Summer is here! A great time for us to share some special Waikato spots in areas where our honeys are harvested. This time I'm going to focus on Hamilton City, Kirikiriroa (the Maori name for Hamilton). Make sure you don't overlook The Tron if you are in the area, it has lots to offer! Three spots that are special to us, and our beehives are:
The Hamilton Gardens
The Hamilton Gardens has a large array of unique and stunning gardens including Tudor, Tropical, Chinoiserie, Indian Char Bagh, Italian Renaissance, Japanese Garden of Contemplation, Chinese Scholar's, English Flower, Modernist, Sustainable Backyard, Herb and Kitchen gardens. It truly is beautiful and a great
place to spend your day walking through the different gardens, then have a picnic on the extensive lawn or eat in the Gardens Cafe. The lawn gives you the opportunity to kick a ball around, fly a kite or just relax in the sun. You can hire a bike or ask for a tour of the gardens and if you go to the information centre you can ask for an orienteering map. There are often events in the pavilion or within the gardens that add more variety to your visit such as flower festivals, expos, shows, arts festival, etc. There are also daily events for the kids for example a tudor trail, discovery trial and bingo, ask at the information centre for more details. There is fun for everyone at the Hamilton Gardens! Get more information here.
Hamilton Zoo
The Hamilton Zoo is a fun day out for the whole family. With over 600 native and exotic animals set among 25ha of lush and tranquil surroundings it is a great escape within the city. Just some of the mammals you will see are Black and White Ruffed Lemur, Brown Capuchin Monkey, Cheetah, Chimpanzee, Fishing Cat, Giraffe, Meerkat, Zebra, Red Panda and Sumatran Tiger. There are a variety of geckos and skinks, red-eared slider tortoises and Hochstetter's frogs. With the largest free flight aviary in New Zealand you get up close and personal with a number of native and exotic birds such as Parakeets, NZ Pigeon, Scaup, Shoveler, Kaka, Weka, Kingfisher, Tui, Macaw, Parrot, Galah, Lovebird and Lorikeet. Find out more here.
Taitua Arboretum
The Taitua Arboretum is the perfect place for a gentle walk and a tranquil picnic, giving you the opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of life. The arboretum has a collection of mature trees covering 20 hectares of open pasture, lakes and woodland gardens which are linked by a network of meandering walking paths. With great views and wonderful bird life, the arboretum is ideal for a family outing or Sunday stroll. Read more and find out how to get there here.
Some other great things Hamilton offers are:Waikato MuseumOn the banks of the Waikato River the Waikato Museum's 13 galleries host more than 25 new exhibitions and 100 public events annually, including history, culture, art and environmental. There is always interesting exhibits, artwork, talks, events and children's programme on throughout the year. The Exscite science gallery aims to foster a learning experience in an exciting and engaging environment for the kids. Exscite is jam-packed with interactive, science based activities for young people to actively learn while having fun. Our boys love it! Find out more here.
Hamilton Lake
The Hamilton Lake (Lake Rotoroa) is situated in the heart of the city. It has a path meandering around the lake that is 3.4km long. After a walk you can eat at the cafe or have a picnic on the lawn. The kids will absolutely LOVE the playground. It includes a network of small water features that children can pump water into, dam up and release water, this is a hit with the kids! Make sure you bring some bread to feed the ducks!
Claudelands Events Centre
Our new Claudelands Event Centre is where a lot of our entertainment is hosted in Hamilton. Not only is it the location of live music, performance, sport, conferences and expos, it hosts the weekly Hamilton Farmers Market in the barn! Sweetree has a stall at the Hamilton Farmers Market every Sunday 8am -12noon. Find out more about Claudelands Events Centre and the Hamilton Farmers Market.
Purchase Kirikiriroa Honey here! This honey comes from the Hamilton Gardens, Hamilton Zoo and Taitua Arboretum. Please note not all our honey varieties are available all the time.
