Guidebook for Lake Okareka
Food Scene
This is my favourite place for a coffee and cake these days. Don't be put off by the fact this place resides in an industrial area in among kitchen manufactures and car servicing garages. This little haven has terrific cakes and fresh bread made by a Swiss professional (Alex) who is passionate about his art. Also excellent coffee and sandwiches. Ambient environment inside to sit and chat. Take home a loaf of ciabatta to extend the experience. It closes early though - 3pm weekdays, and about 1:30pm Saturdays.
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Ciabatta Cafe & Bakery
38 White StThis is my favourite place for a coffee and cake these days. Don't be put off by the fact this place resides in an industrial area in among kitchen manufactures and car servicing garages. This little haven has terrific cakes and fresh bread made by a Swiss professional (Alex) who is passionate about his art. Also excellent coffee and sandwiches. Ambient environment inside to sit and chat. Take home a loaf of ciabatta to extend the experience. It closes early though - 3pm weekdays, and about 1:30pm Saturdays.
Classic and authentic Italian pizza made in a wood oven. Its owned by real deal Italians who know their stuff. Don't buy pizza here to take away.. this is thin crust and needs to be eaten on the spot and straight out of the oven. The restaurant is cosy (ie. tiny), but that's part of its charm.
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Pizzeria Imperfetto
1176 Pukaki StClassic and authentic Italian pizza made in a wood oven. Its owned by real deal Italians who know their stuff. Don't buy pizza here to take away.. this is thin crust and needs to be eaten on the spot and straight out of the oven. The restaurant is cosy (ie. tiny), but that's part of its charm.
A high quality continental style cafe and restaurant. Beautiful to be in. Excellent coffee. Big variety of great food from. Good place for lunch, dinner, or casual coffee & cake.
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Capers Cafe + Store
1181 Eruera StA high quality continental style cafe and restaurant. Beautiful to be in. Excellent coffee. Big variety of great food from. Good place for lunch, dinner, or casual coffee & cake.
Parks & Nature
Iconic nature walks through superb forest of huge Californian Redwood trees. Walks range from 25 mins to a full day. Something for everyone. Shorter walks are easy for those with even rather limited fitness. Try the Blue walk is a personal favourite - it takes around 40m. The Green walk takes a little longer, has a bit of stair climbing, but rewards you with some lovely views of the town and lake Rotorua in the distance.
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Redwoods – Whakarewarewa Forest
Iconic nature walks through superb forest of huge Californian Redwood trees. Walks range from 25 mins to a full day. Something for everyone. Shorter walks are easy for those with even rather limited fitness. Try the Blue walk is a personal favourite - it takes around 40m. The Green walk takes a little longer, has a bit of stair climbing, but rewards you with some lovely views of the town and lake Rotorua in the distance.
One of Rotorua's main swimming beaches in summer. Also good place for a picnic or barbecue. Popuar with families.
Boyes Beach
73 Millar RdOne of Rotorua's main swimming beaches in summer. Also good place for a picnic or barbecue. Popuar with families.
Not so much a hike, but a delightful board and nature walk through a wetland and along one edge of beautiful Lake Okareka. There is a little bird hide along the way where you can peek out and try to spot a dabchick or coot. The walk takes about 30 mins to the end, where you will need to turn around and come back along the same path. There is good parking at the track start.
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Lake Okareka Reserve and Walkway
62 Acacia RoadNot so much a hike, but a delightful board and nature walk through a wetland and along one edge of beautiful Lake Okareka. There is a little bird hide along the way where you can peek out and try to spot a dabchick or coot. The walk takes about 30 mins to the end, where you will need to turn around and come back along the same path. There is good parking at the track start.
A nice little reserve on the shores of Lake Tarawera. Good place for a picnic and a swim in summer, and to stare at Mount Tarawera across the lake and try to imagine it erupting back in 1886.
