Father's Day Deals

Father’s Day Sale 2026

Father’s Day Gift Ideas for Every Kind of Dad

Here’s where the deals are landing this year, sorted by what he’s actually into.

Rally driving and go karting deals

If his idea of a good Sunday involves engine noise, start here. The 4WD Turbo Evo Rally Drive Experience puts him behind the wheel on loose gravel with a co-driver calling the corners, which is about as close to the real thing as it gets in New Zealand.

For something a bit more competitive, the Highlands Go Karting Experience in Cromwell is built for family bragging rights. And if he’d rather chase a lap time in something with a badge, the Supercar Fast Dash Hot Lap Experience sorts that out quickly. Browse the full driving experiences range for more.

Flying lesson deals

Plenty of dads have spent decades pointing at helicopters. This is the year he gets in one and takes the controls. The Introductory Trial Helicopter Flight in Auckland starts with a proper briefing, then hands him the cyclic with an instructor beside him. Down south, the Christchurch Helicopter Trial Flight does the same over the Canterbury coastline.

Hot air ballooning and seaplane flight deals

Early start, quiet float, breakfast afterwards. Hot Air Ballooning Over Waikato lifts off at dawn over farmland and river bends, and Hot Air Ballooning over the Canterbury Plains finishes with a glass of champagne on landing.

On the water, the Kaikoura Whale Watching Scenic Flight puts him above sperm whales and dusky dolphins for half an hour. In Fiordland, the Kepler Mountain Jet Boat and Sea Plane Flight pairs a river run with a mountain landing. There’s more in scenic flights if he’d rather stay in a fixed wing.

Beer tasting and food tour deals

For the dad who has opinions about hops. The Brewery Tour with Tastings walks him through the tanks before the good part, and Emerson’s Brewery Tour with Tasting in Dunedin covers one of the country’s best known names in an hour.

If he’s more of an eater than a drinker, the Walking Food Tour of Wellington covers the capital’s best kitchens on foot, and the Wellington Guided Chocolate Walking Tour is a good shout for the dad with a sweet tooth he pretends not to have.

Affordable Father’s Day gifts that still feel like something

A small gift can still be a good story. The Jet Boat Ride Huka Falls is thirty minutes of spins and near misses on the Waikato River. The Scenic Cruise on Lake Taupo is the calmer option, with the Maori rock carvings at Mine Bay along the way.

When you want to go bigger

For milestone years, the Milford Sound Scenic Flight and Nature Cruise is a full day out of Queenstown. Closer to home, the Sailing Yacht Cruise on Auckland Harbour with Dinner works if you’d like to actually be there with him. And for the dad who talks about the one that got away, Guided Fishing on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour gives him a full day and a new story.

Gifts for dads who don’t want a thing

If he’s the type who says he’s got everything he needs, he probably means he’s got enough stuff. Book him a day instead. The Harley Davidson Motorcycle Tour of Auckland takes two hours and covers the coast road. The Wanaka Scenic Hot Air Balloon Flight gets him up before sunrise for the right reasons. And the Beat the Clock Escape Room Experience is built for two, if you’d rather give him your time as well.

Nothing to store, nothing to dust, nothing he has to pretend to like.

Explore more Father’s Day gift ideas

– Father’s Day gifts for the full range

– Unique Father’s Day gifts if he’s hard to shop for

– Gifts for dad sorted by what he’s into

– Gifts for him for brothers, mates and father in laws

– Gift vouchers when you’d rather he chose

– Sale for everything currently discounted

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I get dad for Father’s Day?

Start with what he already talks about. If he watches motorsport, Drive a Ferrari F430 Supercar with EvoX Hot Lap will land. If he’s happiest outdoors, the Queenstown Fishing Charter gives him three hours on Lake Wakatipu. And if he’s the one who cooks Sunday breakfast, the Guided Asian Walking Food Tour in Wellington suits.

When is Father’s Day in New Zealand?

Father’s Day in New Zealand falls on the first Sunday of September. In 2026 that’s Sunday 6 September.

When do Father’s Day sales start and end?

Our Father’s Day sale opens in mid August and runs through to Father’s Day itself on Sunday 6 September. Weather-dependent bookings like the Tandem Skydive Over Queenstown fill up fast once the sale opens, so it pays not to leave it to the last weekend.

Where can I find the biggest Father’s Day discounts?

This page is the best place to start, and our sale page carries everything discounted year round. Deals move as stock changes, so check back across the sale period. Multi activity options like the Wellington Craft Brewery Half Day Tour and the Craft Beer Full Day Guided Tour tend to stack up well when they’re reduced.

What are the best Father’s Day deals for different budgets?

For a smaller gesture, the Outdoor Kart Racing Experience or the Brewery Tour with Alehouse Lunch do a lot in a short window. In the middle, the Methven-Mt Hutt Scenic Balloon Flight or the Shotover River Jet Boat Ride fill an afternoon. For a big one, the High Altitude Whisky Hut Heli Flight or the Lake Wanaka Scenic Trial Flight are the ones he’ll bring up for years.

Can I buy a Father’s Day gift voucher instead of an experience?

Yes. A RedBalloon Gift Voucher lets him pick his own, which is handy if you’re not sure whether he’d rather be in the air or on the water. Vouchers are valid for five years and are delivered by email, so they work as a last minute option too.

What do you get a dad who doesn’t want a thing?

Take the “thing” literally. A Mustang V8 Self Drive Experience or the River Valley Scenic Trial Flight both give him a day out and nothing to find a shelf for. For the dad who’d rather be near water, Fly Fishing in Taupo is set up for two so you can go with him.

Can I do the experience with him?

Plenty of our Father’s Day options take two or more. The Queenstown Wine, Beer and Gin Tour works well as a group, the Taste Buds Tour of Petone is an easy one to join him on, and the Auckland City and Volcanoes Helicopter Flight seats you both.