We spent a few days in Hawke’s Bay during the two-week Christmas break. This region is on the east coast of the North Island, and is famous for its award-winning wines. We stayed in the city of Napier, but also went to nearby Hastings to visit the waterpark and Te Mata Peak.
Most guides say that the travel time from Wellington to Napier is 4.5 hours. Ours was about 6, since we stopped in Pahiatua for lunch and much-needed playtime for the girls.
We arrived in sunny Napier in the afternoon, and I immediately loved the palm tree-lined Marine Parade. Our hotel was located in the city centre at Tennyson street, which was surrounded by Art Deco buildings that Napier is famous for.
When I researched for things to see and do in the area, I looked for those that the kids will enjoy. So although Hawke’s Bay is famous for wine, JP and I will save vineyard tours for when the girls are older. These are the places we visited:
The National Aquarium
After checking in to the hotel, we walked over to the National Aquarium of New Zealand. The girls loved looking at the “fishies”, as well as the penguins. They were also fascinated with the sharks on the large aquarium.
Of course, they were singing “Baby Shark” the whole time.
Marine Parade and Rush Munro
A few minutes down along the stretch of Marine Parade, we let the girls enjoy the playground. I love this play area because it is covered. The sun was out and the roof really helped. I wish there are covered playgrounds in Wellington!
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped for some Rush Munro ice cream, a must-try in Hawke’s Bay. We all loved them.
Ocean Spa
Since the girls had a long nap in the car on the way to Napier, and the sun was still up at 7pm, we went over to the Ocean Spa for night swimming. The temperature had started to drop, so being in the heated pool was so nice, albeit a bit crowded.
The girls certainly had fun and there were tantrums when we said we had to leave.
Splash Planet
Our entire second day was spent in Splash Planet in nearby Hastings. It’s the largest waterpark in New Zealand. My tip here would be to buy your tickets from the website, because the lines can get very long in the summer. You get to enter quickly if you have online tickets! If you want a nice spot to set up your things, come really early (it opens at 10AM).
The girls absolutely loved this place. Katie, especially, who is more confident in the water because of her floaters. Patty, on the other hand, was a bit more wary, did not like those buckets that dropped water on kids.
Suffice it to say, they were both tired when we got back to the hotel.
Te Mata Peak
Before going home, we drove up to Te Mata Peak in Hastings, which gives a 360 degree view of the Hawke’s Bay region. It’s so beautiful up there.
I had planned for the girls to visit a petting farm, but unfortunately, it was closed until the new year.
Here are a few more pictures we took, walking along the Marine Parade before heading home. We loved our stay at Napier, and will definitely come back!
