All-Weather and Indoor Activities in Taupo – Perfect for a Rainy Day!
Sometimes it rains in Taupo… That’s ok because there are plenty of things to do in Taupo on a rainy day! From indoor attractions to all-weather activities where you are going to get wet anyway, there are heaps of ways to conquer a rainy day in Taupo.
We’ve picked out some awesome indoor activities like free honey tastings and wandering around a museum. There are also great water experiences where you won’t even know it’s raining, from thermal hot pools to white water rafting. So take a look at the list below a fun-filled day of entertainment on those wet weather days.
1. Keep Warm in a Hot Pool
With heaps of geothermal activity in the area, finding a hot pool in Taupo isn’t exactly difficult. Plus, if you’re going to get wet from the rain, at least be warm at the same time! Your hot pool offerings in Taupo include the free Otumuheke Stream at Spa Thermal Park, affordable bathing at AC Baths, waterslides at DeBretts (more info on Viator and Tripadvisor) and luxurious pools at the Wairakei Terraces. For more hot pools to visit on your travels, check out 7 Free Natural Hot Springs in New Zealand.
Location: Spa Thermal Park – Spa Road. AC Baths – AC Baths Avenue. DeBretts – 76 Napier-Taupo Road. Wairakei Terraces – State Highway 1, Wairakei.
© NZPocketGuide.com2. Fish for Lake Taupo’s Famous Rainbow Trout
When the rain starts to pour, the “locals” come out… And we are not only talking about the local fishermen. Indeed the local trout seem to be more active in the lake, allowing you to catch dinner in no time. Lake Taupo is one of the most popular trout fishing grounds in the country with thousands of fish populating its rich waters. Fish from shore or from a fishing charter with many operators offering half-day or full-day charters. Alternatively, head to the small village of Turangi for world-class fishing on the Tongariro River. See more experiences like this in the 10 Luxury Activities in Taupo.
Location: Charters from Taupo depart from the marina, Redoubt Street, with Pinnacles Charters, LakeFun Taupo, Taupo Lake Adventures, Lake Taupo Cruises and more.
© NZPocketGuide.com3. Inspire Yourself at the Taupo Museum and Art Gallery
Going to the museum is always a life-saver on a rainy day! For just NZ$5, admire the ever-changing displays of local art exhibitions at the Taupo Museum and Art Gallery. Check out Maori artefacts in the Tuwharetoa Gallery, trinkets from New Zealand’s European settlers in the Kiwiana Caravan, step into a Maori meeting house, and learn about the region’s volcanic past.
Location: 4 Story Place (between Super Loo and the Rose Gardens), Taupo town centre.
© www.lovetaupo.com4. Go White Water Rafting on the Tongariro River
With the idea that you’re going to get wet anyway, take a white water rafting trip from Taupo! Tongariro River Rafting (more info on Viator and Tripadvisor) can take you on a grade 3 adventure on the stunning Tongariro River. For more about rafting, take a look at 7 Places to go White Water Rafting in New Zealand.
Location: Tongariro River Rafting – 95 Atirau Road, Turangi (can organise Taupo pick-up).
© NZPocketGuide.com5. Watch Some Glass Blowing at Lava Glass
Nothing will keep you warm on a rainy day in Taupo quite like standing near a glass-blowing furnace! Watch the mesmerising art of glass-blowing at Lava Glass showcasing more than 600 sculptures across the gardens, studio and cafe. Note that the gardens and the studio have separate fees.
Location: 165 State Highway 5, Wairakei, approximately 9.5km (6 miles) from Taupo town centre.
© maxpixel6. Tour and Drink at the Crafty Trout Brewery
Drink your rainy day sorrows away at the Crafty Trout Brewery. Try some locally-crafted beer and cider with a tasting rack and take an affordable tour around the brewery – all without having to step out into the rain! See how the tour compares to the 10 Best Brewery Tours in New Zealand. Plus, for more activities like this, check out the 7 Things to Do in Taupo for Foodies.
Location: 135 Tongariro Street, Taupo town centre.
© pixabay7. Hook Yourself a Prawn at the Huka Prawn Park
Most of the Huka Prawn Park is undercover so you don’t need to get wet to hook yourself some lunch. Check out the trout in the underwater observatory, catch some prawns in prawn fishing, and see the prawns in the nursery and hatchery. There are water activities on the various lakes for more ways to make the most of the attraction. Find out more about the Huka Prawn Park on Viator and Tripadvisor. See more family-friendly experiences in the 10 Things to Do in Taupo with Kids.
Location: Karetoto Road, Wairakei, approximately 7km (4 miles) from Taupo town centre.
© NZPocketGuide.com8. Test Your Skills at The Edge Indoor Rockwall
You don’t need to be outside to do rock climbing in Taupo. Challenge yourself to climbs grading from 12 to 29 on the 12m (39ft)-high walls of The Edge Indoor Rockwall. The facility is also pretty affordable at around NZ$12 per adult and NZ$9 per child. See more affordable experiences in the 12 Free & Cheap Things to Do in Taupo.
Location: 26 AC Baths Avenue, approximately 2.5km (2 miles) from Taupo town centre.
© NZPocketGuide.com9. Try Out Wakeboarding
Another activity where you are going to get wet anyway, Taupo Wake Park is a great place to try out wakeboarding or water skiing! Whatever the weather, you can learn to wakeboard on this custom-built cable, pulling boarders and skiers across the lake. You can even run around in a water walking ball if you like. Find out more about Taupo Wake Park on Viator and Tripadvisor.
