Top Things to do in Silverdale
Top 10 Things to do in Silverdale, New Zealand
Discover the best top things to do in Silverdale, New Zealand including Waitomo Adventures, Te Awamutu Space Centre, Hamilton Gardens, Lake District Adventures, Wairere Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway, Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, The Boatshed Kayaks, Te Waihou Walkway.
Restaurants in Silverdale
1. Waitomo Adventures
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Waitomo’s Premier activities. Waitomo Adventures has been operating safely and reliably for over 30 yrs and has been granted exclusive access to these special caves. Overall there are 7 options described in more detail on our website each with different levels of physicality and challenge. Some are “DRY” (you wear overalls) and some are “WET” (you wear a wetsuit). No prior experience required. We supply everything including boots; overalls or wetsuits. Photos are provided to clients completely FREE. Lost World – our flagship - within the Lost World Cave there are 3 Options: Lost World 4 Hr Option; Lost World 7 Hr Epic & Lost World Through The Window; Other Caves: TumuTumu ToObing – a slightly more adventurous version of Blackwater Rafting. Haggas Honking Holes - Waitomo’s most concentrated action. St Benedicts Caverns – Surprisingly gentle. Abseil then explore NZ’s prettiest cave Trollcave – A fantasy adventure for the young at heart in the world's first underground eco-sanctuary
Reviewed By Liza B
We were privileged to take the 7hr Lost World tour today....what an incredible space, like nothing we have ever seen before! The whole tour was very well planned and delivered, with thrills and spills as well as time to appreciate the splendour of our surroundings....MoreHi Liza - thanks so much for your generous words. As the Philosopher George Santayana said: "The earth has music for those who listen"...you've clearly got a fine talent for hearing !
2. Te Awamutu Space Centre
Overall Ratings
5 based on 82 reviews
An inspiring educational attraction for all ages. Experience the world of space and astronomy through displays and interactive activities. Our centrepiece exhibit is a small but fascinating collection of artifacts from the American and Russian/Soviet space programmes. You'll also find informative displays about the Universe, the history of space exploration and scientific research. Use the interactive screens to see what's in the night sky, tour the Solar System, create your own orbital systems and more. Watch videos, ask us questions and just hang out chatting about space. We also have a small space shop featuring new and secondhand items.
Reviewed By peter_the_traveller4 - Deal, United Kingdom
Forget about glow worms and kiwi houses. If you want to give your kids (and yourself) a good half day out this is a must. There are plenty of interactive activities, virtual reality displays and quizzes for the kids and adults. I was rubbish at landing at landing a lunar module on the moon! Kids can even try on a space suit. How cool is that.
Special mention must be made of the Curator - Dave who is very helpful, friendly and above all knowledgeable. Please don't miss this place.
Overall Ratings
5 based on 2 reviews
Explore an enchanting world of secret Gardens. Transport yourself through time and to far-flung corners of the world. Meander through a lush tropical jungle, visit ancient China and indulge yourself in a Renaissance Prince's 16th century garden. Five garden collections have been created to delight the senses, with some garden concepts reaching back 4,000 years. Hamilton Gardens is a conceptual garden based in the Waikato that explores the context, history and meaning of Gardens through time, and from around the world. It is internationally recognised for its unique concept and is the Waikato region's most popular tourist destination. Only five minutes drive from Hamilton's CBD, the Gardens is open 7 days a week during daylight hours and entry and parking is free. Access is off SH1, alongside Cobham Drive on the southern side of Hamilton.
Reviewed By David E - Leicester, United Kingdom
We visited these Gardens whilst staying with friends in Hamilton and were amazed by both the quality and number of different garden styles. We must have wandered around for a couple of hours, but only saw a fraction of the 30 or so Gardens on offer. Particular highlights, I thought, were the Tudor Garden, the Italian Renaissance Garden and the Indian Char Bagh Garden, but presumably different Gardens are at their best at different times of the year. I would not usually go out of my way to visit Gardens, but these really are exceptional and I would have liked to have had the opportunity to return and spend more time there.
4. Lake District Adventures
Overall Ratings
5 based on 105 reviews
Based at the southern end of Lake Karapiro, near the geographic centre of the North Island of New Zealand, Lake District Adventures is positioned to let you enjoy the clean air, great scenery & lakes of the Waikato / Bay of Plenty. We hire mountain bikes & kayaks plus have a shuttle van to move you around the various trails of the area. PLUS - Kayak Glow Worm Tours.
Reviewed By BLienhard
If this is the only way you can figure out to go and see the glow worm canyon, by all means do it. Floating down through the glow worm canyon at night is an awe-inspiring experience.
However, if you've ever kayaked before or if you have any familiarity with boats/water, you're going to find this annoying. From the emails we received in advance and the way the guides were talking when we got ready to go, I assumed that we would be heading through some moderately challenging whitewater. Not so - the trip is up an utterly calm river with few challenges, and the kayaks are the sturdy plastic kind built for beginners. The guides, however, seemed to be afraid of people getting wet at all. They are very bossy, and require you to put on plastic pants and neoprene booties. Then you have to go through a lengthy on-land training on how to paddle a kayak and how to get into a kayak. You can't just grab your paddle and kayak and get in - two guides insist on helping each person in the group.
The trip itself is a lovely, easy paddle - except for the guides. The guides herded us and told what to do constantly. They must have mentioned one tree stump about 100 times, and went into emergency mode when our group approached the stump. One guide sat in his kayak on top of the stump warning us while the other shouted directions.
