Hawkes Bay road trip: complete guide & best spots

Treat your tastebuds and satisfy your senses with a Hawkes Bay road trip! This journey is the perfect way to try some of New Zealand’s best food and wine whilst also seeing some of its biggest attractions like Cape Kidnappers and Te Urewera National Park.

Use our 7-day Hawkes Bay road trip guide to plan your travels. It can be modified to suit the number of days you have available and includes all the best sightseeing and camping spots. Plus, we’ve thrown in a heap of extra information like drive times, distances, the best season to travel and much more!

If you’re travelling from Auckland, don’t forget to check out our Auckland to Hawkes Bay road trip.

Best road trip around Hawkes Bay: 7 places you can’t miss.

Total Distance: 422km | Recommended Days: from 3 - 7 days | Best Time to Visit: Between March to May (Autumn) | Route on Google Maps

1. Hastings

Kick off your Hawkes Bay road trip in the city of Hastings, the agricultural hub of the region. Spend your first evening gorging on fresh local produce and wine in the fantastic restaurants and bars around town. The next day, walk it off and follow one of the 7 hiking trails that lead to the breathtaking Te Mata Peak. If you’re after something a little easier, there is an excellent boardwalk around the nearby Pekapeka Wetland. Stay at the Hastings Bay Top 10 Holiday Park, which offers a range of lakeside powered campsites upon 10 acres of shady park-like grounds.

2. Cape Kidnappers

Drive Time: 35 min | Distance: 29 km

Spend the morning admiring the impressive public artworks in the streets of Hastings, including a collection of Maori carvings in Clive Square. If you happen to be in town on a Saturday morning, don’t miss the famous Havelock North farmer’s market. After seeing all that Hastings has to offer, make the short drive to the dramatic Cape Kidnappers, home to the world’s largest gannet colony. Park on the sandstone headland and take in panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean before setting up camp at Clifton Motor Camp, a little slice of paradise that offers powered and unpowered sites at affordable prices.

3. Napier

Drive Time: 45 min | Distance: 33 km

Nappier is a stunningly preserved 1930s Art-Deco city that is famous for being the cultural and commercial centre of the Hawkes Bay wine-growing region. Hire a pushbike or book a tour and visit some of the vineyards responsible for producing the world's best Chardonnay. On a Sunday morning, be sure to visit the Hawkes Bay Farmers’ Market and try some of the locally farmed fruits, vegetables, meats, breads and preserves. If you’re travelling in June or November, don’t miss the 40+ events at the biannual Food and Wine Classic event. Stay at the Hawkes Bay Holiday Park and choose from over 50 campsites set amongst their lush and well-maintained grounds.

4. Tangoio Beach

Drive Time: 35 min | Distance: 34km

Just north of Napier, the small coastal village of Tangoio Beach is popular amongst surfies, fishermen and divers. Be sure to check out the Whakaari Headland, a site of great spiritual and historical significance where an old Maori fortified village once stood. Afterwards, make the 1-hour return walk to the stunning Tangoio and Te Ana Falls, easily accessible for people of all fitness levels. Finally, after a long day on your feet, settle into your beachfront campsite at the Waipatiki Beach Holiday Park.

5. Mohaka

Drive Time: 1 hr 15 min | Distance: 80 km

Further along the coast of Hawkes Bay, you’ll find Mohaka, which in Maori means ‘place for dancing’. This name symbolizes the shimmering waters of the Mohaka River, which twists and turns its way from high mountain ranges and exits into the Pacific Ocean beside the township. The river is the most popular fishing spot in Hawkes Bay, so consider hiring a guide to help you land some monster trout. If fishing’s not your thing, book a white water experience with Mohaka Rafting and take a half-day tour down the rapids.

For a freedom camping site with some great facilities, try Glenfalls DOC campsite. Otherwise, you can always find a powered campsite at the 280-acre family-owned Mohaka River Farm.

6. Te Urewera

Drive Time: 1 hr 30 min | Distance: 86 km

Te Urewera National Park is a wonderland of pristine lakes, enormous forests and towering mountains. The most popular part of the park is Lake Waikaremoana, which formed thousands of years ago when a colossal landslide blocked the Waikaretaheke River.

Whilst the 3-day Lake Waikaremoana Track might be a bit too much for some, there are numerous shorter walks that begin at the Te Kura Whenua visitor centre.

We recommend the easy walks to both Aniwaniwa Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Stay at the Waikaremoana Holiday Park, a fantastic DOC campsite on the edge of the Lake with powered/unpowered sites, hot showers, flush toilets and even a shop.

7. Gisborne

Drive Time: 2 hr 30 min | Distance: 160 km

End your Hawkes Bay road trip in the surf city of Gisborne, the first place in the world to see the sunrise each morning. Chill out and relax on Okitu Beach or hit the wine trail and explore the vineyards around the unofficial ‘Chardonnay Capital of New Zealand‘.

To learn more about the area’s Maori history and art, be sure to visit the highly-rated Tairawhiti Museum. Grab a beachfront campsite at the Tatapouri Bay Oceanside Accommodation, just 15-minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Organise your Hawkes Bay road trip with Camplify

Now that you’ve got your Hawkes Bay road trip itinerary sorted, it’s time to start organising the finer details that’ll guarantee a great holiday! Plus, set up camp at one of the best camping grounds in Hawkes Bay!

Need to arrange campervan hire in Hawkes Bay? Camplify is a platform that allows travellers to quickly search through privately-owned rentals. Simply enter your pickup location and budget and within seconds, you can find the perfect motorhome, caravan or campervan for your road trip!

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We are proud to be New Zealand’s fastest-growing private caravan, campervan and motorhome sharing community. When you hire a van through our platform, it comes with lots of advantages:

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By hiring with Camplify, you are also helping local families who share their van on our platform and supporting many local companies across NZ in addition to ours. So we are very grateful to you.

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