Family Activities in Greymouth
A key part of the West Coast journey, whether you’re road tripping along the West Coast or visiting off the TranzAlpine train, Greymouth is a great base for family fun.
From walks and attraction parks showcasing historical features from the town’s proud mining heritage to breathtaking natural attractions like the Pancake Rocks, Hokitika Gorge and Lake Brunner, there’s so much for families to do here.
Get inspired for your visit with this list of things to do in Greymouth with kids.
For more family activities in Greymouth and other travel tips, see The Guide to Greymouth for Families.
Table of Contents
1. Hop Aboard a Horse-Drawn Cart with Golden Sands Horse & Wagon Tour
Experience a slice of West Coast history with the Golden Sands Horse & Wagon Tour in Barrytown. Just a scenic detour along the Great Coast Road, this hands-on adventure lets you climb aboard a Clydesdale horse-drawn cart for along a beautiful beach.
Kids will love the interactive elements: fossicking for pounamu (greenstone) pebbles, helping make damper bread over an open fire, and even tending to Duke.
Whether under sunny skies or misty conditions, this simple yet unforgettable experience offers families a genuine taste of West Coast history and nature.
Location: 3456 Coast Road (State Highway 6), Barrytown, approximately 9.5km (5.9 miles) south of Punakaiki.
© Stewart Nimmo - westcoast.co.nz2. Experience the West Coast as it Used to Be at Shantytown Heritage Park
Step back in time at Shantytown Heritage Park, a fully re-created 19th-century gold-mining village nestled in native forest just 10 km (6 mi) south of Greymouth.
Wander through the streets lined with about 30 historic buildings, including a church, blacksmith’s shop and old-time lolly stores.
The kids will love climbing aboard the narrow-gauge bush tram, pulled by real steam locomotives like Gertie (1877) or Kaitangata (1896), for a scenic chug to the “Infants Creek Sawmill”. Here, you can try your luck at panning for gold or watch the periodic firing of the sluice gun.
Don’t miss the foundry’s interactive displays, the holographic theatre or the chance to dress up in period costumes for an old-time photo!
Location: 316 Rutherglen Road, Paroa, approximately 10 km (6 mi) south of Greymouth town centre, West Coast, South Island.
© ShantyTown Heritage Park - westcoast.co.nz3. Go on a Glowworm Cave Tour
For a truly magical experience, venture into the spectacular Paparoa National Park to witness one of New Zealand’s most impressive glowworm displays with Underworld Adventures.
Just 30 minutes north of Punakaiki lies Charleston, where you’ll experience an unforgettable journey into the Te Ananui Caves. This unique eco-tour takes you through unspoiled caverns and offers a stunning natural light show.
The adventure begins with a scenic train ride through lush rainforest, followed by a short walk to the cave entrance. Inside, you’ll explore ancient limestone formations and learn about the fascinating ecosystem of the caves.
The highlight, of course, is the breathtaking display of thousands of glowworms illuminating the darkness like a starry night sky.
Location: Charleston, West Coast, South Island. Approximately 30 km (19 mi) north of Punakaiki.
© Liz Carlson - westcoast.co.nz4. Tackle One of Greymouth’s Short Walks
Tie up the kids’ laces, because some of the best family attractions in Greymouth are scenic walks!
For something easy for kids of all ages, as well as being stroller-friendly, have a stroll along the Greymouth Floodwall to the Blaketown Tiphead for cool coastal views and even back to Aoraki Mt Cook on a clear day.
Walks that are suitable for more active children (although not pre-schoolers) are the Woods Creek Track, Coal Creek Falls and the Point Elizabeth Walkway.
Woods Creek Track is a fun 45-minute trail with mining tunnels and gold mining races to check out. Coal Creek Falls is a one-hour return of easy walking with a picturesque waterfall being the highlight.
Finally, the Point Elizabeth Walkway offers stunning coastal views between tracts of coastal forest on a 1h45min oneway trail.
Location: Check out the walks’ locations in the 10 Best Walks in Greymouth.
© westcoast.co.nz5. Check Out the Brunner Mine Site
Another short walk and a historical site worth visiting is the Brunner Mine Site. This fascinating spot, where history and nature collide, is just 11 km (7 mi) east of Greymouth.
A gentle 2-km loop takes you across a restored suspension bridge into a rainforest-framed time capsule. Kids will love exploring the hands-on displays, peeking at old coke ovens, and imagining miners filling wagons.
The site features interpretive panels, relics, beehive-style coke ovens, old coal cars, and tunnel remains. There’s also a thoughtful memorial to those who lost their lives in the 1896 disaster.
Best of all, it’s free and mostly flat, making it perfect for families with strollers.
Location: Taylorville, State Highway 7, approximately 11 km (7 mi) from Greymouth town centre.
