The historic bathhouse building where the Rotorua Museum is housed is a such a landmark of the inner city. So many people visit the gardens surrounding it, but don’t go in. A rainy day is the perfect excuse to venture into the museum¬. Another great reason it to visit the “Safety In Numbers” exhibition by ceramic artist John Roy. The artist has hidden installations in nooks and crannies throughout the building he challenges visitors to discover his works in unlikely places outside traditional gallery spaces.

Hey if you're already going to get wet, why not go all the way!? These guys will take you on an amazing adventure in breathtaking Rotorua rivers. There’s something for every skill level from rafting novices to crazy thrill seekers. Rocky canyons and lush, bushy valleys will be your backdrop as you travel down wild rapids. This really is an exciting way to spend a rainy day.

The stunning restaurant at the Regent boutique hotel specialises in an international Pacific fusion menu including sharing plates & tapas and luxurious desserts and cheeses. And the best think about this place is that they have an open fire place roaring in winter!

Pohutu offers an immersive Maori Culture experience and a dinner of traditional Maori delicacies, and a delicious buffet of New Zealand seafood and local produce. This place also opens their doors for free to local Rotorua residents once a year, so keep an eye out for that.

These guys have AMAZING pies at a great price. They even took out the 2013 Bakels New Zealand Supreme Pie Award with their chunky chicken, vegetable and creamy white sauce pie. Get there now and check out what all the fuss is about!

Another pie award winner in Rotorua! What is it about this place? It’s about time you did a "pie crawl" and pick up one from all the 5 places on this list. The one to get at Goldstar is the bacon, egg, cheese, tomato and onion pie… just as delicious as it sounds.

These guys do a kickass bacon and egg pie, my absolute favourite hangover/can’t-be-bothered-getting-out-of-trackpants brunch. Go grab it on dodgy sunday morning and jump back into bed.

Mince and cheese is my guilty pleasure ("Me too!" I hear you say?). Yeah, I know this pie’s a bit trashy when you compare it to its gourmet cousins such as butter chicken or satay beef… but somehow Express Bakehouse have managed to craft the humble mince and cheese pie into a gourmet masterpiece, they even took out a silver in the "Best Mince & Cheese Pie" section at the national pie awards.

Ok I’m totally sick of talking about pies. The winner here is just your good old mince and gravy… yup not bells and whistles, just a damn good pie… and yes, their mince and gravy pie has won an award too. After writing this list I’m thinking Rotorua should be named the pie capital of NZ, they could install a giant pie to rival Paeroa’s giant L&P bottle.

So this place is right next to Chimney Indian, which means yet again it’s also across the road from Readings Cinema. It may seem like his list is going on "proximity to the cinema" but really, this is one of the best place to eat in Rotorua (whether you’re going to the movie or not!). This boutique restaurant delivers a small but excellent menu. All the dishes are full of flavour, with meats that melt in your mouth… and the presentation is always beautiful. Highly recommend this restaurant if you want food which is above the average fare.

It doesn’t get much better than this when it comes to pre-movie dinners. Why? Because this place is right across the road AND it’s gauranteed to be be some of the most tasty and authentic Indian you’ve ever tasted.

Besides the foodie strip of Tutanekai Street, which is inconveniently far from the cinema, it seems another dining area is forming on Eruera Street, conveniently swarming around Readings Cinema. Our Backyard Pub is sandwiched between the aforementioned Bistro 1284 and Chimney Indian, so you are spoilt for choice in this area. The interior of the pub is very quirky, with a good rustic vibe with the interior and the food. Gourmet pub meals at their finest.

This place is one of the best cafes in Rotorua, I believe they’ve even won an award to back that up! Rotoruians can’t get enough of Capers so they are now also open for dinner. The menu made up of traditional dishes you’d expect, but done spectacularly well, such as the Lamb Rack or Scotch Fillet. Kiwi favourites that don’t disappoint.

Italian is always a winner when it comes to dinner ideas. Zanellis is not only close to the cinema, so it’s perfect to grab a bite to eat before or after your film, it is also Rotorua’s oldest and most cherished Italian restaurants.

