Most Hawkes’ Bay beaches are quite dangerous for kids due to the undercurrent but beaches both north and south of Napier sometimes have a lagoon at a river mouth which can be safer for family swimming. This is the case at Ocean Beach although kids will still need to be actively…
Most Hawkes’ Bay beaches are quite dangerous for kids due to the undercurrent but beaches both north and south of Napier sometimes have a lagoon at a river mouth which can be safer for family swimming. This is the case at Waimarama beach although kids will still need to be…
This is a great place for the whole family to come and learn about bees, why they’re important to the whole food chain and of course how honey is made. There are interactive displays including microscopes for looking at honeycomb and bees. There’s also a huge glass display of live…
Drive up one of the few substantial hills in Hawke’s Bay to admire the huge landscapes of farmland that make up the area. You can park near the peak and just walk up the last bit for the views or you can go for a longer walk around Redwood Forest.…
This is a world class skatepark designed for multiple ages and levels of kids with skateboards, BMX bikes, or scooters. Some say it’s the best skate park in the country, but you can let your kids decide! The designers have thought about younger kids too by including a small playground with…
There are various things to do in Cornwall Park during cooler months, although the attractions are quite small so may not fill more than an hour. There’s an aviary, a Chinese garden and playground with a small but interesting selection of equipment (wobbly bridge, monkey bars and obstacle courses. Swings including…
There is a great family friendly atmosphere at the Sunday Farmers’ Market at the Show Grounds in Hastings. This is a weekly event held no matter what the weather is like. It’s inside during the winter and outside in the summer. The stalls are filled with food and drinks that are locally…
This is a huge completely fenced playground with something for all ages with a separate but equally good, fenced, mini road system bike track on the other side of a small carpark but linked via the walkway on the sea side. Both are right on the sea front, within walking…
On the way to /from the ferry terminal on Donald Bruce Road, on the Western side of the island, Te Huruhi Primary school allows supervised kids to use their playground equipment and school pool during the school summer holidays. The playground areas are great with lots of climbing, balancing and swinging opportunities…
If your kids love fishing, and you have access to a car, it’s worth a half day trip over to the wharf in Orapiu Bay as there always seem to be plenty of small fish biting. Take your supplies (including fishing gear, food and water) with you as there’s nothing around apart…
