This playground was new in 2018 and has lots of equipment that should appeal to a variety of ages. The playground is also next to a skatepark and a half basketball court and also within the huge park with lots of flat grass (for picnics, kite flying and ball games),…
The walkway along the sea side of Napier’s Marine Parade is great for buggies, bikes, skate boards, scooters and rollerblades because it’s wide and mostly smooth concrete. Along the way there are plenty of things to stop and look at or play on making this an area you could easily…
Splash Planet is fairly well known by summer visitors to the Hawkes’ Bay region and is generally a firm favourite with locals. It’s most talked about for the slides and water features but there’s also a whole section of the park dedicated to ‘dry rides’ which is great for younger kids who might…
This bike track says that it’s for BMX riders but people on all types of bikes and scooters were happily using it when we visited. The maze of tracks are all smooth concrete and cover 500m. There’s a steep downhill start before riders’ skills are tested with a series of…
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…
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…
There are 4 branches of this cafe around Hawke’s Bay all serving Bay Espresso’s own locally roasted coffee but this recommendation is for the original cafe as it’s the only one the reviewer has been to. They do a great breakfast with a good selection of choices on the menu,…
