Family-friendly wineries in Martinborough

Summer is on its way! For our next family day out we thought that we would do a family friendly winery tour in Martinborough. Parents visiting the Wairarapa area may think they need to pass up a visit to Martinborough when they are traveling with kids. But, believe it or not, there are a whole host of family-friendly wineries offering friendly picnic areas, non-alcoholic drinks along with toys, play areas and more. Wine tasting is decidedly a very adult thing to do in that, well, legally you have to be an adult to do it! However, despite the age requirement, there are a bunch of wineries that are very accommodating to families and will happily accommodate children. If you’re looking for some child-friendly wineries, then Martinborough in New Zealand is a great option. You don’t need to be a wine expert to know that Martinborough is one of the premium wine regions of the world. 

The best part about Martinborough is its wide, safe, flat country roads, making it an ideal place to pedal. Along with conveniently located wineries all within short cycling distance of the town centre it makes it perfect for families. Green Jersey have a wide range of top quality bicycles that you can hire including their family bikes that come equipped with a child seat which was perfect for Arlo. They also have a big selection of helmets to fit the littlest of heads. I myself opted for one of their bikes with a basket on the front mainly because it looked cute but it was perfect for carrying any items or maybe a couple bottles of wine that we purchase along the way. There was no rush and we could set off at our own pace - Blissful! 

Read on for our favourite family-friendly wineries in Martinborough where you and your kids will have a great time and you can spend all of that babysitter money you’ll save on a case of wine to take home and enjoy later.

We hopped on our bikes and rode to our first destination…

Moy hall is a laid back family-run winery. We had booked a table for lunch in advance as we had heard that they can get fully booked on the weekends. Boy were we glad we did, this place does not disappoint. When we turned up it was packed, with diners and wine tastings.  

We were shown to our table outside on the lawn surrounded by vines in a beautiful setting. There was a high chair for Arlo and a large umbrella providing shade.

From the sharing plate menu we tucked into a selection of dishes featuring local lamb, seafood, olive oil, herbs and seasonal salads. 

They also had loads of kids toys for the little ones and plenty of grass for kids to run around on.

We also enjoyed Kapiti ice cream and sorbet with Persian candy floss for dessert which Arlo thoroughly enjoyed too! Food was 10/10, wine amazing (try the Rosè, you won't regret it), and the staff were super friendly and relaxed. 

Arlo decided to gate crash a hens do where he become the centre of attention.

Off on our bikes again we decided to break up our winery tour with a family outdoor activity.

 We took Arlo along to Martinborough Manor which is a working farm and orchard ideally located on the outskirts of Martinborough wine village and makes the perfect stop over if you have kids. 

All their animals are very tame and love to eat right from your hand. This was definitely the highlight of Arlo’s day! We got to wander around their orchard farm and feed goats, lambs, chickens, geese, donkeys, ducks and pigs! 

Arlo made the cutest cluck, cluck sound every time he spotted a new animal! 

We were even given a couple of eggs to take home and enjoy.

We had a great time visiting this farm and highly recommend it! 

Back onto the country road we headed to our next winery, Luna Estate! 

This is one of our tried and tested favourites and we always find ourselves coming back as they are always so welcoming and family friendly. 

If you visit on a sunny day, like we did you are in for a treat. There are plenty of lounge seating and tables with umbrellas which overlooks a vast lawn dotted with comfy bean bags. 

The winery is so kid-friendly, that during the tastings, kids can enjoy juice and snacks and while the adults sip and chat there are plenty of toys to keep them entertained. 

This winery has become well known as being family friendly, so much so that we bumped into Jake’s brothers family and Arlo got to run around on the lawn and play soccer with his cousins. 

Luna Estate also have a wide range of non-alcoholic drinks, my favourite being a raspberry and lemon Kombucha. 

Our last winery stop was Te Kairanga Wines which is in a historic cottage surrounded by beautiful gardens. 

There's drinking water and plenty of sunblock available for families to use.

They also do tastings of Lighthouse Gin here which Jake is a big fan of. 

Another reason why we love this winery is that in Spring/Summer every first Sunday of the month they do TK Farmers Market where you can find local produce, coffee, food trucks and live music. Perfect for bringing the kiddies along too. 

Hope you enjoyed our family friendly winery tour! We are looking forward to revisiting these places over and over again during Summer.

Our bikes from Green Jersey were gifted for a review. All opinions are honest and my own