Things to do in Waikato & The King Country
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Tongue & Groove
There are plenty of streetside seats and retro couches for wine sipping in this funky corner cafe, with surf mags strewn about and lots of local art. The delicious vegetarian roti is a bargain ($14).
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Cruise Waikato
Runs a range of river cruises, focussed variously on sightseeing, history or your belly (coffee and muffins, hangi – a feast of maori food – or picnics). See the city from the river, rather than the other way around!
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Raglan Kite Surf School
If you’d rather spend more time above the water than in it, xxx runs one-on-one lessons wherever the wind’s blowing.
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Bike2Bay
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City Bridges River Tour
An interesting way way to check out the Waikato River is on a City Bridges River Tour, a guided kayak tour through the city. No experience necessary; minimum three people.
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Kiwi Balloon Company
A hot-air ballon flight is a lovely (and surprisingly un-scary) option for gazing down on the lush Waikato countryside. The whole experience takes about four hours and includes a champagne breakfast and an hour’s flying time.
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Raglan Kayak
Raglan Harbour is great for kayaking. This outfit runs three-hour guided harbour paddles (per person $70) and rents out single/double kayaks (per half-day $40/60). Learn the basics on the gentle Opotoru River, or paddle out to investigate the nooks and crannies of the pancake rocks on the harbour's northern edge.
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Te Kopua Recreational Reserve
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Wiseway Canoe Adventures
Wiseway Canoe Adventures offers guided trips through the city along the river, or offers freedom hire if you'd rather take things at your own pace. One- and three-hour trips also available.
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Bivouac Outdoor
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Morepork Cafe
At the Kiwi Paka backpackers is this cheery joint, a jack-of-all-trades eatery serving breakfast, lunch and dinner either inside or out on the deck. The ‘Caveman’ pizza is a winner (the first person to ask for more pork will be shown the door).
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Te Tokanganui-a-noho Marae
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Big Shearer
The most prominent landmark in town is the 7m, 7½-tonne Big Shearer statue at the south end of the Rora St shopping strip.
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Camjet
Camjet can help adrenaline junkies shake off the Cambridge cobwebs with a 35-minute spin to Karapiro dam on a jetboat. A 15-minute spin costs $45. Minimum four people.
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Chim-Choo-Ree
Hip little Chim-Choo-Ree, with its clackety bentwood chairs, concrete floor and kitsch art, is a casual fine-dining option that's been wowing the critics. Launch into the five-course tasting menu ($125/85 with/without wine), or mains like manuka-smoked eel and Canadian scallops with apple-and-radish salad. Footpath tables cop some noise from the bar next door: compete with choruses of Mary Poppins classics.
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Cruise Raglan
Two-hour sunset cruises around Raglan Harbour on the Wahine Moe, with a sausage sizzle and a few drinks.
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Dove Charters
Offers full-day fishing trips.
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Dundle Hill Walk
The self-guided privately run Dundle Hill Walk is a 27km, two-day/one-night loop walk through Waitomo's bush and farmland, including overnight bunk-house accommodation high up in the bush.
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Ed Hillary Walkway
As well as the Kiwiana decorating the main street, the Ed Hillary Walkway (running off Maniapoto St) has information panels on the All Blacks, Marmite, NZ competing in the America’s Cup, and of course, Sir Ed.
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Extreme Edge
This airy hangar near the Frankton train station contains an array of hypercoloured climbing walls, 14m of which is overhanging. There's a dedicated kids' climbing zone, and free safety lessons for vert virgins.
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Fahrenheit
Bright as a button, this new upstairs bar/restaurant on the main drag is a classy place for a drink when the sun goes down on TA. No great menu surprises (chowder, lamb rump, pork belly, steaks) but this is surely the only place within miles that does tapas! Bee-line for the balcony.
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Hakiaha Street
At the eastern end of Hakiaha St is Hauaroa Whare, a beautifully carved house. At the western end Te Rohe Potae memorialises King Tawhiao’s assertion of his mana (authority) over the King Country in a sculpture of a top hat on a large rock.
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Heritage & Tree Trail
Whether you’re hip to history or tantalised by trees, this trail covers all the sights, including the Waikato River, the 1881 St Andrew's Anglican Church (look for the Gallipoli window) and leafy Lake Ko Utu. Grab a map at the Cambridge i-SITE.
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House on Hood
A crafty place for a craft beer or four, House on Hood is a 1915 barn with lots of drops to slake your thirst. Beer specials, tasting sessions and meal deals abound, plus Saturday night bands and Sunday afternoon DJs. Beer nirvana.
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Jubilee Gardens
Apart from its Spanish Mission town clock, Jubilee Gardens is a wholehearted tribute to the ‘mother country’. A British lion guards the cenotaph, with a plaque that reads, ‘Tell Britain ye who mark this monument faithful to her we fell and rest content’. Outmoded sentiment or awkward grammar – either way, the soldier statue looks confused.
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