Adventures in the Bay
Hawke’s Bay is high on the list for a grown-up getaway, with plenty of tiki-touring around the vineyards, but it also has plenty to enthral on a family holiday too, writes Alexia Santamaria.
Hawke’s Bay is home to excellent wine, fabulous food and glorious sunshine. The ideal place for a romantic weekend sans infants – let’s face it, the 7- and 5-year-olds won’t exactly appreciate the finer points of a 2019 Craggy Range chardonnay or a 2018 Radburnd syrah.
While that may be true (the wine bit), Hawke’s Bay is as fun with family as without, and there’s a raft of attractions to amuse everyone from bigenergy, no-patience toddlers to tricky teens.
Even better, you can still enjoy many of the fabulous viticulture and culinary offerings with sprogs in tow.
Wake up at Kennedy Park Resort
Hawke’s Bay’s largest holiday park is exactly where you need to spend a night if you’re travelling with your tribe.
Villas are comfortable and well-equipped (but you also have the choice of motel units, cabins, selfcontained units, and campsites), and there’s a heated swimming pool, play area, mandatory jumping pillow, pedal cars, theatre-style lounge, and junior games and TV room.
The only problem is getting your little darlings to leave the park to actually see the sights.
11 Storkey St, kennedypark.co.nz
Gannet Safaris Overland
Anyone visiting Hawke’s Bay over the summer should visit the gannets.
While the 20,000-plus birds are the main attraction (you get within metres of these majestic specimens at the world’s largest and most accessible colony), the journey through Cape Kidnappers is just as incredible.
Knowledgeable local guides drive you through farmland and native bush, and let you out at viewpoints so you can marvel at the dramatic cliff faces giving way to blue waters, before you arrive at the gannets for a cuppa and biscuits, and a good look at these preening, dancing, swooping, goldentopped beauties.
It’s good they give you a decent amount of time there, as it’s pretty hard to tear yourself away from the views and the goings-on of the colony. There are definitely some divas and a lot of argy-bargy about things only gannets understand.
396 Clifton Rd, Te Awanga, gannetsafaris.co.nz
Lunch at Hygge at Clifton Bay
Very close to the headquarters of Gannet Safaris is Hygge. It’s a great place to eat if you have kids with you. In fact, one of the owners, Robyn, is an exkindy teacher, so there has been a huge focus on creating somewhere families feel comfortable.
The food is hearty and reliable fare (cabinet or menu), and the setting by the water at Te Awanga is delightful, with plenty of space to run around. There’s a play area for little ones, and Robyn and Kerry are the ultimate hosts, welcoming you in like it’s their lounge at home.
194 Clifton Rd, Te Awanga, hyggeatcliftonbay.nz
Napier’s Marine Parade
There can’t be many stretches of waterfront as child-friendly as the three-kilometre stretch that is Napier’s Marine Parade.
First, there are the vistas – Mahia Peninsula in one direction, Cape Kidnappers in the other, and there is a lot of magnificent sea in between.
But kids aren’t there for the views, they are all about the bike pump track, junior bike track, playgrounds for every age and stage, Bay Skate (an impressive skate park), Sunken Gardens, mini golf, and the National Aquarium.
While away the afternoon exploring whatever takes your kids’ fancy, and finish it off with a massive icecream as you stroll back to the car. hawkesbaynz.com/see-and-do/attractions/ family-attractions/marine-parade/
Dinner at Bistronomy
Yes, this is the fancy restaurant that wins lots of awards that you might think you would never take your kids to, but think again.
Bistronomy changed its fare slightly post-Covid and, while the flavours are still cracking, the produce still amazing, and the techniques still incredibly skilled, it’s a little more approachable – and even has a menu for children. It’s vibrant, busy and fun and, if you want an incredible meal somewhere you can take the kids, this is the place.
Book early, bribe the kids with dessert, and they might even behave long enough for you to truly enjoy the clever food at this well-loved establishment.
40 Hastings St, Napier, bistronomy.co.nz
Market breakfast
There’s no better way to start a Sunday than with a visit to the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market.
Kids love the bacon sandwiches, and you’ll all love the authentic French pastries, artisan bread and handmade chocolates.
If you’re self-catering, there’s plenty of freshly grown and made produce to take back to your accommodation for dinner or platters with your favourite Hawke’s Bay drop.
If you’re looking for something less traditional for breakfast, The Dosa Project’s masala dosa is a must.
Wash it all down with some Hawthorne coffee (a local favourite), and you will be set up for a glorious day in the bay.
Kenilworth Rd, Waipatu, hawkesbayfarmersmarket.co.nz
Napier City Bike Hire & Tours
Hawke’s Bay is all about good eating, so it doesn’t do any harm to get active for a bit if you’ve been ‘‘over-sampling’’.
Hire a bike from Napier City Bike Hire & Tours and head along the water’s edge from the centre of town for 15 minutes to Ahuriri, where you will find a cluster of beautiful murals from the seawall project.
(Check out napier.govt.nz/napier/communityart/sea-walls-murals-for-oceans if you want to find them all.)
There’s excellent coffee and pastries at Crazy Good Coffee, and cute boutique shopping nearby. It may be small, but it would be easy to spend a few hours there with a drink by the water and some excellent fossicking.
It’s another 30 scenic minutes past fields and meandering waterways to Church Rd, where you can cool off in the beautiful interior of this winery, founded in the late 1800s.
Grab a platter to have on the lawn, or indulge in a long, late lunch at Verde, which also has a great kids’ menu.
The children will love the museum downstairs, with mannequins depicting the winery’s history, and you’ll love the cheeky tasting at the end of the tour.
New Zealand’s first winery, Mission Estate, is two minutes up the road, and the lovely team from Napier City Bike Hire & Tours will pick you up, if the ride home seems more challenging than the ride there.
117 Marine Pde, Napier, bikehirenapier.co.nz
Breakfast or brunch at Mister D
There’s a reason locals love Mister D. It has a great menu, a welcoming space (complete with cute courtyard), super friendly staff and, most importantly, doughnuts.
The deep-fried balls of delight have to be some of the best in the country.
Keep it simple with cinnamon and sugar, if you’re a purist, otherwise order one with a syringe with injectable fillings, such as custard, jelly, chocolate or coconut, lime and palm sugar.
There are even boozy syringes for the adults, if the mood takes you – Hennessy cognac custard doughnut anyone?
47 Tennyson St, Napier, misterd.co.nz
Mo¯ haka Rafting
When you’re heading out, stop at Mo¯ haka Rafting, just 45 minutes out of Napier city.
Descend a long path in your car to meet Norm and his team, who will suit you up for some magical hours on the water.
Norm is quite a character – with his own special sense of humour – but, floating down the river with him, it’s clear he’s incredibly passionate about the preservation of the area and showing others the best way to enjoy this beautiful pocket of Hawke’s Bay.
If you have little ones, there’s a float trip that can accommodate kids as young as 5, but if you want a bit more action there are plenty of other options to take you through the stunning boulders, spa pool-like rapids, lush green foliage, and gobsmacking beauty of the Mo¯ haka River.
3408 State Highway 5, Napier 4182, mohakarafting. co.nz