Almost completely rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in the early 1930s, this town on the North Island is famous for its beautiful art-deco buildings. The art museum sponsors guided tours of the architecture on Sunday afternoons. The National Aquarium is one of the best in the Southern Hemisphere, housing turtles, seahorses, sharks and other fish, as well as rare tuatara lizards. There are a number of other tourist attractions, including a miniature village (Lilliput), Marineland of New Zealand (dolphin and seal shows) and the Nocturnal Wildlife Centre.
Be sure to pick up an Art Trail brochure from the tourist information office, which lists more than 40 home studios, workshops and galleries of local artists. While in the area, try hot-air ballooning over the Hawke's Bay countryside or go wine tasting at some of the country's best vineyards. Bird enthusiasts should visit nearby Cape Kidnapper Gannet Reserve: Gannets (related to pelicans) nest there October-April. 205 mi/335 km northeast of Wellington.
