After 3 solid days of wwoofing at the Corner Stone Cafe, our host Phillippa said we'd earned ourselves a day off. Giddyup. It was time to activate operation 'Explore Rotorua'!
Our research told us Rotorua was about a two hour drive south, and home to many adventure activities and geothermal features like hot springs, mud pools, and geysers. Upon further investigation we learned that Rotorua is a popular tourist destination and that that these things come with a hefty price tag: mud pool visit at Hell's Gate - $85, whitewater rafting for 50 minutes - $115, a single Zorb run - $75. Being the seasoned budget travelers we are, (some may say frugal, others may say cheap) we fired up Google and searched for "top free things to do in Rotorua". Boom! Here are the four things we decided on and thoroughly enjoyed today.
1) Hike to Wairere Waterfall Lookout. This is the tallest waterfall on the north island. The hike up and the view did NOT disappoint. The stairs at the top would be a great Quinte Blades workout for calves and glutes!
2) Swim in Opal Springs hot pools. Now full disclosure, this did cost us $8 each, but we had access to 3 pools at different temperatures AND an old-school metal waterside. (This would not pass any inspections in Canada).
3) Visit Kuirau Park. This free geothermal marvel is located in the city centre of Rotorua. It has many diversely coloured hot pools, a handful of bubbling mudpools, and lovely gardens to stroll through. We could even soak our feet in the hot water. The smell of sulphur is everywhere! At one point we both expected to see dinosaurs emerging from the mist.
4) Trek through the gorgeous towering Redwood Forest of Rotorua. With several different tracks (that's what Kiwis call hiking paths) to explore, this stop provided incredible prehistoric-like sites of trees, ferns, and the odd vista.
As you can see we avoided the tourist traps and had a fantastic day doing it! So, don’t forget to search for the “free things to do in …” before you go. You might find some hidden gems and save a little cash on the way.