The nagging and nannying did not stop when we reached the midway point to stop, rest, and wait for nightfall. Again, we couldn't just hop out of our kayaks and pull them up. The guides had us line up, and get out one by one. Then, in a throwback to 1970s ideas about wildnerness survival, they demanded that we drink hot Tang and eat snacks. After this, we went through the torturously slow procedure of getting back into our kayaks one by one.
For the float down through the glow worm Canyons, they told us to be silent, which was great. However, they did not stay silent, and seemed to be obsessed with keeping all the kayaks in a perfect line "Relax and look at the Glow Worms! Keep to the left! You, start paddling! You - stop paddling! That's good!"
I'm all for safety, wearing life jackets, etc, but this was just ridiculous.
If you have never kayaked before and are a bit afraid of the water, this is definitely the kayak trip for you - you will feel comfortable and confident. If you're not a beginner when it comes to this kind of thing, you're going to feel nagged and penned in.
5. Wairere Falls
Overall Ratings
5 based on 158 reviews
Reviewed By Worldismyoyster1070 - Bangkok, Thailand
It was a great hike after being in a car to recharge Matamata. Easy to follow path. Some is quite steep. we found the time posted is the average time to reach the summit. Worth a visit if you have 1.5-2 hours available. The summit was worth the extra effort as it is amazing to be on top of the falls.
6. Bridal Veil Falls
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 541 reviews
Always check the website for changes that might affect your trip.
Reviewed By woodyguthrie
Really worth the visit. Only a small detour from the main road and a short walk from the car park brings you to the waterfall. The walk itself is through a nice busy area also. The waterfall is 55m high so is not much to climb up from the bottom, as others have said the never of steps is around 260. There are viewing platforms at the top, middle and bottom. Parking is free.
7. Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 444 reviews
Reviewed By nicolasgoddone - Paraguay
The walk is long and a quite tiring, but very interesting. It has informative signs all over as you walk along remains of an engineering feat of Bridges, mines and power stations. Through most of the walk you'll have shade, which you can't have enough of when its very hot and sunny.
Trails and walks have different lengths and they are appropriately indicated in signs, just be sure to check them or you can accidentally have to end up walking a couple of extra kilometers. If you have toddlers or babies make sure to have a backpack to carry them as trails are demanding.
8. Hobbiton Movie Set Tours
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7 reviews
The Hobbiton Movie Set tour is an essential stop on the itinerary for all visitors travelling through New Zealand, offering an interesting and entertaining experience incorporating the famous film set as seen in The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Fall in love with the Alexander family sheep and beef farm, just as acclaimed director Sir Peter Jackson did, as you journey through the village, with the mighty Kaimai Ranges towering in the distance. Your guide will then escort you around the set, showing you the intricate detailing, pointing out the most famous locations and explaining how the movie magic was made. You will be taken around the 12 acre set; past Hobbit holes, the Mill and into the famous Green Dragon™ Inn, where you can indulge in our exclusive, specially brewed beverages to conclude your own Middle-earth™ adventure.
Reviewed By Jackie L - Sydney, Australia
There were a LOT of people. The day before Easter holidays. About 2000 people go through a day and the tour guides push you through the set quickly because the next tour is less than 15 mins behind. I was a little disappointed with the food. We paid extra for the lunch. There wasn’t many people and the food wasn’t crash hot. I had a bit of a stomach ache after. We had 40 mins to hurry and eat.It was a sticky rainy day, photos didn’t turn out because of the clouds. The tour guide had the jokes and stories but didn’t have the energy, probably from too many tours. Maybe they should have started us with a drink and not leave it to the end. Overall, it a very touristy commercial thing unlike the rest of New Zealand. Take your picture and go kinda thing. I’d still recommend you go if you haven’t been. Just don’t set your hopes up too high and be ready for crowds.
9. The Boatshed Kayaks
Overall Ratings
5 based on 160 reviews
the Boatshed Kayaks,was set up by Richard Clark in 2000, on his property on the edge of Lake Karapiro. We offer a number of different kayaking and stand up paddle board options from our great Waterfalls trip to our evening glow worm experience, just flick through our website to get a better idea for whats available. Lake Karapiro offers an exellent venue with sheltered waters and 15 km of lake to explore. making it a safe and beautiful environment to try something new. our guides and instructors are fully qualified in both flat water and graded river paddleing so if your wanting to explore some of the lower sections of the waikato river between Cambridge and Hamilton youll be in safe hands. The Boatshed kayaks is also involved in multisport training and hire and has been training grade 2 paddlers for over 8 years, with a huge number of paddlers experiencing their introduction to kayaking through The Boatshed.The ethos at the Boatshed has always been on getting people out there paddling, young and old, and therefore growing kayaking as a sport or recreational activity.
Reviewed By peter_the_traveller4 - Deal, United Kingdom
Right from the start this was a great experience. Following a comprehensive safety briefing and tuturial we set off on our double kayak (singles also available) to cross the lake and enter a magical world of lagoons and Waterfalls. Just quietly watching the birdlife was an added bonus. A must do in Cambridge.
10. Te Waihou Walkway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 194 reviews
Reviewed By Jetryx - Auckland Central, New Zealand
We went here for a picnic lunch and was amazed by the cleanliness and crystal clear waters. As we don't have the luxury of time, we just parked our car near the exit (Leslie Road) and made our way to the Springs which took us around 15-20 minutes. We did bring a stroller but got a bit disappointed as we cannot push the stroller through a small gate opening. I would not recommend bringing one to future travellers. As we were hungry, we set our picnic area on a shade as soon as we past the gate. we were thankful that we did because there are no suitable areas for picnics as we went further towards the blue Springs. This place is very good if you want to spend some time to relax and feel the nature.
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