Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island and New Zealand’s second largest. It’s an easy, family-friendly base for South Island road trips and a great city break in its own right, especially with kids.
We’re not locals, but over the last few years we’ve visited three times with little ones at different ages - 4 and 2, 1.5, and a tiny 3 months - to see family and explore more of Christchurch with kids.