BAY OF PLENTY: WHAKATANE

The Maraetotara Reserve is a magic place for families with young children. The play area includes a wide range of activities, as well as direct access to the beach. Overnight parking is now allowed for self-contained vans.

When we first visited there was  a large No Camping sign at the entrance, but the council have since made it available again for self-contained motor caravanners.

On a sunny afternoon, this is a stunningly beautiful location, with plenty of room for parking, and  a well maintained public toilet. But the standout feature for families travelling with young children was the children's adventure playground which included a wide range of activities, and even a flying fox.

There were a few families taking advantage of the park, and I imagine that it would be well used over the summer holidays.

There is a limit on the number of parking areas available for staying overnight, so it would pay to arrive earlier in the day during the busy summer season. However, there is also overnight parking available at the Port Ohope reserve.