The Travel Guide to Hanmer Springs on a Budget

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Free Activities in Hanmer Springs

As long as you have an explorer spirit, you’ll find that you’ll have plenty of fun thing to do in Hanmer Springs without spending a dime! Of course, walks are a great place to start, the most popular being the Conical Hill Walk. This 30-minute town-accessible walk zigzags through pine forest to a stunning viewpoint overlooking the Hanmer Basin.

More walks in Hanmer Springs worth checking out include those in the Hanmer Forest. A short walk suitable for all ages and fitness levels is the Forest Amble Walk just outside of the town along Jollies Pass Road, featuring an array of wooden sculptures scattered in the forest. For something more challenging, hit the Mt Isobel Track – a 5-hour return hike to the alpine tops with panoramic mountain scenery (track may be closed in winter due to snowfall).

If you don’t want to spend the NZ$35+ fee to use the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa, then you do have a free option. It just takes a 16km (10-mile) walk or cycle journey to get there. Cow Stream Hot Pools are hidden along the St James Cycleway. It takes about 15km (9 miles) from the St James Homestead to reach Cow Stream. Then, follow the stream’s left-side walking track for about 1.5km (0.9 miles) to find the natural hot pools lining the stream.

For more free activities, like art galleries, fudge tastings and more, check out the 10 Free & Cheap Things to Do in Hanmer Springs.

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Cheap Activities in Hanmer Springs

Despite being a resort town, Hanmer Springs does offer a couple of more affordable activities should you be on a tight budget. For example, meet some of New Zealand’s (and the world’s) famous farm species at the Hanmer Springs Animal Park. For under NZ$15 per adult, meet and feed the sheep, goats, pigs, ponies, donkeys, llamas, alpacas, cow, texas longhorn, ostriches, emus, wallabies, water buffalos and deers. The attraction with undercover picnic areas and playgrounds is a fantastic activity for families and animal-lovers alike.

Mini golf is also an affordable activity in Hanmer Springs, costing you less than NZ$15 per adult. What’s more, you have two options to choose from, either the picturesque Alpine Crazy Putt or the gold rush-themed A-Maze-N-Golf. The latter also has a family-friendly maze puzzle activity where you must solve puzzles to escape “The Lost Temple”. This is also less than NZ$15.

Need more cheap stuff to do? Check out the 10 Free & Cheap Things to Do in Hanmer Springs.

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Cheap Eats in Hanmer Springs

Everyone’s got to eat! If you prefer to try the local eats than making your own meals, then head out to some of our recommended restaurants, cafes and takeaways for the best deals.

Time your night well for dining at Saints (6 Jacks Pass Road), a laidback bar and restaurants with a different deal for each day of the week. For instance, pop in for two-for-one pizzas on Tuesday, two-for-one stonegrill on Wednesday, $20 ribs night on Thursday and more.

For the Hanmer version of street eats, head to Pj’s Chalet (2 Conical Hill Road) serving their famous gourmet burgers, as well as fish and chips, homemade savoury pies and ice cream. Or for Mediterranean delights, head to Petrah Souvlaki (16 Conical Hill) offering excellent value with their souvlakis, wraps, kebabs, salads, paclava and more.