Family winter fun

                          
The Timaru District offers plenty of winter family-friendly fun. Enjoy endless outdoor adventures in the fresh air, with everything from scenic walks and biking trails to mini golf and playgrounds. Or stay warm indoors and keep the whole family entertained with thrilling car simulators, fascinating museums or the excitement of zooming down the hydro slides.
Trails
Timaru District is nature’s ultimate playground, offering unforgettable family adventures on our scenic walking and biking trails.
Little Kiwi Trail: Time for bed little kiwi! But where is he? Help mum kiwi find him. Follow the signs 1 - 10 around the Temuka Domain, starting at the carpark and help track little kiwi down. Based on the book ‘Time For Bed Little Kiwi’ by Temuka author/illustrator Bob Darroch, this trail is great for fun for the kids.
Big Tree Walk: Enjoy this short 30 minute walk to the largest tree, a huge lowland tōtara, almost three metres wide. There are large mataī, kahikatea and lowland tōtara along the track, some of which are thought to be 1000 years old.
Dashing Rocks: Experience the beauty of Timaru’s coastline with a 30 minute walk, enjoying panoramic views over Caroline Bay. Wander over ancient lava flows and examine the rocky cliffs that proved treacherous to early shipping.
Coastal Track: Follow the coastline north towards Timaru Harbour or south towards Otipua Wetlands and Tuhawaiki (Jack’s) Point tracks. Caroline Bay and Pātītī Point are great stops to play on the beach or have a picnic.
Tuhawaiki (Jack’s) Point: This one hour return walk follows the coast past the historic Tuhawaiki (Jack’s) Point Lighthouse and offers spectacular coastal views.
Geraldine Domain Trail: This track is an easy one hour loop around the Geraldine Domain, a large open space with a children’s playground, Top 10 Holiday Park and an adjacent community open-air swimming pool. View the amazing street art alongside the playground while you’re there.
Allan Jones Walkway: Start at the Domain entrance beside the Temuka Police Station and walk through to Torepe Fields which features an off-lead dog exercise area and frisbee golf course.
Bike
With dedicated bike parks, pumps tracks and scenic trails to suit all ages and riding levels Timaru District is the perfect place for family rides.
No bike? No worries. The Cyclery and Point E-Bikes offer bike hire, making it easy to get out and explore.
A brilliant spot for the young riders is the bike skills park at CPlay playground, featuring a fun road circuit. For older kids, the skate park at Caroline Bay is great for skating and riding around.
Centennial Park is a bike lover’s dream, with a range of different grade-level BMX tracks. The MTB skills track and pump track are great fun for all ages.
The 25-30km Timaru Circuit comprises a collection of eight tracks around Timaru. Choose to complete the full circuit from end to end or select specific sections to bike.
Central South Island Trail is a great way to see some of the best scenery that the South Island has to offer. The trail takes you along the countryside from the seaside town of Timaru, through Pleasant Point to Cave via State Highway 8.
For the best views of our stunning coastline take the Coastal Track. A great track for cycling on the edge of a shingle beach, you might spot the occasional seal.
Art, culture and heritage
Discover the vibrant art, culture, and rich history throughout the Timaru District. Explore a diverse collection of galleries, museums and street art.
Go on a journey through the history and culture of our people at the state-of-the-art, interactive center, Te Ana Māori Rock Art Centre. Create your own rock art, hold an ancient moa bone, shelter from Pouakai the giant eagle in the cave of the Taniwha and more!
Aigantighe Art Gallery is the home of art in South Canterbury, showcasing an ever-changing range of exhibitions. Visit the newly restored Heritage House and head outside to wander around the Sculpture Garden.
Wander through the South Canterbury Museum and discover the natural heritage and history of the land, life and people in our region.
Ride the steam train and Model T railcar, watch and play with the interactive model railway and wander around the museum at Pleasant Point Railway.
The city center has a collection of vibrant street art painted on beautiful historic buildings. Take a self-guided tour using the map on Timaru Trails and explore the ones that take your interest or take the tour in numerical order to see them all.
Geraldine Vintage Car & Machinery Museum has an incredible display of classic cars, tractors and machinery, an enthusiast’s dream.
Vintage tractors, machinery, and one of the best collections of local classic trucks can be found at Kyle Park Transport Museum.
Step back in time to what it was like in the war at the Geraldine Military Museum. Learn the fascinating history, see their amazing collection of vehicles, crawl through a bunker, and even sit in an ambulance.
Indoor Fun
Get competitive with the whānau and enjoy hours of fun with a wide range of indoor activities.
Catch the latest films at Movie Max Digital or for a different experience sitting on couches and armchairs in the old town hall, try the Geraldine Cinema.
Make a splash, float around the lazy river, soak in the spa and zoom down the hydro slides at CBay, Timaru Aquatic Centre.
Let the tamariki burn off some energy at Jumpin indoor trampoline park or Chipmunks.
A family favourite is getting into the racing action with car simulators at HOSS – House of Sports Simulation and Mundell’s Multi Hub. Both venues also offer golf simulators, and at HOSS, you can even take to the skies with their exciting flight simulators.
Experience the thrill of competition at Temuka’s exciting new attraction, G&E Entertainment. Perfect for both kids and adults, you can battle it out with Nerf wars, laser tag, or gel blasters.
Play outdoors
Explore outdoor play spaces where families can enjoy the fresh air and make long-lasting memories.
Play on the largest playground in the Southern Hemisphere, CPlay! This award-winning playground is the ultimate place to have fun. Climb aboard a shipwreck, conquer a towering lighthouse slide, explore the mahika kai-inspired play zone, and soar through the air on a 50-meter tandem flying fox.
The Shearers Quarters is a top destination for family adventures with a mini golf course, friendly farmyard animals to feed and a challenging maze.
Experience something truly unique with The Raptor Experience. Get up close with New Zealand’s native birds of prey in an engaging, hands-on session. Learn about the lives of our native raptor birds and you will have the opportunity to handle the birds yourself!
The Farmyard Holiday Park is the perfect place to stay for a family weekend away. Enjoy feeding the adorable farm animals, having fun on the big playground and roasting marshmallows at the firepit.
Get competitive with the whānau with a range of outdoor sports. Hit the mini golf courses, play a round of disc golf or try out soccer golf at Geraldine Farm Shop & Cafe.
Food
Discover family-friendly cafes and restaurants along with spots guaranteed to satisfy those sweet cravings.
Millie Rose Boutique – grab a beautiful designer cupcake, a crookie, loaded brownie or cookie. This place is for the sweet tooths, you’ll be wanting to come back for more.
Ice ice Baby – scoop up a treat at this gelato shop serving up hand-crafted, award-winning ice cream.
What the Cup – serving up delicious Korean BBQ in a cup. The Korean fried chicken cup is definitely a fan favourite.
Curbside Toastie – the most delicious toasties with incredible filling flavours, and don’t miss out on their cookies and shakes too.
U-Bake – the biggest selection of bakery treats from incredible pies and sandwiches to scrumptious donuts and cakes. Perfect for families on the way to the next adventure.
The Shearers Quarters – tuck into a delicious meal in the country setting. Work up an appetite after the fun activities here and enjoy a big breakfast, burger or loaded wedges.
Harlau House – relaxed eats, mouth-watering flavours and a side of country charm. Dig into eggs, pancakes, spicy wings or their special Sunday buffet breakfast.