Planning a Trip
Getting There & Getting Around
By Plane --
Air New Zealand (tel.
06/833-5400) provides daily service between Napier/Hastings and Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, with connections to other key centers. The airport is a 5-minute drive from Napier City and a 20-minute drive from Hastings. Shuttle service (tel.
06/879-9766) into Napier costs NZ$18 (US$13/£6.45).
By Coach (Bus) -- InterCity (tel. 09/913-6100) and Newmans (tel. 09/913-6200) provide daily bus service between Napier/Hastings and Auckland, Gisborne, Rotorua, Taupo, Tauranga, and Wellington. Magic Travellers (tel. 09/358-5600) and Kiwi Experience (tel. 09/366-9830) both include Napier/Hastings on their routes. Monday through Friday, Coachrite Connections (tel. 06/868-9969) operates regular bus service between Hawkes Bay towns.
By Car -- An extensive highway system links the region to key North Island cities: Wellington on State Highway 2; Rotorua/Taupo on State Highway 5; Gisborne on State Highway 2; and Auckland via Taupo on State Highway 1 and State Highway 5. The drive from Auckland is 5 hours; from Wellington, 4 hours; from Rotorua, 2 1/2 hours; from Gisborne, 2 hours; and from Taupo, 1 1/2 hours. Three excellent, free touring guides cover this area: Pacific Coast Highway (www.pacificcoast.co.nz), Thermal Explorer Highway, and the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail. Pick up copies at any visitor center.
By Taxi -- A Napier Taxis (tel. 06/835-7777) stand is at Clive Square.
Orientation
The pride of Napier is Marine Parade, a beautiful stretch of waterfront lined with stately Norfolk pines. Kennedy Road, the main thoroughfare, diagonally bisects the town. The fishing wharf suburb of Ahuriri, around Bluff Hill, is home to nice shops and restaurants. The best beach is Westshore Beach in Westshore Domain, part of the new-land legacy of the 1931 disaster.
Hastings lies 20 minutes south of Napier, and Havelock North is 5 minutes southeast of Hastings.
Visitor Information
The Napier i-SITE Visitor Centre, 100 Marine Parade, Napier (tel. 06/834-1911; fax 06/835-7219; www.iSITEhawkesbay.com), is open daily 9am to 5pm (closed Dec 25). It has extended hours from December 26 to March 31.
The Hastings i-SITE Visitor Centre, Russell Street North, Hastings (tel. 06/873-5526; fax 06/873-5529; www.hastings.co.nz), is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 4pm, with extended summer hours (closed Dec 25).
For a calendar of events in the area, check www.hawkesbaynz.com. For accommodations listings, check www.napieraccommodation.com.
Fast Facts
The chief post office is on Dickens Street, Napier (tel. 06/835-3725). For Internet access, try Cybers Internet Café, 98 Dickens St., Napier (tel. 06/835-0125), open 8:30am to midnight. The Chemist Shop Napier, 32 Munroe St. (tel. 06/834-0884), is open daily 8am to 9pm.
Special Events
The Harvest Hawkes Bay Wine and Food Festival (tel. 06/834-1911; www.harvesthawkesbay.co.nz), during the first week of February, provides an opportunity to sample a wealth of food and wine in one location. The Brebner Print Art Deco Weekend draws up to 18,000 people for wining, dining, dancing, jazz, vintage cars, and special walks and tours. Most participants dress in 1920s and 1930s fashions. It's on the third weekend in February. For details, contact the Art Deco Trust in Napier (tel. 06/835-0022; www.artdeconapier.com).
Planning a Trip
Getting There & Getting Around
By Plane --
Air New Zealand (tel.
06/833-5400) provides daily service between Napier/Hastings and Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, with connections to other key centers. The airport is a 5-minute drive from Napier City and a 20-minute drive from Hastings. Shuttle service (tel.
06/879-9766) into Napier costs NZ$18 (US$13/£6.45).
By Coach (Bus) -- InterCity (tel. 09/913-6100) and Newmans (tel. 09/913-6200) provide daily bus service between Napier/Hastings and Auckland, Gisborne, Rotorua, Taupo, Tauranga, and Wellington. Magic Travellers (tel. 09/358-5600) and Kiwi Experience (tel. 09/366-9830) both include Napier/Hastings on their routes. Monday through Friday, Coachrite Connections (tel. 06/868-9969) operates regular bus service between Hawkes Bay towns.
By Car -- An extensive highway system links the region to key North Island cities: Wellington on State Highway 2; Rotorua/Taupo on State Highway 5; Gisborne on State Highway 2; and Auckland via Taupo on State Highway 1 and State Highway 5. The drive from Auckland is 5 hours; from Wellington, 4 hours; from Rotorua, 2 1/2 hours; from Gisborne, 2 hours; and from Taupo, 1 1/2 hours. Three excellent, free touring guides cover this area: Pacific Coast Highway (www.pacificcoast.co.nz), Thermal Explorer Highway, and the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail. Pick up copies at any visitor center.
By Taxi -- A Napier Taxis (tel. 06/835-7777) stand is at Clive Square.
Orientation
The pride of Napier is Marine Parade, a beautiful stretch of waterfront lined with stately Norfolk pines. Kennedy Road, the main thoroughfare, diagonally bisects the town. The fishing wharf suburb of Ahuriri, around Bluff Hill, is home to nice shops and restaurants. The best beach is Westshore Beach in Westshore Domain, part of the new-land legacy of the 1931 disaster.
Hastings lies 20 minutes south of Napier, and Havelock North is 5 minutes southeast of Hastings.
Visitor Information
The Napier i-SITE Visitor Centre, 100 Marine Parade, Napier (tel. 06/834-1911; fax 06/835-7219; www.iSITEhawkesbay.com), is open daily 9am to 5pm (closed Dec 25). It has extended hours from December 26 to March 31.
The Hastings i-SITE Visitor Centre, Russell Street North, Hastings (tel. 06/873-5526; fax 06/873-5529; www.hastings.co.nz), is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 4pm, with extended summer hours (closed Dec 25).
For a calendar of events in the area, check www.hawkesbaynz.com. For accommodations listings, check www.napieraccommodation.com.
Fast Facts
The chief post office is on Dickens Street, Napier (tel. 06/835-3725). For Internet access, try Cybers Internet Café, 98 Dickens St., Napier (tel. 06/835-0125), open 8:30am to midnight. The Chemist Shop Napier, 32 Munroe St. (tel. 06/834-0884), is open daily 8am to 9pm.
Special Events
The Harvest Hawkes Bay Wine and Food Festival (tel. 06/834-1911; www.harvesthawkesbay.co.nz), during the first week of February, provides an opportunity to sample a wealth of food and wine in one location. The Brebner Print Art Deco Weekend draws up to 18,000 people for wining, dining, dancing, jazz, vintage cars, and special walks and tours. Most participants dress in 1920s and 1930s fashions. It's on the third weekend in February. For details, contact the Art Deco Trust in Napier (tel. 06/835-0022; www.artdeconapier.com).
