Things to Do While Visiting Hastings

Splash Planet is a water theme park that will offer 'A whole days fun'. It is set in a park like setting and has many non-aquatic activity's for those who don't like swimming. It can be found by travelling on Karamu Rd until you reach a set of traffic lights with a car dealer on the corner. Turn to go down the side with the car dealer on it, or follow the small brown signs posted on lamp posts. Following grove road (toward Karamu High School) and you cant miss it on the right.

Wineries/Vineyards

There are about 64 Vineyards and Wineries in the area around Hastings. Many of them have won international awards for their wine. Because the viticulture industry is so new to the Hawkes Bay most of the building and facilities are ultra modern. The population of Havelock North frequent these locations so they are always busy and always competing, especially on quality, with the other wineries which may be no further away than across the road. Because of the unusually high density of winery there are many tours available. Some of the more known ones are listed here.

Craggy Range Vineyard, 253 Waimarama Road, Havelock North. ph (06)873 0143. Ultra fancy winery. Very nice set in the TukiTuki valley between the Tukituki river and Te Mata peak.

Ngatarawa Wines, 305 Ngatarawa Road, RD5 Bridge Pa. ph +64 6 879 7603. You may already know this wine with its characteristic horse head label.

Prenzel on the Bay, 180 Havelock North Road, Havelock North ph +64 6870 8524. Although not strictly a winery it still offers a delicious range Schnapps, liqueurs and aux de vies as well as food to indulge yourself in.

Seleni Estates Winery, 2016 Maraekakaho Road, RD1, Hastings ph +64 6879 8768. Has an restaurant, shop, cellar tours and can host conferences and functions

Vidal Estate Winery, 913 St Aubyn Street East. +64 6 876 8105. This winery is historic, it is one of the first to be established in Hawkes Bay.

As the town expanded it grew around the winery, leaving it in the middle of Hastings. It has a restaurant, sales, and can host functions.

 Beaches and Rivers

Hawkes Bay's natural abundance is recognized by the regional councils logo, each ‘finger’ represents one of the 5 main rivers. It also has several golden sand beaches. These are listed from north to south.

Clive River is popular for its water sports including jet boating, Kayaking and Waka (Maori canoe) rides. No motorized craft are allowed further up the river than the bridge.

The Tukituki River is generally considered a safe place to take the kids swimming. The favourite spot is ‘Undercliff’ near Havelock North. It is within a 25min cycle from Hastings city centre Haumoana beach has a lovely little seaside settlement. It is generally regarded as an unsafe place to swim.

Te Awanga is another lovely beach settlement.

Clifton Is the base to explore the Cape Kidnappers mainland gannet colony. It is largest mainland gannet colony in the world and has over 50,000 birds. It is important to check the tides before walking out there as the tide comes upto the cliffs, leaving you to be washed out to sea. There is a café that serves Rush Munroe’s ice cream and other café food. You can book tractor rides out to the gannet colony in the main part of town and there is always room at the Clifton motor camp for another camper van. It is in places not safe to swim at.

Ocean Beach is Hawkes Bays premier beach. During the summer months (November – February) it has hundreds of beach goers. There is golden sand that stretches for 10km in either direction from Reneika Point down to Waimarama beach. The sand is compact and even the heaviest 4x4 will have no trouble driving on it. It is a remarkably safe beach to swim on, but the current will carry you down the beach a little. During the busiest months, there are lifeguards who patrol a short stretch of beach near the settlement. There are no shops so you will need to bring your own food.

Waimarama Beach Is another sandy beach, not quite as spectacular as ocean beach but the citizens of the settlement still call it home. It is a very popular New Years party beach, so if you go there on New Years eve expect hundreds of drunken teenagers. It is safe to swim at.

The island you can see is called ‘Bare Island’ because there is virtually no vegetation on it. It has a New Zealand fur seal colony on the side not visible from the beach.

Kairakau Beach has a small settlement. It is very difficult to find and is a long way out from the nearest settlement, Elsthorpe.

 Other Activities:

Te Mata peak offers out-door activities. Cycling is an option with many cycle paths and a the 30 minute walk to the massive redwoods is well worth it.

The A&P show at the Hawkes Bay show grounds on October 18 Pernel Fruit World offers tractor rides around their orchard and educates tourists about how fruit is grown around Hastings. Pernel Fruit World: 1412 Pakowhai Rd Hastings. Ph (06) 878 3383.

There are hot pools in the Kaweka Ranges somewhere in the vicinty of Sherenden, partway between Hastings and Taihepe. Ask at the Information centre (Corner of Heretaunga and Russel streets) for directions

Shopping:

Hastings has wonderful shopping, and what cannot be found in the city can usually be found after a short trip into the environs. For example, up market clothing and boutique stores can be found in Havelock North, while industrial good are found down the infamous Omahu road (which is a continuation of Heretaunga Street)
Hastings has the longest strip of retail stores in New Zealand. This strip reaches from Warren street in the east through to Jarvis road in the west. It offers anything for sale from Greenstone items through to tractors and fastfood and car parts. This strip is situated on Heretaunga Street, although it changes names several times along its length. You can buy almost anything your looking for here.