm up. But Rotorua is a hive of other activities as well, particularly if you want to keep the kids amused. Here are some suggestions:

1. Rotorua Museum
Rotorua has one of the best museums in the country and it's a great place to while away some time on a cold day. Housed in Rotorua's historic Bath House, in Government Gardens, the museum has a constantly changing programme of exhibitions, as well as several fascinating www.rotoruamuseum.co.nz

2. Rainbow Springs
This is another great spot to take the family. Walk through pristine native bush, out of which loom impressively huge, exotic redwood trees. The kids can spot rainbow trout in the streams, and have close encounters with both tuatara and kiwi. A family pass for two adults and two children is $65 and gets you unlimited entry to the park for a 24-hour period. www.rainbowsprings.co.nz

3. Buried Village, Lake Tarawera
A good, if slightly eerie follow-up to a Rotorua Museum visit. The village of Te Wairoa was something of a tourist hub in the late 19th century, with international visitors drawn by the spectacle of the pink and white terraces. Then Mt Tarawera erupted burying the lot under tons of mud and ash, killing 150 people. The village is now home to a museum, documenting both the eruption and and pre-disaster day-to-day life. While there make the short hike to Te Wairoa waterfall. www.buriedvillage.co.nz

4. Te Ngae Maze Park
There's nothing quite as simple or as entertaining as getting lost in a maze for a while - it's also cheap, at just $6 for adults and $3 for children. The maze is made up of tall (too tall to peer over, cheaters) wooden panels; the idea is to find your way to all four, colour-coded corners and then out again - and it's surprisingly difficult. It's a great way to get the kids using those PlayStation game skills outside. The maze is on Te Ngae Rd, along SH30.

5. Agrodome
The mecca for Rotorua-bound adventure lovers, although it also has great farm experiences for the kids - including shearing and milking demonstrations as well as a chance to bottle-feed lambs. Other more adrenalin pumping activities include: the Zorb, in which you are harnessed inside a giant rolling ball; the Schweeb, a pedal-powered monorail race-track; the Swoop, in which you're strapped into a hand-gliding harness for a 130km/h short, intense flight; and of course, the ubiquitous bungy. You can also take a jet-boat ride, a helicopter flight, try the Freefall Extreme which makes you feel like you're flying, or a rather more sedate lake cruise, on the Lakeland Queen. Something, as they say, for everyone. www.agrodome.co.nz

For more information about what's on in Rotorua visit www.rotoruanz.co.nz

- Detours, HoS