Havelock North offers a quieter alternative in Hawke’s Bay
The area of Havelock North is part of the metropolitan area of Hastings on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. As part of the Hawke’s Bay district, the town has a heavy focus on tourism with many visitors passing through on trips along the coastline. Havelock North is also a popular spot to base a trip from, particularly for those looking to hike to the nearby Te Mata Peak. In addition, with close connections to Hastings and Napier, Havelock North continues to be a well-visited destination, ideal for exploring the Hawke’s Bay wine growing valleys.
Quickly accessible from Napier and Hastings
Havelock North is situated in an almost central position along the North Island’s eastern coastline, equidistant from Auckland and Wellington. Most visitors will come through Hastings to reach Havelock North, but there are further public transport connections from Napier, just a thirty minutes’ drive away. The town itself sits southwest of Hastings and whilst it is largely considered a suburb of the bigger town, Havelock North residents see it as separate entity with its own atmosphere. The bulk of the commercial activity is focused around a central roundabout and the four main roads that lead off of this. This area contains several restaurants, cafes and shops, including many New Zealand chains such as the New World supermarket. Most of the Havelock North motels and hotels can be also be found in this proximity, ensuring the town centre can be explored on foot from the majority of accommodation options. The road leading north from the central roundabout is the direct route to Hastings, just a few kilometres away.
Exploring the town centre of Havelock North
Although Havelock North has a small and compact town centre, it contains an array of sights and things to do, which ensure visitors can spend a day or two enjoying attractions close to their accommodation. Havelock North is known for its upmarket independent shops and thus is one of the most unique spots in the Hawke’s Bay area for shopping, something many guests appreciate. Fashion boutiques, local art and jewellery and a variety of souvenir outlets are amongst the range on offer here. The centrally located Anderson Park provides a pleasant outdoor area just a minute’s walk from the town centre; home to a large open space of grass, plus the local squash club, it is ideal for practising sports. In terms of tourist sites in the town centre, many of the buildings in Havelock North are relatively new and nondescript, however St Columbia’s Church offers a glimpse of some unique looking architecture.
The wineries and natural wonder in the immediate surroundings
Heading south from central Havelock North, the landscape begins to rise towards the Te Mata Peak. In the foothills below there are a multitude of wineries plus several parks and nature reserves which provide the core outdoor focus of the area. Several of the wineries are just a few kilometres away and are thus very accessible, even on foot. Indeed, a day hike into the surrounding nature is a popular activity with guests of the hotels in Havelock North, with many wineries offering tasting sessions as a relaxing way to break up the day. Through the summer months, Havelock North has a busy events calendar with an array of small festivals and events occurring in the rural surroundings, including several wine related events. Another popular outdoor activity in the region is golf; the nearby Hastings Golf Club is known as one of the finest facilities in New Zealand and guests of Havelock North hotels often head to the club to enjoy the 18-hole course and on-site driving range.
Venturing out across the Hawke’s Bay region
For visitors spending a longer period of time in Havelock North, there are dozens of things to do and day trips to be made, into the surrounding region. Being by the coast, there is evidently a variety of coastal highlights including beaches and coastal towns such as Clifton, Haumoana and Ocean Beach. Visiting these remote towns is an excellent way to experience the rural and rugged nature of the Hawke’s Bay area and can provide some outstanding views of the nearby cliffs. Visitors also choose to base themselves in a Havelock North hotel and then commute into Hastings and Napier each day to experience the tourist attractions on offer in these cities. Therefore, Havelock North can provide the ideal balance between city sightseeing and a relaxed, quieter atmosphere to return to. Moreover, the motel style accommodation in Havelock North allows visitors to conveniently park their car on site, rather than be concerned about the parking situation in the larger cities.