Hawkes Bay Attractions and Activities

Events are a key feature of the Hawke's Bay calendar. There's so much happening during the year it's often hard to choose. February features Harvest Hawke's Bay, the region's annual food and wine festival. It's also a great month for concerts – in the annual Mission Estate concert attracts visitors from outside NZ. What else, you ask? Well, let's see: Art Deco weekend, Matariki Festival celebrating the Maori New Year, Winter Solstice Fire Festival, Hastings Blossom Festival, Kelt Capital $1,000,000 Stakes Raceday. And this is just a selection…

Other activities and attractions that my tickle your fancy include:

For the adventurous: hot air ballooning, paragliding off Te Mata Peak, scenic flights, jet boating, tramping in the Ruahine and Kaweka ranges, trout fishing, horse trekking, exploring the local beaches, or a visit to Cape Kidnappers Gannet Colony.

For the family: Splash Planet, Omahu Bird & Animal Park, Keirunga Park Railway, Marineland, Seahorse Farm, National Aquarium, Amazing Maze 'n' Maize, and the British Car Museum.

And of course, fabulous eating out and nightlife. Havelock North and Hastings offer a great selection of restaurants, bars and pubs. And don't forget the many restaurants and bars to choose from in Napier's Ahuriri Port area, not to mention cafes for that leisurely Sunday brunch.