The 10 best family-friendly beaches in New Zealand have been identified by one of the country’s leading travel advisors.
The Automobile Association’s aatraveller.co.nz, which publishes more than three million travel guides and maps each year, set out to help New Zealanders and visitors to identify where they should head for a day at the beach.
The AA published a list of its 10 top family beaches.
AA Traveller marketing manager Rhys James said a beach’s popularity was often down to what nearby activities were on offer.
“They’re looking for a beach that offers safe swimming, but beyond that they also want good facilities, including barbecues and playgrounds, walking and cycling tracks and places to eat nearby so they can really make a day of it.
“A beach like Caroline Bay in Timaru is not only considered one of the country’s safest swimming beaches, but it also has plenty of other attractions like the Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden, a maze, mini golf, a paddling pool and a playground, which makes it a popular spot and keeps families coming back.
“It’s places like these that appeal and the good thing is you can find them throughout the country,” he said.
The top 10 family beaches in New Zealand
(Not in any order)
Te Tii Bay, Paihia
Matapouri Bay, Northland
Cheltenham Beach, Auckland
Long Bay Regional Park, Auckland
Oriental Bay Beach, Wellington
Kaiteriteri Beach, Nelson/Tasman
St Clair Beach, Otago
Caroline Bay, Canterbury
Sumner, Christchurch
Rabbit Island, Nelson
Source: aatraveller.co.nz , January 2017