The best of
Rotorua. Ranked.

Kuirau Park for free geothermal activity and a public foot pool, the Government Gardens and lakefront walkway, the Redwoods (Whakarewarewa Forest) ground-level walking and mountain-bike trails, Sulphur Bay, and a walk through Ōhinemutu village on the lake edge.

Yes — the ground-level walking and mountain-bike trails through Whakarewarewa Forest are free to use. The elevated Treewalk suspension bridges through the canopy are a separate paid attraction, and parking at the main entrance may be charged.

There are free natural thermal spots around the district, most famously a hot stream south of the city. They are not monitored, not lifeguarded, have no changing facilities, and water temperature and quality vary. Never put your head under geothermal water — that is the standing public-health advice in New Zealand because of the amoeba risk — and check the council or DOC for any current closure before you go.

Yes, respectfully. Ōhinemutu is a living lakeside village, not an attraction — people live there and the marae, urupā (burial ground) and church grounds are in daily use. Stay on the public roads and paths, do not enter marae grounds or private property, do not photograph people or headstones without permission, and keep noise down.