McLaren Falls Park
McLaren Falls Park
4.7
7:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Monday
7:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday
7:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday
7:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday
7:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday
7:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday
7:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Sunday
7:30 AM - 7:30 PM
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4.7
439 reviews
Excellent
298
Very good
132
Average
8
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Bambles
13 contributions
Sept 2022 • Family
Stunning park to walk around. Beautiful lake and waterfall and friendly cafe for hot drinks and snacks. The petting zoo closes early at 2pm so would recommend going there first before seeing the waterfall and lakes. Seating, toilets and hot plate and drinking fountains available.
Written 8 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mechelle M
Lower Hutt, New Zealand342 contributions
Jan 2022 • Couples
Saw this park on a tourist site, we are Kiwis who had never heard of it. Short drive out of Tauranga came to the park with views of the falls with lots of people at different parts of the falls. Walked down.a few steps , went across large boulders, found a spot to dip feet and sat back enjoying the experience. Afterwards went for a drive, cafe had just closed, but the rest of the park drive highlighted numerous lovely sites for stopping/ picnics in the future.
Written 5 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JamesM
Liverpool, UK12 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
We journeyed here in winter, arriving before the last entry of 4:30pm in order to make sure we saw the glow worms at this park! If you drive through the park to where the toilets are (next to a small bridge) and park up, you will be within a short walk of some of the best natural glow worm sights free of charge.
On our first walk it was not as dark as necessary and we were disappointed that we may not see any glow worms. However on our return trip the sun had set quickly and it was very dark. The glow worms then let themselves be seen all around. It was truely an amazing thing to see. Our only disappointment was that we didn’t have a good enough camera to take the pictures we wanted!
On our first walk it was not as dark as necessary and we were disappointed that we may not see any glow worms. However on our return trip the sun had set quickly and it was very dark. The glow worms then let themselves be seen all around. It was truely an amazing thing to see. Our only disappointment was that we didn’t have a good enough camera to take the pictures we wanted!
Written 10 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PicklesNewcastle
Newcastle, Australia242 contributions
Feb 2020
What a stunningly beautiful location and only about 12 minutes from Tauranga. Please include on your list to see when visiting this area. However dont tell anyone. It is around 190 hectares of pastoral and horticultural parkland. It has a lake , dam , waterfall and much more,At dusk you can see Glow worms on the Waterfall walk.Has overnight camping(max 3 nights),trout fishing,kayaking, picnic areas and walking tracks.It also has the Falls Cafe near information centre and close to parking and toilets etc. Will review cafe separately however you wont be disappointed...wow!
McLaren Falls Park is a great place to visit to relax and chill out.
McLaren Falls Park is a great place to visit to relax and chill out.
Written 29 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helen
Port Macquarie, Australia12 contributions
Jan 2020
This is an amazingly beautiful park with so much available to do or see. Include a visit to the McLaren Falls Cafe, just a few hundred metres inside the park, with friendly staff and lovely food and coffees. There are walks all around the edge of the lake, some more challenging ones up some of the tracks through the hills. With a gentle stroll you can walk along a track to a waterfall, which at night is lit up with thousands of glow worms. Take a kayak and kayak up the lake and/or kayak up past the power station to the awe inspiring gorge beyond, which also lights up with glow worms at night. Take your paddle board and paddle around the lake. Take a picnic, there are plenty of barbecue tables around, or Frisbees for Frisbee golf. Plenty of room for cricket games, biking etc.
Written 4 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HypnoWarrior
Porirua, New Zealand1,244 contributions
Apr 2021
We'd never been here before and weren't sure what to expect. We wanted to go see the falls but when we got there there were lots of other things to see / do as well. We only had an hour or two as we had another arrangement in Tauranga later so did the waterfall track. Nice and easy walk to the lovely waterfall. Our 5 year old hopped across the rocks to the fall and then ended up in the water knee deep on the way back and squelched back to the car. (Luckily The Warehouse is only a few km's away to get another pair of shoes).
