Kiwi Valley Farm Park

If you’ve got kids who are obsessed with animals, this place is going to be a solid afternoon out. The farm animals are the real drawcard — feeding and petting them is genuinely hands-on, not just look-don’t-touch like so many places. Throw in a 1km maze, a sandbox, a play train, and tractor rides and honestly the kids won’t want to leave. The shaded seating and picnic tables make it easy for parents to settle in without baking in the sun, and the staff actually seem to enjoy being there, which makes a difference. Good for a wide age range too — toddlers through to older kids all seem to find something to get into.