Take a break from the rainy days and head to The Court Theatre for a bit of good old fashion entertainment. Be tickled pink by the Court Jesters on Friday or Saturday night, or take in some drama during the early theatre sessions. There is even a great kids theatre programme too!

Who doesn’t love laser strike? Get the adrenalin pumping at this super energetic and fun group activity. Even if you’re not very competitive you’re bound to have a good time hiding in the corner trying not to get shot!

Take the kids on a rainy day this weekend to the Canterbury Children’s Theatre at The Malthouse. Watch them be delighted as they are entertained by professional actors, and they may even get the chance to go up on stage themselves!

A small but informative museum, the best part about the Akaroa Museum is the very interesting short film about the history of the area. There’s also an amazing bust of a Maori chief which will have you staring at it for ages - the craftsmanship is second to none.

Fun for the whole family on a wet winter’s day, Alpine Ice Sports Centre is a hilarious experience to be had by all. If you’re so into the idea of skating around a very slippery ice rink then watch from the sidelines with a pottle of hot chips.

This place has it all from wildlife, to great views of the Franz Josef and of course amazing pies! Take your pick from savoury or sweet - either will have you wanting more. Definitely a must visit on your next trip west.

More than just a cheese and deli, this place off the main drag in Hokitika often serves up some pies which many say are the best on the West Coast! Go and enjoy the pastry goodness whilst watching the indoor beehive - it’s amazing.

A Westport mainstay for over 40 years, Rainbow Cake Kitchen has been supplying the region with amazing pies this entire time. Take your pick from classic mince pies and sausage rolls to fruit mince pies come Christmas. You’ll be coming back year after year for those.

Quite possibly the smallest pie shop in NZ, Eat Humble Pie is a cute little place in Queenstown, serving hungry snowboarders and skiers amazing pies. Think steak and blue cheese pie, bacon and egg and classic mince and cheese. They’re not cheap but you’re paying for quality here people! Oh, and they’re great for hangovers too.

For fantastic homemade pork pies make a visit to The Fridge in Alexandra – it’s the only pie on the menu here! Not only do they have the best pork pie in Alexandra but The Fridge is also a cute deli and café where you can pick up anything from hot espresso to cold cuts of meat.

There’s a lot to love about Harbour Street Bakery, not to mention their amazing pies! Located in the historical Victoria precinct, HSB is popular with both the locals and visitors to the town. The daily baked gourmet pies are definitely something to write home about.

Beano’s Bakery serves up amazing pies every Saturday at the Otago Farmers Market and every day at their store in Dunedin. Not only do they have great pies but a whole other selection of pastry goods like tarts and pain au chocolat!

For fruit pies you’ll soon become obsessed go visit The Bakery in Wanaka. Whilst there is also a Queenstown store the Wanaka one is definitely a favourite amongst Otagoites. Try the goat with brown gravy, the steak & mushroom or bacon & egg if you don’t have a sweet tooth.

For the best steak and cheese in Christchurch then you can’t go past The French Bakery on Port Hills Road. Serving up tasty pastry goodness since 1978, the guys and girls at French Bakery use traditional French baking techniques to bring you some amazing pies. The vegetarian pie is a gold medal winner and is the perfect mix of kumara, tomatoes, fresh herbs, lentils and cumin curry.

The roasted rhubarb, raspberry and apple pie at Café Raeward comes highly recommended from a number of reliable sources. If you are more of a savoury tooth than a sweet one then give the mince and cheese go. It will knock your socks off it’s so good!

For high quality homemade pies then drive your automobile to Pierce’s Bakery ASAP! The fruit pies are to die for and everything on site is made from scratch. A local favourite are the potato top pies which always seem to be the first to make it out the door (so get in early for those ones).

You can’t go past the pastry goods at Couplands. World famous in Christchurch, Couplands has recently expanded its classic pie range (which included the very edible mince & vegetable and bacon & egg pies) to include some gourmet varieties like country vegetable and pork & apple – yum!

The recently re-located and expanded Kidds bakery always has queues out the door, with hungry revelers lining up to grab their pies - and now also their hot cross buns. That's because this awesome little local in St Albans has just been voted the best bakers in NZ for their Easter treats. And if you're going to roll with a pie instead (and you won't be disappointed!) local favourites are by far the mince and mince and cheese so be sure to get in quick for those tasty beasts!

The Last Kitchen is a lovely Fox Glacier restaurant, with a nice atmosphere, and comprehensive menu. Locally grown beef is on the menu in the form of juicy steak served with stir-fried vegetables. If you fancy a bit of lamb then there are some tasty fillets on the menu too.

This luxury resort is an award winning restaurant which offers up a la carte dining in a relaxed and beautiful setting. There’s a whole range of Monteiths beers on the menu and a great selection of NZ wines. As you would expect the beef and lamb are top notch, particularly the steak and lamb shanks!

Thinking beef? Then think steak pies! My goodness the pies here are good. Choose from a selection of steak pies including Venison, Steak & Mushroom, Steak & Oyster, Steak Cheese & Bacon. Get all three if you’re hungry!

For a hearty meal that won’t cost a packet, The Denniston Dog is a popular restaurant. Wanting lamb shanks? Well they come served with a tomato, red wine and rosemary jus with creamy mash and seasonal vegetables. How about steak? Well there’s an aged 400gm steak on the bone served with your choice of mash, fries, vegetables or salad. Dinner is good at The Denniston Dog.

Dunedin is lucky to have Huntsman Steakhouse. There are many things to love about this restaurant, particularly its lamb shanks. There’s a choice of two sizes of shanks (small and large), and both lots come slow cooked and served with gourmet potatoes – delish! And of course there’s steak … just as amazing!

This fantastic tapas bar has an excellent selection of small plates, craft beer, local Otago wine and cocktails. Enjoy your lamb and steak plates with a view of the Wanaka lake front. On the menu you’ll get the choice of lamb sliders, steak burgers (with shoe string fries!), lamb back strap with spicy yoghurt sauce, and ribeye steak with tasty peppery oyster sauce jus. Yum!

Known for its epic parties, Searle Lane is also family friendly and has an epic lunch and dinner menu. Think lamb shanks twice braized and swimming in braising juices and served on a bed of mashed potato. For those partial to a good steak, Searle Lane has that covered with a prime NZ 250gm rib eye – the best!

Located in the old Queenstown Council Chamber, Speights Ale House is famous the country over. This Queenstown restaurant has many options on the menu if you’re craving good Kiwi lamb or beef. ‘Highland Lamb’ is marinated Otago lamb with crispy potatoes and salad (best served with Speight’s Distinction Ale); Open Steak Sandwich features beautiful strips of beef and Speight’s special herb blend! The highlight is the humorously called ‘Drunk Steak’ served with creamy sauce of your choice.

This laid back restaurant is a quirky and fun place. The menu is adventurous and delicious. The three hour slow-roasted wagu ribeye beef is epic! It comes served with potato gratin, a smoked bacon and porcini butter. Another fine dish is the beef short rib and red wine braised cheek – this comes with a watercress and wasabi puree and duck fat potatoes – amazing!