Sharplin Falls Walk: Easy walk for beginners and families Sharplin Falls Track, Mid Canterbury Sharplin Falls is a beautiful waterfall nestled in the foothills of Mt Somers.  It’s a great family friendly walk, suitable for kids and beginner hikers too.  A lovely stroll through the beautiful bush, full of birdlife and ending at the lovely Sharplin Falls waterfall. The original Sharplin Falls track was damaged by the Christchurch 2010 earthquake.  So if you have walked the Sharplin Falls track pre-earthquake, you will now notice the track is completely different.  In fact ..read more

The Best Christchurch Family Accommodation The best family accommodation in Christchurch   Welcome to Christchurch, the Gateway to the South Island.  A beautiful city that has beaches within 20 minutes of the CBD and mountains in about an hour, it really is a city that has it all. Christchurch is a big city by New Zealand standards and the best place to stay in Christchurch really depends on what you plan to do.  Accommodation in Christchurch for families ranges from budget options in holidays parks and motel, to luxury 5 star hotels. ** Please note this article may use affil ..read more

Rod Donald Hut: Easy Family Friendly Hut Adventure Rod Donald Hut, Banks Peninsula Wow this little hut is absolutely fantastic and really makes the outdoors accessible for practically everyone.  It has a cute cosy feel and is perfect for families with kids and beginner trampers who are getting this first overnight hut experience. Located up the hill from Little River, the small settlement between Christchurch and Akaroa in Banks Peninsula, it’s also a great day trip from Christchurch.  This hut is so popular with families so Friday and Saturday nights do book up fast.  But I ..read more

Outdoor Gear Recommendations: What Backyard Travel Family use Outdoor Gear:  What we use at Backyard Travel Family We often get asked what gear we recommend for getting our family into the outdoors.  I know there is so much choice out there and I trust my friends recommendations more so than general advertising. So from one friend to another, here is the gear we have and why we like it.  I hope this helps you narrow down your options so you can get the whole family out and exploring.  If you want to find something quickly, click below. Please note: this article contains ..read more

Mt Robert Circuit Hike: Nelson Lakes National Park Mt Robert Circuit, Nelson Lakes National Park I was blown away by the Mt Robert Circuit track in Nelson Lakes National Park.  Maybe it was the perfect weather, or maybe I wasn’t expecting it to be so beautiful, but I was buzzing all day on this walk. So if you love lake and mountain views like me, then this might be your walk.  A 4-5 hour loop track trail is an ideal family walk in Nelson Lakes National Park and you can even stay overnight in the popular Bushline Hut. Article Table of Contents The Details How long is the Mt Rob ..read more

Isthmus Peak, Wanaka: An alternative to Roys Peak Isthmus Peak Track Wanaka The Isthmus Peak Track is an incredible Wanaka hike in the beautiful South Island of New Zealand.  Less famous than the Instagram favourite Roys Peak, but with similarly spectacular views, this is a good track for those who love a lung burner and an incline. What makes Isthmus Peak unique is that you can see both Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea from the summit.  The twin lake views are incredible so make sure you have a camera or phone on you. Amazing views of Lake Hawea, just before the Isthmus Peak summit H ..read more

Breast Hill Track, Wanaka: A Challenging Day Walk with Panoramic Views Breast Hill Lake Hawea   I’m going to go out on a limb here and confess that I love this walk (Breast Hill) more than the famous Roys Peak walk and Isthmus Peak hike. While Breast Hill is relatively unknown, it sure is worth the walk.  The views, the crazy varied terrain and a challenging uphill gradient, it sure is a walk that packs it all in. The Breast Hill Track can be found near Lake Hawea in the Hawea Conservation Park, about 20-25 minutes from Wanaka.  It is part of the Te Araroa Track, the New Zea ..read more

Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail The Lake Dunstan New Zealand Cycle Trail is New Zealand’s newest bike trail which opened in May 2021 and is turning out to be one of the most popular in the country.  With over 1 million cyclists riding the track in its first year, we just had to check out what the fuss was all about.  And was it worth it? 100% The Lake Dunstan Track is a 55km (34mi) cycle trail that runs between Cromwell and Clyde in Central Otago.  A more unknown part of New Zealand, but this trail is putting Cromwell on the map.  Cromwell is only a 40 ..read more

A Beginners Guide to Skiing Mt Hutt with kids Skiing at Mt Hutt with Kids: A Beginners and First Timers Guide to the most popular Canterbury Skifield Updated July 2022 Mt Hutt Skifield is located just 90 minutes from Christchurch and about 45 minutes from Methven in in Mid Canterbury.  It is a great family friendly South Island skifield and a great place to ski with kids. In fact, it has to be one of the best places to ski with kids in New Zealand, as kids 7 and under ski for free! Yes, you heard that right, young kids ski for free at Mount Hutt!  Skiing Mt Hutt with kids – surely ..read more

The Best Queenstown Family Accommodation: From Budget to Luxury Best Family Accommodation: Queenstown NZ Queenstown, one of New Zealand’s most popular travel destinations and if you’ve ever seen photos, then you will understand why. It’s got incredible snow capped mountains, skifields, adventure activities, wineries, amazing hikes and walks, clear blue lakes… and more!  It is the perfect place for exploring with kids, so if you’re looking for family friendly accommodation, Queenstown has a lot to offer. If you’re searching for family accommodation, then I imagine you may have kids, so ..read more