In my very first trip around North Island - New Zealand, Mapple Grove Park at first was not in my plan but it turned out to be the biggest surprising part of my entire journey and left me an unforgettable memory. This park was found when we got lost on the way to Redwood Forest (our original plan), and the beautiful color of the mapple leaves with the touch of Autumn had kept us stay and had a wonderful afternoon wander around this hidden treasure.
Mapple Grove is a part of Centennial Park (or known as Tree Trust by locals). This 20 hectares park offers stunning views of rolling hills covered with grassy patches and trees, making it a beautiful backdrop for photos. Mapple Grove park is a popular spot for locals in Rotorua, but it is quite overlooked by tourists. This is the reason why I felt so lucky to know about this spectacular place.
The time we visited this park was in the end of May, the very last moment of Autumn, and luckily the red and yellow foliage still covered pretty much the whole park. Walking along the path with the tree-lined on the sides was so relaxing. The peaceful atmosphere and the sound of the rustling leaves had banished all our tiredness from our rushing journey.
We had spent about more than an hour walking around the park and were amazed by how beautiful the Autumn could be at this place.
It's not always a bad thing to get lost sometimes, right, in this case I suppose so. The most beautiful things sometimes come unexpectedly and what we should do is just enjoy it. Mapple Grove park was a surprise found out and I feel happy about that.
Thank you so much for reading!