1 / 3Kuirau Park
📍 Rotorua, Bay of Plenty
Best for a free hour of bubbling mud and steaming lakes. Kuirau Park in central Rotorua has fenced boardwalks past hot pools and mud, warm foot baths, a playground, picnic tables and barbecues. Saturday morning market.
Kuirau Park is one of Rotorua's best hidden gems—and the best part is that it's completely FREE! Watching the bubbling mud pools, steaming vents, and boiling geothermal lakes up close feels like stepping onto another planet. The walking tracks are easy, the park is well maintained, and there are plenty of photo opportunities. If you visit early in the morning, the steam creates an incredible atmosphere for photos. There's also a free thermal foot bath, a playground for kids, picnic areas, and free parking, making it perfect for families, couples, or solo travellers. Just remember to stay behind the safety barriers, as the geothermal features are very hot. If you're visiting Rotorua, don't miss Kuirau Park. It's one of the best free attractions in New Zealand and a place I'd happily visit again
🏆 Family Action Verdict
Start here on your first morning in Rotorua: it costs nothing, it is a short walk from the town centre, and toddlers get as much from the bubbling mud as teenagers do. The paths take prams, the playground is a good energy burner afterwards, and a foot soak is the perfect finish. The pools are boiling, so keep small children by the hand.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →3,662 Google reviews
Tanjiro Kamado
“Kuirau Park is one of Rotorua's best hidden gems—and the best part is that it's completely FREE! Watching the bubbling mud pools, steaming vents, and boiling geothermal lakes up close feels like stepping onto another planet. The walking tracks are easy, the park is well maintained, and there are plenty of photo opportunities. If you visit early in the morning, the steam creates an incredible atmosphere for photos. There's also a free thermal foot bath, a playground for kids, picnic areas, and free parking, making it perfect for families, couples, or solo travellers. Just remember to stay behind the safety barriers, as the geothermal features are very hot. If you're visiting Rotorua, don't miss Kuirau Park. It's one of the best free attractions in New Zealand and a place I'd happily visit again”
Julianne Coates
“We headed to Kuirau Park keen to see the geothermal activity, mud pools, and warm waters—but wow, we had no idea it was this massive! So many bubbling pools and springs everywhere, and it’s completely free and open to the public. The planting is stunning—beautiful trees, lovely native flora, and perfectly manicured, well-kept gardens that make it feel so peaceful. The highlight? A spot to kick off your shoes and socks and dip your feet right into the warm geothermal water—pure bliss! We loved spotting the birdlife too, including Australasian Swamphans and a few pied stilts chilling in the warm shallows. With clean toilets, great open spaces, and a children’s playground, it’s family-friendly perfection. If you’re in Rotorua, this is an absolute must-visit!”
Navdeep Singh
“We visited Kuirau Park and it was an incredible experience! Seeing the bubbling sulphur pools for the very first time was absolutely surprising and mesmerizing to watch. Despite the unique, active geothermal activity, the park itself has a remarkably peaceful and calm atmosphere. It’s a beautiful, relaxing spot to wander around. Definitely a must-visit when you are in Rotorua!”
Gem Gem
“love love love exploring this free geothermal park in the heart of rotorua. it is very active and there is foot pools, mud pools, thermal craters and ponds. its very interesting. playground out the back for the kids to explore afterwards too. easy free parking. its all fenced so is safe, but you would still want to keep a close eye on little kids.”
Reviews from Google
Overview
Kuirau Park is the only free geothermal park in New Zealand and it sits right in the middle of Rotorua, at the corner of Ranolf and Pukuatua streets. Paths and boardwalks loop past a steaming crater lake, plopping mud pools and hissing vents, all fenced, and there is a warm thermal foot bath where everyone kicks their shoes off. Away from the steam it is a normal town park with a playground, picnic tables, barbecues, toilets and gardens, and a farmers' market takes over on Saturday mornings.
