A mere 1½ hour drive from Taupo over the ranges that ensure a Mediterranean climate; Hawke's Bay has long hot summers as well as clear blue skies in the middle of winter. That weather guarantees you'll be spoiled for choice of things to do.

In fact, and we don't say this lightly, we reckon you'll love it so much you'll want to stay forever! Hawke's Bay is one of the sunniest regions of New Zealand. Sheltered by ranges to the west the Hawke's Bay landscape opens up to reveal rolling hills and fertile plains. The perfect environment for orchards and, of course, internationally acclaimed wineries.

The city of Hastings and the township of Havelock North are nestled among the orchards and vines. The art deco city of Napier sits by the glistening waters of the Pacific - paradise!

With an annual average of 2200, sunshine hours are high, while rainfall and humidity are low. In fact, Hawke's Bay has the second highest sunshine hours and the lowest rainfall in the North Island. Whatever time of the year you visit, you're pretty much guaranteed to have sunny, dry weather - perfect for exploring this stunning region. Napier is internationally renowned as the "Gourmet Food and Wine" destination and is the "Art Deco" capital of the world. We offer fully guided Wine and Scenic Tours, tasting World class Wines and visiting historic wineries. With over 2300 sunshine hours per year, beautiful public gardens, historic wineries, wonderful scenery and a fabulous Art Deco city, come and discover one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets.

Events are a key feature of the Hawke's Bay calendar. There's so much happening during the year it's often hard to choose. February features Harvest Hawke's Bay, the region's annual food and wine festival. It's also a great month for concerts - the annual Mission Estate concert attracts visitors from outside NZ. What else, you ask? Well, let's see: Art Deco weekend, Matariki Festival celebrating the Maori New Year, Winter Solstice Fire Festival, Hastings Blossom Festival, Kelt Capital $1,000,000 Stakes Raceday. And this is just a selection...

Other activities and attractions that my tickle your fancy include: For the adventurous: hot air ballooning, paragliding off Te Mata Peak, scenic flights, jet boating, tramping in the Ruahine and Kaweka ranges, trout fishing, horse trekking, exploring the local beaches, or a visit to Cape Kidnappers Gannet Colony.

For the family: Splash Planet, Omahu Bird & Animal Park, Keirunga Park Railway, Marineland, Seahorse Farm, National Aquarium, Amazing Maze 'n' Maize, and the British Car Museum.And of course, fabulous eating out and nightlife. Havelock North and Hastings offer a great selection of Hawkes Bay restaurants, bars and pubs. And don't forget the many restaurants and bars to choose from in Napier's Ahuriri Port area, not to mention cafes for that leisurely Sunday brunch.

With a climate conducive to creating exceptional wines why not book yourself on a tour or grab a wine map and take yourself. From boutique wineries to major operations, you're bound to find something special to swirl around in your glass. Coupled with fine food the region is a gastronomer's delight.

Napier, Hawkes Bay is a 'not to be missed' destination. It is internationally renowned as a gourmet food and wine destination and is the Art Deco capital of the world.We offer fully guided Wine and Scenic Tours, tasting World class Wines and visiting historic wineries. With over 2300 sunshine hours per year, beautiful public gardens, historic wineries, wonderful scenery and a fabulous Art Deco city, come and discover one of New Zealand;s best kept secrets!

Enjoy tasting World class wines, explore New Zealand's only Winery Museum, setup in old wine fermentation tanks. See the crystals and the Wine levels on the walls - all still visible today. Tour the Tom McDonald cellar. Visit and taste at New Zealand's oldest Winery. Move onto Hastings to two Top Wine producers from the famous "Gimblett Gravels" wine producing region. We also offer a Brewery option to replace the forth Winery. Your wine tour or ours....you choose.

Napier also hosts the Art Deco Festival, held annually on the third week of February.The festival is a week long celebration with classic vintage cars, jazz, wining and dining, dancing, theatre, and people dressed in the glamour and elegance of the Deco era.

Discover the unique City of Napier, with a fully guided and informative Tour, and share it's heritage and history. Damaged in a massive earthquake 76 years ago, Napier was rebuilt in a unique style, and has become known as the Art Deco Capital of the World.

We have a wide range of recommended tours, or you can custom build your very own tour, which we can fine tune to your requirements

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