Stoney Point Reserve
153 Spencer RdA nice little reserve on the shores of Lake Tarawera. Good place for a picnic and a swim in summer, and to stare at Mount Tarawera across the lake and try to imagine it erupting back in 1886.
More important than the 2 hour walk around the beautiful Blue Lake (just over the hill from where you are staying), this is where to find the Airstream Cafe. This is where you might want to rest your feet after the walk, and drink a delicious coffee or eat a snack and gaze at the lake. Its an outdoor cafe though (served from an old Airstream classic caravan), so generally one for fine days. This is also a good place to start and finish your walk. See the Facebook listing for "Airstream Cafe Blue Lake" to get the full picture.
Blue Lake TOP 10 Holiday Park
723 Tarawera RdMore important than the 2 hour walk around the beautiful Blue Lake (just over the hill from where you are staying), this is where to find the Airstream Cafe. This is where you might want to rest your feet after the walk, and drink a delicious coffee or eat a snack and gaze at the lake. Its an outdoor cafe though (served from an old Airstream classic caravan), so generally one for fine days. This is also a good place to start and finish your walk. See the Facebook listing for "Airstream Cafe Blue Lake" to get the full picture.
There are very few places around Lake Okareka where you can really appreciate what the lake actually looks like. If you follow your GPS, try going just up the hill to this spot : https://goo.gl/maps/Hmzp1ytRQhL2
There are a couple spots along Ridge Road where you should be able to see the lake and its peninsula, and see the iconic Mount Tarawera behind.
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Lake Okareka
There are very few places around Lake Okareka where you can really appreciate what the lake actually looks like. If you follow your GPS, try going just up the hill to this spot : https://goo.gl/maps/Hmzp1ytRQhL2
There are a couple spots along Ridge Road where you should be able to see the lake and its peninsula, and see the iconic Mount Tarawera behind.
The Hamurana Spring is definitely worth a visit if you are out that way. The clarity of the water, its blue pools with white sandy bottoms, and the spring head itself are all quite beautiful . Lovely little walk along the stream edge and through a small forest of Redwoods. There is an entry fee these days, so check the website.. http://hamurana.co.nz/
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Hamurana Springs Nature Reserve
773 Hamurana RdThe Hamurana Spring is definitely worth a visit if you are out that way. The clarity of the water, its blue pools with white sandy bottoms, and the spring head itself are all quite beautiful . Lovely little walk along the stream edge and through a small forest of Redwoods. There is an entry fee these days, so check the website.. http://hamurana.co.nz/
It is touristy.. but it is well done touristy. Rainbow Springs has been around a long time - 85 years to be precise. It is where you go to see clear springs, Rainbow Trout, Kiwis, Keas and other birdlife. Check out www.rainbowsprings.co.nz
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Rainbow Springs Nature Park
192 Fairy Springs RdIt is touristy.. but it is well done touristy. Rainbow Springs has been around a long time - 85 years to be precise. It is where you go to see clear springs, Rainbow Trout, Kiwis, Keas and other birdlife. Check out www.rainbowsprings.co.nz
Essentials
Countdown Rotorua
246 Fenton StDecent quality supermarket with good range.
Decent quality fruit and vege shop. 8 mins away by car. Also has limited groceries, including milk and bread, canned, frozen and other essentials.
Mt. Tarawera Fresh Produce & Suprette Ltd.
Decent quality fruit and vege shop. 8 mins away by car. Also has limited groceries, including milk and bread, canned, frozen and other essentials.
Smaller grocery store, but with all the usual essentials you might need.
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FreshChoice Te Ngae
554 Te Ngae RdSmaller grocery store, but with all the usual essentials you might need.
This is where most locals seem to shop for their weekly groceries. It is cheap and cheerful... Go to Coundown if you like a swisher grocery shopping environment. Go here though if you are on a budget. Veges are fresh and good.
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PAK'nSAVE Rotorua
Amohau StreetThis is where most locals seem to shop for their weekly groceries. It is cheap and cheerful... Go to Coundown if you like a swisher grocery shopping environment. Go here though if you are on a budget. Veges are fresh and good.
