With predominantly flat, coastal landscapes, lots of sunshine, an abundance of vineyards and a plethora of locally-grown produce, Hawke’s Bay is a place where you’ll want to linger. But to really immerse yourself in this bountiful region, the best way to explore is on two wheels. We’ve put together a long weekend itinerary driven by pedal power.
Day One
AFTERNOON
Don’t jump on your bike straight away! When you arrive in Hawke’s Bay get your bearings on a tour of one of the region’s most distinctive landmarks – the white cliffs of Cape Kidnappers that gleam at the southern end of the coastline.
Gannet Safaris Overland have been operating for more than 50 years from their base at Clifton, near the edge of Cape Kidnappers. Tours depart twice each day, and the journey provides a great opportunity to get a feel for the Hawke’s Bay landscape – including bits that are otherwise inaccessible to the public.
Get up close to the gannets at Cape Kidnappers. © Hawke's Bay NZ
Cape Kidnappers Station was transformed by the late multi-millionaire Julian Robertson to include the world-famous golf course and luxury lodge you’ll drive past on your tour. The station is also home to a remarkable 2,500 hectare predator-free sanctuary, protected by more than 10 kilometres of metal mesh fencing dug into the ground to stop burrowing pests.
But the most famous residents here are the migratory gannets. Atop the pale cliffs is a massive colony of more than 20,000 adult birds – the largest mainland colony in the world. And while they are technically Australasian gannets, 75% of the population lives in New Zealand.
Gannets mate for their 25- to 30-year lifetime, with females laying one egg per season. Each pair takes turns incubating until their chick hatches in late October. It’s incredible to get so close to utterly unperturbed wild animals – just metres their seaweed-padded nests. You can see details like their bright blue eyes surrounded by kohl-like markings and fluorescent green webbing on their feet that looks like it would glow in the dark.
EVENING
Follow the sweep of coastline back through Napier to the port-side suburb of Ahuriri (which is actually the Te Reo Māori name for the wider Napier area). In the small fishing-focused village, you’ll find The Crown Hotel. First opening in 1859, the Crown was once a rowdy local pub, frequented by workmen and sailors. The 1931 Napier earthquake destroyed much of a new hotel that was under construction at the time, so plans were revised to make the subsequent building two stories rather than three. Today, remnants of the Art Deco interior remain in the heritage wing, including mosaics in the foyer and lead light windows. The additional modern wing has lovely views across the water.
Enjoy an Aperol Spritz at Boat Ramp Eatery. © Jo Percival
Head to the Boat Ramp Eatery for dinner. Newly-opened in early 2022, the restaurant has been split off from the classic Hawke’s Bay Fishing Club, right on the Ahuriri waterfront so you can dine literally above the waves. On a sunny evening pick an Aperol Spritz to accompany views over the glistening inner harbour. A bright, light and nautical themed dining room delivers locally-sourced ingredients in imaginative ways, alongside an excellent wine list.
Day Two
MORNING
Begin your day with breakfast at Milk & Honey at the foot of The Crown Hotel. On a weekend morning it’s a hive of activity watching dog walkers striding along the water’s edge and sailors, paddle boarders and divers preparing to enter the ocean. Fuel up with strong coffee and perfectly poached eggs.
At the Tākaro Trails hub in the nearby Ahuriri shops you’ll be paired with your two-wheeled steed for the day. While the Hawke’s Bay trails are renowned for being flat and easy, an e-bike will help make light work of the ride. 30km to tackle? No problem! Panniers are provided to fit your extra bits (and any wine samples you might pick up along the way) and after a quick demo of the different power modes, you’re off! But not too far – first, take a photogenic stop at the oversized Cape Cod chairs, painted in Instagram-friendly colours on the Ahuriri waterfront.
In fact the whole Napier waterfront is pretty photogenic, skirting the Art Deco city centre. The charcoal gravel beach with its turquoise surf is beautiful but potentially deadly, with strong currents and rips. No matter how enticing it looks don’t swim here! Pause at the viewing platform which sits above the tide line to see your cycling route stretching south.
Admire the ocean from the Napier Viewing Platform. © Jo Percival
You’ll pass the famous Art Deco Tom Parker Fountain, built in 1936, next to the equally famous Pania of the Reef, one of New Zealand’s most photographed statues, in the waterfront public gardens. If you’re already feeling peckish, take a short detour to Lick This! for a scoop of home made ice cream, gelato or sorbet.
Cruise along to the Waitangi Regional Park at the confluence of the Ngaruroro, Tutaekuri and Clive rivers, where you’ll find the majestic Māori pou at Ātea a Rangi – the star compass. By dividing the horizon into four quadrants Ātea a Rangi recreates a traditional resource once used to navigate the Pacific, and also marks a significant Hawke’s Bay spot: the first place where Europeans and Māori lived together as a community. The area, restored from what was once a neglected site is now a flourishing wetland habitat.
Ātea A Rangi, the star compass at Waitangi Regional Park. © Hawke's Bay NZ
Dip through the underpass on the outskirts of Clive (one of the great things about the Hawke’s Bay trails is that they’re designed without any dangerous road crossings) and keep an eye out for goats. In a small paddock next to the trail you’ll find a trio of goats with their very own playground. It’s excellent entertainment watching the nimble-footed creatures clamber over wooden platforms, tyres and ramps.
