Wānaka is a beautiful small town located in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. At the shores of Lake Wanaka, this town is nestled between the Southern Alps and the Mt. Aspiring National Park.
As with many other Otago cities, Wānaka is full of adventurous activities to do with your kids and beautiful scenery, including the most photographed tree in all of NZ. We stopped by Wānaka on our way North from Te Anau and Patea Doubtful Sound in Fiordland on our two week NZ trip.
We learned very shortly after arriving that people come here to take a picture of #ThatWānakaTree, which was sadly vandalized in 2020 during the pandemic. Don’t worry though, the tree is still standing, and still beautiful. If you want to get that epic Instagram shot, here is how to visit Wānaka and the beautiful Wānaka Tree.
Wānaka is on the traditional lands of the Maori.
Visiting the Wānaka Tree with your kids
It is worth the trip!
Shortly after arriving in Wānaka, we realized that everyone goes to Wānaka to see “That Wānaka Tree.”
The Wānaka Tree is a beautiful willow tree growing majestically in the middle of the lake. All photos of this tree are epic because they show the reflection of the tree growing out of the water and surrounded by snow-capped mountains. It is worth it to go, especially if you have a DSLR camera.
The tree is located on the south side of Lake Wānaka, closest to town. If you’re coming from Helwick Street and facing the lake, walk along the left side of the lake until you see the tree. You may see a long line of tourists – head that way!
Other things to do in Wānaka with your kids
Wānaka is full of kid-friendly adventures.
Walk along the Lake
Lake Wānaka is icy cold but beautiful. A rocky beach encircles the lake, perfect for skipping stones and going rock hunting with your kids.
Instead of swimming, we went for a walk along the beach. Our toddler had a hard time navigating the rocky shoreline with her new-to-walking legs and ended up being carried most of the trek.
Make sure you bring a kid carrier along with you! The Tush Baby saved my back, and freed up a hand so I could enjoy my ice cream cone while carrying her.
Paddle Wānaka offers single and double kayak and stand up paddle board rentals to get you and your family out on the lake.
Rentals are charged per person:
- 1 hour $25 per adult, $20 per child
- 2 hours $40 per adult, $35 per child
- 3 hours $55 per adult, $50 per child
The company is family-owned and very family-friendly, providing opportunities for littlest riders to enjoy a calm kayak ride on the lake.
Go for a hike
There are many hikes in Wānaka, each with epic views of the lake and surrounding mountains.
We chose to do the Mount Iron Track, a 4.5 mile loop trail that starts out very steep but has a long descent on the other side of the loop.
Our toddler loved looking for bunnies running across the field as we hiked.
Check out the shops along Helwick Street
We stopped at a few shops along Wānaka’s main strip and picked up some tourist gifts at Simply New Zealand, a new pair of sunglasses and a blank journal for our little 15 month old artist-to-be at Paper Plus.
In 1999, the community in Wānaka banded together to reduce waste and create a reduce-reuse-recycle program that includes a funky shop to buy used items and gear.
We love supporting thrift shops and finding interesting and unique items to bring home from trips – they make much better souvenirs in my opinion!
The Wānaka Lavender Farm is located just a few minutes from downtown Wanaka and a fun place to bring your family.
Why? Well, they have lawn games to enjoy, such as jenga, bocce ball, connect 4, and a lavender scavenger hunt. There are farm animals to visit, including adorable (and larger than expected) alpaca.
Depending on the season, tickets range from $7-15 for an adult and $3.50-7.50 for a child ages 5-15 (children under 5 free).
Where to Eat
Federal Diner
The best breakfast in Wānaka was at the Federal Diner. Their scones and breakfast sandwiches were delicious, served quickly, and came with a basket of kid’s toys to entertain our little one while we enjoyed our coffee.
The space is also super hip, with chalkboard signs and an industrial feel.
They call themselves a “family-friendly sports bar.”
Having never been to one, I was pleasantly surprised.
The staff were friendly with our kiddo, the food was decent but a little expensive, and the view of the lake was amazing. Oh, and there is a kid’s menu!
I recommend the clam chowder to warm up on a chilly evening with a glass of beer.
Big Fig
We ate dinner at the Big Fig, a quick-bite Mediterranean restaurant located on the waterfront in Wānaka.
The café had ready-to-serve meals of hummus, pita bread, delicious meats and salads. We enjoyed our dinner with a cold beer on their sunny porch with our kiddo.
Something Sweet
Black Peak Gelato
Black Peak Gelato served the best ice cream I had in New Zealand.
Located in a shopping area across the street from Lake Wānaka, grab a cone of the Central Otago Strawberry, made with local strawberries, and go for a walk across the street to look at the beautiful lake while you enjoy your locally made ice cream.
Where to Stay
We stayed at the Lake Wānaka Lodge because we got a great deal online and because the Airbnb options were limited for the dates we were passing through.
The hotel was relatively inexpensive ($79/night), clean, and within walking distance of the downtown strip along Helwick Street.
Although Wānaka was just a stopover on our way north to the glaciers of Franz Josef during our 2-week NZ trip, we found plenty to do!
The tree was beautiful, the lake pristine, the mountains covered in beautiful snow, and the food was delicious. The town itself was quiet, slow, and the perfect pace for a family with a 15-month-old.
Wānaka felt like a resort town for locals – with shops and restaurants that felt less touristy than the bustling Queenstown just an hour from there.
It was also a great place to slow down on our fast-paced two week NZ adventure and just spend a few hours leisurely walking along the trails, enjoying the sites. I’m happy we stopped here, and hope you do too.
Maybe we’ll find ourselves back in the area to explore more hiking trails or the ski resorts in the summer.
This post is part of a series of posts about visiting the South Island of NZ with kids. Continue the adventure with us here:
Puerto Rican & Indigenous mama of two. Bay Area native. Salsa dancer. Backpacker. Doula. Angel (she/her/hers) is a co-founding member of the Beautiful Brown Adventures team. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves to explore the world with her two daughters & partner - one ice cream shop at a time.
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