Napier isn’t just a pretty face with Art Deco architecture. It’s a city that knows how to live well. From sunrise coffee on Marine Parade to late-night cocktails in hidden bars, this place has a rhythm that locals understand and visitors quickly fall for. Let me walk you through my perfect 24 hours in Napier.
It’s 5:30pm on a Friday. You’ve promised dinner out but haven’t made a reservation. Or your parents are visiting and want “something nice, not too fancy.” Or you’re craving Vietnamese food but can’t remember which restaurant your friend recommended three months ago. Sound familiar?
The accommodation is booked. You’ve blocked out Friday through Sunday. The group chat is buzzing with anticipation. Now comes the part that can either make or break a weekend away: actually planning what to do, where to eat, and how to fit it all in without spending three hours researching or arguing about options.
Finding activities that genuinely work for the whole family can feel like a balancing act. The kids need to burn energy, you need coffee, and ideally nobody has a meltdown in public. Hawke’s Bay delivers on all fronts. From indoor play centres that save rainy days to coastal walks where everyone wins, here are ten family activities that have stood the test of tantrums, tired parents, and school holiday chaos.
Drive through Hawke’s Bay and you’ll notice something. Roadside stalls selling stone fruit in hand-painted boxes. Cellar doors tucked between grapevines. Bakeries where bread proves overnight and bakes at dawn. Apiaries where honey still tastes like the manuka and clover the bees actually visited. This isn’t lifestyle marketing. This is how the region actually works.
