Dunedin Penguin Palace is it worth the 4 hr drive.
 

We will have 6 days in queenstown. I was wondering if it is worth the 4 hour drive from queenstown to dunedin to see penguins. Would you recommend it. We will also be going to milford sound. and with 2 small children would not like a very hectic pace. What do you think.

It was great to see the penguins but I'm not sure it's worth a 4 hour drive with two small kids, and I'm not sure the small kids will see much - you view the penguins from a fair distance away, from inside deep channels that keep the human visitors out of sight except for their heads. I think you'd have to hold your kids up to see the penguins.

I'm not sure if Penguin Place allows small children.

We got very close if there hadn't been a net there I probably could have touched one of the penguins. However that is partly the luck of the draw as to whether you can intercept a penguin on its path between ocean and nest.

There are places along the south coast that are closer to Queenstown where you might spot penguins but if your children are very small it's probably not going to be that great for them, you will very likely be farther away.

Thanks. our older child is age 6. so she should be ok. the younger one is just about 2.5yrs old. just wondering do we see many penguins or is just a few. leaning towards the penguin palace. is dunedin itself worth a visit.

It would be a few, not thousands like you see in the films from Antartica.

I happen to like Dunedin and there is a Cadbury Chocolate Factory tour that might appeal, they give extra things to the kiddies. Children under 5 are free.

http://www.cadburyworld.co.nz/faqs.html

There is also a train ride that might be family friendly
http://www.taieri.co.nz/fares.htm