Location: 201 Karetoto Road, Wairakei, approximately 7km (4 miles) from Taupo town centre.
© Taupo Wake Park10. Sample Some Honey at the Huka Honey Hive
Another great indoor attraction in Taupo, the Huka Honey Hive offers plenty of free tastings and a look at the bees at work in a glass display. What’s more, it’s free! If you have a little bit of dough to spare, however, Huka Honey Hive also offers guided tours to learn about all things honey, even giving the chance to extract your own jar of honey spun fresh from the comb. Note that tours only run between mid-October to early April.
Location: 65 Karetoto Road, Wairakei, approximately 6km (3.7 miles) from Taupo town centre.
© NZPocketGuide.com11. Play Tenpin Bowling or Let the Kids Loose on the Trampolines at Dropzone at The Landing
All under one rain-deterring roof, you’ll find tenpin bowling planes, a trampoline park, a kids’ indoor playground with ball pools, arcade games, dining and more! Check out Dropzone at The Landing for the ultimate go-to for a rainy day in Taupo.
Location: Lake Terrace, Wharewaka, approximately 7km (4 miles) from Taupo town centre.
© Unsplash12. Solve the Puzzles at Confinement Escape Rooms
That’s right, Taupo has its very own escape rooms! Choose from four themed rooms that you have to work together to escape within the time limit. But it’s not that easy. You’ll have clues to find, puzzles to solve and stories to follow! Confinement Escape Rooms are suitable for groups of two to eight players.
Location: 33B Oruanui Street, Taupo town centre.
© NZPocketGuide.com13. Go On a Taupo Food Trail
The great thing about cafes and restaurants is that they are indoors! (And they serve food, which is kind of nice too). Mix food and art at the L’Arte Cafe and Sculpture Garden, combine great food and wine at Vine Eatery & Bar, try the raw diet at Raw Balance and you can even eat at the “World’s Coolest McDonald’s” and dine in a DC3 plane.
Location: Get inspired for cafes and restaurants by The Foodie Guide to Taupo and The Top Cheap Eats in Taupo.
© Pexels14. Cruise to the Maori Rock Carvings
Wait, is this really one of the things to do in Taupo on a rainy day?! Well, we certainly wouldn’t let the rain deter us from checking out one of the biggest attractions on Lake Taupo, the Mine Bay Maori Rock Carvings. This is especially because cruises like Sail Barbary have custom-made ponchos to make even the drizzliest days more comfortable. Book your cruise with Sail Barbary on Viator, Tripadvisor or Klook or compare with other lake cruises in the 5 Ways to Experience Lake Taupo.
Location: Cruises depart from the marina on Redoubt Street, Taupo.
© NZPocketGuide.com15. Treat the Kids to a Day at Mind Junction
Boggle your minds at the all-weather activity centre of Mind Junction. One of our favourite parts of this multi-activity complex is the Discovery Centre with optical illusions and wonders of nature and science. There’s also a LEGO display, flight simulator and shooting simulator that are all indoors. A giant maze and mini golf await outdoors if the rain clears. Note that each activity has a separate admission fee.
Location: Corner of State Highway 5 and Palmer Mill Road, Wairakei, approximately 13km (8 miles) from Taupo town centre.
© Unsplash16. Join the Huka Falls River Cruise
See the most-visited natural attraction in New Zealand in a whole new light by taking the Huka Falls River Cruise. The custom-built riverboat allows you to take in the magnificent Huka Falls and New Zealand’s longest river, the Waikato River, whatever the weather with an indoor lounge with large windows. Allow 1h20mins for the trip.
Location: Aratiatia Dam car park, 630 Aratiatia Road, approximately 13km (8 miles) from Taupo town centre.
© NZPocketGuide.com17. See the Geothermal Parks Steaming Under the Rain
Arguably, the geothermal activity of Taupo is more wonderous under the rain, allowing you to see more of the steam billowing from geysers, springs and geothermal lakes. Some of the geothermal highlights include the affordable Craters of the Moon and Wairakei Natural Thermal Valley. Or for a larger (and admittedly more impressive) geothermal park, head out of town to Orakei Korako. Book your tickets on Viator or Tripadvisor.
Location: Craters of the Moon – Karapiti Road, Wairakei. Wairakei Natural Thermal Valley – State Highway 1 (just south of SH1 and SH5 intersection), Wairakei. Orakei Korako – 494 Orakei Korako Road, approximately 35km (22 miles) from Taupo.
© NZPocketGuide.com18. Binge-Watch 365 Days, 365 Activities in New Zealand
Who doesn’t like a binge-watching session on YouTube? Get inspiration for your New Zealand travels by watching New Zealand’s Biggest Gap Year on YouTube where the team behind NZPocketGuide.com challenge themselves to do 365 Days: 365 Activities in New Zealand. Don’t forget to subscribe!
More Things to Do in Taupo
That’s it for the things to do in Taupo on a rainy day. For more activity inspiration, check out the following guides:
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
- Adventure Mark (Health and Safety Audit - Updated [2024])
- Work Safe NZ (Adventure Activities Guidelines - Updated [2024])
- Department of Conservation (Tracks, hikes, campsites and more - Updated [2024])
- AdventureSmart (Know before you go - Update [2024])
- NZ Māori Tourism (Official Māori Tourism platform - Updated [2024])
- Tourism Export Council New Zealand (Tourism trade association - Updated [2024])
- TIA (Independent tourism association - Updated [2024])
- Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2024])
- Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2024])
Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
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