We didn't see any glow worms. We skipped the animal farm as well and as we were leaving a bus load of tourists came to explore the rocks by the main entrance.
Could definitely have had more time and seen more and walked more.
We didn't see any glow worms. We skipped the animal farm as well and as we were leaving a bus load of tourists came to explore the rocks by the main entrance.
Could definitely have had more time and seen more and walked more.
Written 7 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
davidwilliambarnes
Blackpool, UK1,540 contributions
Jan 2023 • Family
We were on our way to Marshalls Farm and stopped to admire the waterfalls after several weeks of rain. The rock formation is good as the water glides through. Even at 10 in the morning there were ‘enthusiasts’ jumping and diving into the water. It was even busier on our way home in the afternoon. Worth a visit as it is very scenic
Written 16 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WillemLab
Richards Bay, South Africa1,611 contributions
Jan 2024 • Family
As a family, we went to enjoy a picnic. This is the ideal venue. The children can run around, kicking ball or gliding a frisbee. There are also lovely walks you can do in the park. The teenagers went down to the rock pools and had a ball. We also saw facilities to barbecue on. There is also a restaurant in the park which appeared to be very popular.
Written 9 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan T
Tauranga, New Zealand78 contributions
Jan 2020
A spontaneous visit for a picnic of watermelon, and a swim with the ducks was its own reward. We drove through the crowds at the bridges and found the peace and charm of the park and trees further inland and along the river. Perfect, safe and peaceful.
Written 28 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Johan H
Hamilton, New Zealand22 contributions
Feb 2020
This is an amazing park. very large with different camping sites. the booking and payment is super easy (wish all parks could be like this). You do not need to pre-book or pre-pay. self help kiosks are on site for payment!
Facilities are good and clean. easy access even with a large motorhome.
the glow worms path is totally worth staying at least one night
Facilities are good and clean. easy access even with a large motorhome.
the glow worms path is totally worth staying at least one night
Written 27 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
나나나
Sejong, South Korea
Can i get to here by bus or taxi? Cause im planning to join the canoe tour.
Written 15 November 2022
Is there any where local or woud the park cafe help with with a small wedding picnic in the park after a ceremony at the falls first week in Jan 2018 ?!
Written 19 December 2017
They have a small centre there with a ranger give it a call
Written 20 December 2017
Is it at all possible to get there by foot from Papamoa or Tauranga (I don't mind walking for a couple of hours)? Or is there some sort of public transportation?
Written 26 September 2017
Hi, there are a few ways to get to the park, I have copied driving instructions from Tauranga from Google Maps below:
*This route avoids tolls
**Look out for a Brown Road Sign for the falls. (In NZ, Brown colored signs signifies tourist attractions.)
***You could possibly use Google Street View to see how the intersections look like if you are unfamiliar with the roads.
Take Elizabeth St to SH 2
1 min (350 m)
Continue on SH 2 to Judea. Take the exit toward Otumoetai from SH 2
3 min (3.8 km)
Follow Cambridge Rd to State Highway 29 in Tauriko
7 min (5.6 km)
Turn right onto State Highway 29
9 min (9.3 km)
Turn left onto Mclaren Falls Rd
Destination will be on the right
Written 12 January 2017
Can you get to Kaiate Falls by public transpotation from the dock where the cruise ships come in? If not, how expensive is a taxi?
Written 31 July 2016
Didnt see any public transport that side. Heard of people cycling out there (Crazy). renting a car would be cheaper.
1. Taxis are expensive
2. on the return , if you need to call a taxi, they may take ages to get there. That is if you manage to get a mobile phone reception in this area.
Written 8 August 2016
How long is it to walk to the waterfalls?
Written 12 April 2016
30-40 minutes
2 waterfalls including a waterhole.
you could get carried away
Written 8 August 2016
hi what is the physical add of this park???
Written 19 October 2015
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