Thrillzone Auckland

Thrillzone bills itself as New Zealand's biggest virtual reality venue, and its Takapuna base on Hurstmere Road is where most families will head. More than 40 headsets drive the Omni VR platform, Hologate adventures, free-roaming Battleground for up to eight players, and VR escape rooms. Away from the headsets there are indoor escape rooms built around New Zealand's 1860s gold rush, tactical laser tag, Bazooka Ball, and a race car simulator.

The KidzClub drop-off programme takes children aged 4 to 13 around the venue with dedicated staff, which makes it a practical few hours for parents as well. Takapuna is open late seven days, so it holds up as a wet-weather fallback for older kids and teenagers.

The second Auckland site, on the corner of Quay and Hobson Streets in Viaduct Harbour, is a different proposition: an outdoor escape adventure that mixes a scavenger hunt, augmented reality and code-cracking around the waterfront. It runs by group booking only rather than as a walk-in venue, so plan that one ahead.