Entertainment & Activities
Good place to encounter some Maori culture and see some geothermal activity up close. Its a bit on the touristy side though.
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Te Puia station
Good place to encounter some Maori culture and see some geothermal activity up close. Its a bit on the touristy side though.
Large indoor entertainment centre 10 min drive from cottage. Activities include 10 pin bowling, laser tag, trampoline park, chipmonks, and more.
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Motion Entertainment Rotorua
366 Te Ngae RdLarge indoor entertainment centre 10 min drive from cottage. Activities include 10 pin bowling, laser tag, trampoline park, chipmonks, and more.
If your wallet is up to it, a ride up the side of Mount Ngongotaha in a gondola is pretty neat (especially on a fine day when the views are pretty lovely). At the top there is a cafe, and you can also participate in some luging.. there is where you get your adrenaline flowing by scooting down the mountain on little carts at speed (its safer than you might think). You can buy a combo of 5 luge rides and the gondola up and down.
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Skyline Rotorua
178 Fairy Springs RdIf your wallet is up to it, a ride up the side of Mount Ngongotaha in a gondola is pretty neat (especially on a fine day when the views are pretty lovely). At the top there is a cafe, and you can also participate in some luging.. there is where you get your adrenaline flowing by scooting down the mountain on little carts at speed (its safer than you might think). You can buy a combo of 5 luge rides and the gondola up and down.
I always think that the name suggests something a bit more mysterious and exciting than the actual reality that is the Buried Village. Actually, there is very little to see in terms of excavated ruins of the tiny village of Te Wairoa that was destroyed by the Mount Tarawera volcanic eruption in 1886. But if you go there with an open mind, and just expect no more than a nice little walk, a very high waterfall, to spot some trout in the stream, and view a few somewhat interesting excavations, you will probably enjoy yourself. There is a pleasant little cafe for cup of tea and scone at the end. The small museum is also quite well done.
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Buried Village of Te Wairoa
1180 Tarawera RoadI always think that the name suggests something a bit more mysterious and exciting than the actual reality that is the Buried Village. Actually, there is very little to see in terms of excavated ruins of the tiny village of Te Wairoa that was destroyed by the Mount Tarawera volcanic eruption in 1886. But if you go there with an open mind, and just expect no more than a nice little walk, a very high waterfall, to spot some trout in the stream, and view a few somewhat interesting excavations, you will probably enjoy yourself. There is a pleasant little cafe for cup of tea and scone at the end. The small museum is also quite well done.
Its not cheap, like many things in our touristy town. However a soak in genuine geothermal waters is kind of a must do when you come to Rotorua, and Polynesian Spa is definitely the place to go. It is very well done. There are a variety of pools, each at different temperatures. Great place to warm you to the core on a cold winters day! See www.polynesianspa.co.nz
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Polynesian Spa
1000 Hinemoa StIts not cheap, like many things in our touristy town. However a soak in genuine geothermal waters is kind of a must do when you come to Rotorua, and Polynesian Spa is definitely the place to go. It is very well done. There are a variety of pools, each at different temperatures. Great place to warm you to the core on a cold winters day! See www.polynesianspa.co.nz
Sightseeing
Set in Ohinemutu Maori village, this is beautiful little Maori church has ornate carving and wall panels and sits adjacent lake Rotorua. From inside, see the etched window where Jesus appears to be walking on Lake behind. also interesting to wander around the village to see the main meeting house (also ornately carved), and see geothermal steam popping up in unexpected places. A small donation is encouraged to enter the church.
Anglican Church
Tunohopu StreetSet in Ohinemutu Maori village, this is beautiful little Maori church has ornate carving and wall panels and sits adjacent lake Rotorua. From inside, see the etched window where Jesus appears to be walking on Lake behind. also interesting to wander around the village to see the main meeting house (also ornately carved), and see geothermal steam popping up in unexpected places. A small donation is encouraged to enter the church.