At low tide there are lots of rock pools teeming with life at the Northern end of Mahia – an area known locally as Snapper Rock. General tips for rock pooling: Check the tide times and aim to go within 2 hours each side of low tide. You can do…
There are plenty of small sprats to keep young fisher boys and girls happy off the wharf at West Quay, Ahuriri. Take your own tackle (a patient child should even get bites with a hand line) and a bucket if your child wants to admire their catch before throwing it…
The closest safe swimming to Napier is at Hardinge Road where there’s a small sandy beach and kid friendly swimming. There’s a playground at Spriggs Park with equipment for younger and older kids, grassy areas for picnics and a concrete path going all the way along from the port to…
3km from Havelock North village, this gallery, cafe and old fashioned sweet shop is set in huge grounds with a sculpture garden, indoor and outdoor seating and plenty to keep kids entertained. It’s important to note that the inside cafe area is also a gallery-shop and kids need to be…
This is a lovely place to come for a special family meal out. The restaurant at the winery is open and airy with friendly staff that are willing to accommodate kids. There’s a kids’ menu (pizza and fish and chips) which comes with an ice cream for dessert and colouring in for…
This farmyard zoo is home to pigs, sheep and calves as well as the more exotic ostriches, alpacas, turtles and peacocks. Kids can interact with the animals and feed them (animal food $1). Springtime is especially popular with baby animals being fed by volunteers. Train rides and pony rides (additional charges,…
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 Waipatiki beach although kids will still need to be…
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…
