Earlier this month I was stoked to have been invited to compete in the first-ever Choice Hotels #ChoiceNZTravelgrammer2017 competition against 10 other NZ based Instagram Influencers. We were despatched to 10 stunning and varied locations around NZ with the goal to ‘do the regions proud’ and snap up a social media storm across Instagram.
Cool right?!
I hadn’t spent any time in The Bay of Plenty since my misspent youth – one of those summers at The Mount…………I’m sure a few of you can relate? Needless to say, I was super excited to head south and check out the sights of Tauranga with Ethan – I’d decided I needed a teammate and who better than my 12 year old son.
48 Hours in Tauranga
Accommodation
We stayed at the perfectly located Comfort Inn Academy and we loved it. We had a big, roomy suite (with an equally generous bathroom), crazy-good wifi, a lovely pool and spa, immaculate grounds and really, really fabulous hosts. Tauranga’s attractions span the city from beach (Mt Maunganui 14mins) to bush (McLaren Falls 14min), so a central location will help you maximise your time in this beautiful, coastal destination.
Family Friendly Activities in Tauranga
- Visit the Mt Hot Pools for a swim
- Climb Mt Maunganui. This is a must do, the views are stunning and it’s a great workout. Ethan (12) did really well and I saw lots of younger kids having fun on the trail.
- Enjoy an amazing ice cream from Copenhagen Cones, located at the base of The Mount
- Have fish ‘n chips on the wharf at Bobby’s Fresh Fish Market. BEST fish ‘n chips ever and I’ve eaten my way around NZ’s fried food establishments lol.
- Book an Evening Glow Worm Kayak Tour with the awesome crew at Waimarino Kayak Tours. I can’t even describe how magical this night was. I felt so fortunate to be out on Lake McLaren, experiencing the peace and tranquillity of night paddling with Ethan. It was really special……..and the glowworm caverns were fabulous! This, in my opinion, is the absolute BEST way to see glowworms in NZ. Plus, there’s wine and cheese lakeside at sunset!!!!
- Visit the Paradox Inside street art exhibition at The Tauranga Art Gallery (showing until June 2017). Get along to this if you can, featuring the largest collection of works by Banksy and other world-renowned artists in the southern hemisphere.
- Do some bombs at McLaren Falls! Ethan and I spent hours here. This is a seriously stunning spot where kids and adults alike can explore, swim, relax and take in some amazing New Zealand scenery.
Win with Choice Hotels NZ!
You can win your own NZ mini-break with Choice Hotels! Follow them on Instagram (check them out here) before the 18th of April and go in the draw to win one of two short breaks at any Choice Hotel location in New Zealand.
Good luck and happy travels!
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