© westcoast.co.nz6. Take a Trip to the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks…
For a bit of a road trip to see some must-see sights and landscapes on the West Coast, hit the road to the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks!
Located north of Greymouth, the Pancake Rocks are bizarre limestone formations that look like stacked pancakes. The walk to admire them takes about 20 minutes and is stroller-friendly, but allow extra time to stop and admire the blowholes best seen at high tide.
Tours and transport to this attraction are also available with Explore West Coast.
For more things to do while you’re in the area, check out the 10 Awesome Things to Do in Punakaiki.
Location: Coast Road, Punakaiki, approximately 44 km (27 mi) from Greymouth town centre.
© NZPocketGuide.com7. … Or to Hokitika Gorge
Another amazing natural attraction and road trip worth taking from Greymouth is heading south to Hokitika Gorge!
Admire the milky blue river water flowing through the dramatic gorge landscape on this walk that only takes about 15 minutes to tackle.
Kids love crossing the swingbridge, while strollers are suitable for the first part of the walk to the bridge.
Again, tours and transport to this attraction and more are also available with Explore West Coast.
While you’re in the area, check out the 10 Awesome Things to Do in Hokitika to add activities to your itinerary.
Location: Whitcombe Valley Road, Kokatahi, approximately 72 km (45 mi) from Greymouth town centre.
© NZPocketGuide.com8. Spend the Day at Lake Brunner
Only a 30-minute drive inland from Greymouth is the real hidden gem of the West Coast. Lake Brunner is a recreational haven where locals come to fish, jet boat, waterski, kayak and more.
For visitors and especially families, it’s a wonderful place to lap up the scenery of the lake and surrounding mountains. The best way to do that is along the many family-friendly short walks in the area, featuring cool forest, swingbridges and even glowworms.
Find out more about them in the 10 Hikes Around Lake Brunner. There’s also floating pontoons on the lake for swimming in summer, as well as perfect picnic spots around the lake.
Location: Moana, Arnold Valley Road, approximately 36km (22 miles) from Greymouth town centre.
© westcoast.co.nz9. Ride the TranzAlpine Train Through Arthur’s Pass
What kid doesn’t love to ride the train?! Better still, the TranzAlpine is sure to impress you too, often ranked as one of the most scenic train journeys in the world.
The four-hour train ride goes from Greymouth to Christchurch, passing through the commanding alpine landscape of the Arthur’s Pass National Park.
Observe the breathtaking scenery from the open-air viewing carriages or from the comfort of your seat with large windows up to the ceiling.
Keep the kids happy with a treat from the cafe carriage in between watching the braided rivers, lakes and bush-clad mountains go by.
Location: Greymouth Train Station, 164 MacKay Street, Greymouth.
© Great Journeys New Zealand10. Cycle Part of the West Coast Wilderness Trail
The South Island is packed with scenic bike trails, including the iconic West Coast Wilderness Trail.
What’s more, it’s the best one to tackle with kids thanks to its smoothly packed gravel surface that is only classed as high as grade-two difficulty. While the trail is 139 km (86 mi), short sections can be enjoyed, such as the Greymouth to Kumara section taking around two to four hours to complete.
The trail starts from the railway station, following the Grey River and the coast, then inland through coastal forest along a historic bush tramway with beautiful views of the Taramakau River.
Children’s bikes and a ride-behind bike can be hired from Mann Cycles and bikes with child seats can be hired from West Coast Rail Trails Cycle Holidays.
For more details about the trail, see Mountain Biking on the West Coast.
Location: Start from the Greymouth Railway Station, 164 MacKay Street, Greymouth.
© westcoast.co.nzMore Things to Do in Greymouth with Kids
That’s it for our guide to things to do in Greymouth with kids; for more information about family-friendly activities on the West Coast, check out the following articles:
- 10 Best Family Accommodation in Greymouth
- 10 Fun Things to Do in Greymouth
- 10 Best Walks in Greymouth
Finally, if there’s anything we’ve missed, you’re likely to find it in The 10 Best Family Accommodations in Greymouth.
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2025])
- Department of Conservation (Tracks, hikes, campsites and more - Updated [2025])
- AdventureSmart (Know before you go - Update [2025])
- Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2025])
- NZ Māori Tourism (Official Māori Tourism platform - Updated [2025])
- Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Road and transport tips - Updated [2025])
- DriveSafe (Road safety - Updated [2025])
- Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2025])
- Safe Travel (NZ travel advisories - Updated [2025])
- Tourism Export Council New Zealand (Tourism trade association - Updated [2025])
- TIA (Independent tourism association - Updated [2025])
- West Coast NZ (Regional tourism website)
- Grey District Council (Local council website)
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