The Care Bears come to Auckland for high tea at The Cordis hotel.
The Care Bears come to Auckland for high tea at The Cordis hotel.
Each week in Travel, we check out some of the latest happenings from Aotearoa and beyond to inspire your next adventure.
The Care Bears come to Auckland
A mainstay kid fave since 1981, the Care Bears never go out of fashion. For three weeks only this January, you can join them for a magical afternoon tea at The Cordis hotel, Auckland. Settle in for a truly inventive selection of sweet and savoury delights, including buttery croissants and fluffy milk rolls as well as freshly baked scones and all manner of edible bears. Tuck into Share Bear’s Sparkle Cookies and mousse cakes shaped as Funshine Bear. The attention to detail is impeccable; think savoury gum bears created from capsicum juice and teddy bear-shaped sandwiches. Served in the hotel’s Jade Room, the venue is kitted out with Care Bear decor, as well as activities such as face painting and dress-up. Better still, every guest will leave with a goodie bag. Priced at $70 for children and $75 for adults, sessions run from 11am-1pm on Saturdays and Sundays between January 4-19. cordishotels.com/en/auckland/offers/dine/care-bears-high-tea
Care Bear-shaped cakes at the Care Bear High Tea, Cordis, Auckland.
Why watch and play with Barbie dolls when you can hang out with her? The first-ever Mattel Adventure Park is set to open in Glendale City, Arizona, in late 2025. It’s inviting fans from all over the world to a world of glam, glitz and wonder. Mattel Adventure Park is the first-ever Mattel-branded theme park featuring classic Mattel toys and board games. Kids (and kids-at-heart) will get to spend the whole day hanging out with Barbie at the Barbie Beach House, ride the Hot Wheels Twin Mill Racer rollercoaster, see Thomas & Friends, and play UNO! matteladventurepark.com
A rendered image of the Barbie Beach House at the Mattel Adventure Park opening late 2025.
Your favourite ice cream is now at Park Hyatt
After 16 years of only being able to devour their favourite ice cream at a single location, Aucklanders are in for a treat. Park Hyatt Auckland’s cafe - The Pantry is bringing Giapo to a second Auckland venue, perfectly timed for summer. Annarosa and Giapo Grazioli’s wild ice cream creations are usually only found at their iconic shop on Gore St, but this year, Kiwis can get five of their favourite flavours right in the heart of the Wynyard Quarter. The Giapo Ice Cream Hut at The Pantry officially opened on December 7 and will run throughout the summer from Wednesday to Sunday. giapo.comhyattpantry.co.nz
Giapo Grazioli's ice cream lab will wow Park Hyatt Auckland this summer. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree
The Christmas spirit has officially taken over Auckland Museum, boasting a 13-foot-tall Christmas tree as the centrepiece. This holiday season, myriad free and joyful events are scheduled to fill the halls of Auckland Museum: on Twilight Tuesday nights Robin Kelly and Ludwig Treviranus will bring Christmas classics to life on the Fazioli grand piano, ending with a lively singalong to your seasonal favourites. On Festive Whānau Weekends guests can craft their own Christmas ornaments. The heartwarming voices of the choirs performing holiday carols and festive favourites fill the whole museum with enchanting music every weekend. And parents, don’t forget to help your little ones send their letters and wish lists to Santa via the museum’s North Pole mailbox. aucklandmuseum.com
Auckland Museum's Christmas tree is welcoming visitors this holiday season.
Chinese New Year in Dunedin
Dunedin’s Chinese New Year celebrations are ramping up this year. The city’s long-standing China connections have made the celebration of Chinese New Year colourful and lively every year. To welcome the Year of the Snake, the city has extended the existing one-day celebration to 10 days, from January 26 to February 9. Visitors can expect a unique city-wide celebration, decked with Chinese lanterns, Chinese heritage train journeys, tours and more. Lan Yuan Dunedin Chinese Garden will host the spectacular main event on February 1, complete with a parade, dragon dances, food trucks, cultural performances and fireworks. dunedinnz.com/visit/dunedin-events/dunedin-chinese-cultural-festival
Chinese New Year celebrations at the Lan Yuan Chinese Garden in Dunedin. Photo / Dunedin NZ