With two locations in Tauranga and Papamoa Coast Kids is a great place to take the kids. Their holiday programmes are split into two groups; 5-8 and 9-13. Their activities range from indoor rock climbing, playing in the foam pit, air hockey and fuse ball to field trips such as train rides, an adventure park in Taupo, laser tag and hot swims. Also, the older kids get the opportunity to go on a 4 day camping trip too.

Waimarino is great, there is just so, so much to do here. Maybe you’ve taken the kids here before but didn’t know that they also offer a school holiday programme (you can leave the kids and get on with your life!). Waimarino’s programme includes activities such as the adventure maze, animal petting, laser tag, wall climbing, sports, movies, hot pools and a disco/party to wrap up the two weeks. They also offer a bus service from the city to the park.

If your kids are more artistically inclined Tauranga Art Gallery offer a great holiday programme. The next programme includes pattern and mark making to experiment with different printing techniques such as collograph and relief printing on to fabric.

Kids Inc. really pack in as much as they can with a great variety of activities to suit either active or creative kids. They have more physical activities such as the mystery walk, ten pin bowling, laser tag, rock climbing and sports day, and more subdued and creative events such as baking, art day, movies, scavenger hunt and magic show. There’s a little bit for everyone here!

Education is an important factor for many parents when they are trying to choose a school holiday programme for their kids. Well House of Science is the hands down winner when it comes to fun and education jam-packed into one neat little package. Your kids will get to do all sorts of fun experiments, learn about the environment, make machines and models, go on field trips and of course learn LOTS! Encourage the little inventor and send them to House of Science these holidays.

One of the coolest pubs in Tauranga and also big supporters of Kiwi sport. Pop in early for one of their awesome pub meals and catch the game after.

Hands down the best places to watch the rugby (and other sports) on the big screen. This place was standing space only during the World Cup, and is also buzzing during any big game in their upstairs sports bar. So grab a Guinness, or if you’re feeling more patriotic, a Tui and settle back to watch the game.

The Crown & Badger is a Tauranga institution, so it’d just be plain wrong if you couldn’t also catch a sports match on the big screen while enjoying a cool beverage. Weekends really go off here too, so if there’s a big win you can stick around and party into the wee hours to celebrate.

Latitude 37 is the classy option for watching sport on the big screen. The decor is swish and the food is even better! If it’s a cold winter’s night all the better… you can enjoy an ice cold beer next to the toasty warm fire place.

Your local RSA is a reliable place ANYWHERE in New Zealand to watch the game. The bonus about doing it at the RSA is that you’re supporting our Returned Servicemen and you get the benefit of a damn good, cheap meal and booze. Thank God for the RSA.

Leonardo’s is small, cozy, bustling and authentic; the way an Italian restaurant should be. The restaurant is very intimate so make sure you book to secure a spot, as this place is popular. They have a small, refined menu built around seasonal and fresh produce. I suggest the mussels and pipis if you’re into seafood, or the pork porchetta is also amazing. Don’t forget to finish with a classic Italian dessert such as tiramisu, which of course is also to die for!

The great thing about Ciccio Italian Cafe is that it is a casual, cafe-style dining experience. It’s also open around the clock: breakfast, lunch and dinner. So you can indulge in delicious, authentic Italian whenever you like. They have a huge menu with any type of Italian dish you could want. For lunch I suggest the Sicilian style Pizza topped with rocket, prosciutto, parmesan, balsamic & cracked black pepper. For dinner I always order the spaghetti meatballs, a classic that never dissapoints!

The best things about Nuvolari are the location (at the lake-end), the decor, and the amazing pizza! I’ve only ever had pizza here, but that’s because their pizzas are so damn good! The Musso pizza with a selection of Italian meats and the Agostini pizza with salmon and capers are my two favourites. The rest of the menu looks amazing and my friends are always happy with their meals, so pop in and give it a try… let me know how you enjoy it!

Zanelli’s is Rotorua’s most established Italian restaurant. The reason it’s been around for such a long time is that it consistently delivers great Italian food time after time. The atmosphere is relaxed and quiet, a great place to escape to and enjoy wine from their extensive wine menu. The servings are also very generous.