Around the back of Clive and Haumoana, the bright limestone path skirts low coastal wetlands and rises gently to stop banks above vast apple orchards, providing a glimpse behind the scenes of the region’s productive primary industries.
AFTERNOON
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as a well-earned meal. At Te Āwanga Estate a wood-fired pizza accompanied by a tasty tipple is the perfect reward for three hours of riding. Dine alfresco amidst summer-green vines.
Dine alfresco at Te Awanga Estate. © Te Awanga Estate
Nearby, Elephant Hill and its distinctive jade coloured building is surrounded by both vines and palm trees. A turquoise pool outside the dining area reflects the sky and the patina of the weathered copper cladding.
While the restaurant is not currently open, the glamorous building is a lovely spot to linger for a wine tasting. Choose four wines from the extensive list including every day, reserve and library wines. An expert sommelier will guide you through flavour profiles and interesting facts about their production. Each vintage is like a time capsule – reflecting the weather conditions of the vintage and how that translates into flavour.
From here, the Tākaro Trails team will transport you and your bike back to base to wrap a satisfying first day of cycling.
EVENING
Did you know that you could eat snails in Napier? Poivre & Sel is a French fine dining restaurant set in one of the Six Sisters – the narrow villas that sit opposite the ocean on Napier’s Marine Parade. Owned and operated the Goslin family – chef Samuel and maître d’ Severine – Poivre & Sel reflects its owners’ European heritage and passions. Traditional French cuisine is fused with Hawke’s Bay produce and the menu changes every few weeks to keep up with what’s fresh and seasonal. You can expect a delicious journey of flavour with set menus accompanied by superb French wine.
Fresh French flavours at Poivre & Sel. © Jo Percival
Check in to the comfort and heritage of Napier’s historic Masonic Hotel, your accommodation for the evening. Spread out in the Art Deco Apartment where a soak in the deep, clawfoot bath is the perfect salve for aching muscles. Afterwards, sink into the plush mustard velvet couch, or relax under the stars on the rooftop patio.
Day Three
MORNING
Breakfast at a Napier institution. Mister D has been serving turbo strength coffee, robust, laidback meals and famous injectable doughnuts for over a decade. A voluptuous serving of smashed avo and house-cured salmon along with a creamy flat white will set you up for the day.
Have breakfast at the famous Mister D. © Mister D
A trip to Napier without exploring the city’s Art Deco heritage would be like visiting Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower. And the best way to appreciate the scope of the architecture is on an Art Deco walking tour.
The location of Napier city used to be a terrible site. In the early 1900s the limited land was surrounded by swampy estuary and lagoons, with no room for expansion. However, after the violent 1931 earthquake which decimated the CBD, the seabed rose two metres revealing the expansive and fertile areas where the new city could spread over the coming decades.
Staggeringly, considering the immense scale of the devastation and the fact that the rest of the world had virtually stopped building during the Depression, the Napier CBD was re-built within 18 months of the earthquake. And because of this fast construction and the need for pragmatic, safety-first design – which happily was also the trending style of the time – Napier became the most condensed pocket of Art Deco architecture in the world.
Napier is famous for its beautiful Art Deco architecture. © Hawke's Bay NZ
AFTERNOON
Day two of cycling begins with lunch. The Tākaro Trails shuttle will drop you at the historic Puketapu pub, set in the Hawke’s Bay countryside inland from Napier. The Puketapu used to be a popular biker pub. Now it’s a haven for cyclists, with bikes parked several deep on the footpath out front and riders in hi-vis sipping beverages in the sun. Take your pick from the multi-page menu and pull up a pew in the beer garden entwined with climbing jasmine.
The trail follows the lush, leafy banks of the Tutaekuri River from Puketapu to Taradale. Pass through dappled shade and alongside lovely spots for a refreshing river dip.
Soak up some sunshine at Church Road Winery. © Jo Percival
A quick blast along the road through Taradale takes you to the famous Church Road winery. Founded in 1897 on the same site it occupies today, Church Road is one of New Zealand’s oldest wineries. Here, a manicured golf-course green lawn is surrounded by a natural amphitheatre of hills. Inside, the rustic winery building and barrel room has massive wooden beams and a rough hewn timber ceiling. You can sample wines from the flagship Tom range, named after Church Road’s founder Tom McDonald, the Innovation Collection features unique and unusual varietals, or taste another perspective of the Hawke’s Bay region with single-vineyard wines from the Terroir selection.
With a wine tasting done, the loop back to the Tākaro Trails base is an easy, breezy ride around the edge of the Ahuriri Lagoon. Known in Te Reo as Te Whanganui-a-Orotu, the area was prized by local Māori for its bountiful food supply and abundance of flax used for weaving. Mostly a freshwater lake, breaks in the gravel during flooding would allow seawater to flow in, turning the Ahuriri intermittently into a lagoon.
Another 26km of leisurely cycling ticked off, happily balanced by vinous indulgence, great food and sunny scenery, you’ll be planning your next cycling adventure in no time.
