34 Fantastic Things to Do in Taranaki Region, New Zealand

Almost instantly, the Taranaki region grabbed me and held on. From stunning beaches to lush forests, cities to small towns, there are plenty of things to do in Taranaki.

We found countless opportunities for hiking, surfing (watching surfers, in my case), and immersing ourselves in the great outdoors. Plus, Taranaki’s commitment to preserving its history and cultural heritage is evident just about everywhere we explore.

The specialness is found from world-renowned art galleries, surf beaches, gardens, and parks to the first cinema to show talking films in the southern hemisphere. Even the cheese and bread capitals of New Zealand are found here.

Whether it’s the awe-inspiring natural beauty or discovering some of the unusual things to do in Taranaki, the region always met or exceeded our expectations.

5 Best things to do in Taranaki

The everchanging landscape of Taranaki is defined by its centrepiece, the majestic Mt. Taranaki. With 34 things to do in Taranaki listed below, we thought we put our top five here for those with less time to explore.

• Dawson Falls, Mount Taranaki, Egmont National Park
• Tawhiti Museum, Hawera
• Pukekura Park, New Plymouth
• Puki Ariki historical tour, New Plymouth
• Coastal Walkway, New Plymouth

Where is Taranaki?

Taranaki defines a region located on the North Island’s west coast. Typical Taranaki road trips begin in Hawera if coming in from Wellington, New Plymouth if arriving via King’s Country coastal route, or Stratford for those arriving via the Forgotten World Highway.

On this map, we listed the things to do in Taranaki in order if circumnavigating the mountain clockwise from Stratford, as that is where we started our own recent Taranaki road trip. Click the expand / collapse icon in the upper left corner of the map for the details.

Below, we highlight some of the things to do in Taranaki, segmented as follows:

• Parks and gardens
• Museums and art galleries
• Mt Taranaki
• Historical and unusual things to do in Taranaki
• Walks and beaches

Things to do in Taranaki: Parks and gardens

• Pukekura Park, New Plymouth
  Enjoying the serene lake, the fountain’s rhythmic dance, and the squealing delight of children at the playground, we strolled through this massive New Plymouth park. Each twist and turn of the park revealed vibrant flowerbeds, ancient trees, meticulously maintained gardens, a fernery, and a small waterfall. The park comes alive in December for the Festival of Lights.
• Pukeiti (Rhododendron Garden), New Plymouth
  Late spring was the perfect season to appreciate the Southern Hemisphere’s most extensive collection of rhododendrons, and we found ourselves surrounded by an explosion of colour. Note that Pukeiti is located about 20-minute drive from New Plymouth city.
• Tupare Gardens, New Plymouth
  This six-star NZ Garden’s Trust landscaped garden estate is a haven of tranquillity on the Waiwhakaiho River. It showcases exquisite plant collections and meandering pathways.
• King Edward Park, Stratford
  An oasis in the heart of Stratford, King Edward Park is full of surprises from the Malone Memorial Gates to a swingbridge. The park is a lush, colourful retreat nestled alongside the Pātea River. There’s a kauri tree planted by Queen Elizabeth II, a playground, and a mural of William Shakespeare.
• Hollard Gardens, Kaponga
  Bernie Hollard established this garden in 1927 and continued working on it throughout his life. It’s a tapestry of colour and texture. We didn’t go here.
• Rotokare Scenic Reserve, near Eltham
  This predator-free sanctuary is home to a pristine lake, surrounded by walking tracks that offer glimpses of indigenous birdlife.

Things to do in Taranaki: Museums and art galleries

As a visitor and an artist, it didn’t take long to know why so many artistic people settled here. Both creating and sharing, some of these galleries and museums are among the best things to do in Taranaki. Check out our favourites here or embark on the Coastal Arts Trail to enjoy comedy shows, museums, and art galleries.

Art galleries

• Percy Thomson Gallery
  Often considered one of New Zealand’s top regional galleries, exhibits change monthly. We visited the Percy Thomson Gallery during a show featuring local artists. The talent in this town is impressive.
• Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre: This architectural masterpiece, a hub of contemporary art, is home to several works by the renowned kinetic artist Len Lye, as well as a collection of work from over 50 Māori artists.

Taranaki museums

• Tawhiti Museum, Hawera
  This unassuming museum is one of the best museums in New Zealand. Jeff and I were captivated by the meticulously detailed dioramas and life-sized exhibits depicting scenes from the past, including a large Maori Pa, intertribal wars, Māori Land Wars, and industrial, transportation, and agricultural development in the area. A labour of love, as its creator, Nigel Ogle, hand-made all the dioramas in an on-site workshop.
• Traders and Whalers, Hawera
  An underground canal boat ride took us through the exhibit, telling the story of the whalers and their sometimes tumultuous trading with Māori through a collection of impressive life-size models. Part of Tawhiti Museum, but a separate entry ticket is required.
• Puke Ariki Museum, New Plymouth
  A seamless blend of heritage and innovation, this family-friendly museum has plenty of hands-on, engaging exhibits on Taranaki’s history, art, and science and an extensive collection of Māori carvings. The building also houses a library and iSite, where we booked an amazing historical walking tour of New Plymouth. (This tour is one of our top recommendations of things to do in Taranaki)
• Taranaki Pioneer Village
  An opportunity to step back in time, explore the historic buildings, and get a glimpse of life in Taranaki’s early days. From the blacksmith’s shop to the old-school printing press, this living museum offers a unique experience. (We didn’t go here).

Things to do in Mt Taranaki (Taranaki Maunga)

Egmont National Park is home to the iconic Taranaki Maunga, (Mt Taranaki). On clear days, we could see the mountain from just about everywhere in the region.

While there are three entrances to the park and over 30 walking and tramping tracks, we opted to start at the Dawson Falls Visitor Centre and explore a few of the Mr Taranaki walks from there. Our first stop was the lookout tower just outside the visitor centre for impressive views of the mountain and valley.

Two popular hikes are:

Dawson Falls Waterfall

This horsetail-type fabulous New Zealand waterfall drops 18m, and in my opinion, the best view is at the base after walking down the 134 steps. You can get here from either the Kapuni Loop Track (1 hour return) or the Dawson Falls Track (10 minutes). We also took the 5-minute walk to the Dawson Falls Power Station, one of the world’s oldest functioning generators.

Wilkies Pools Loop Track (Goblin forest)

We saved this 1 hour 20 minute, popular picturesque walk for our next visit. Often considered moderately challenging, it winds through the moss-covered goblin forest, leading to impressive natural plunge pools.

More Mt Taranaki walks from the Dawson Falls visitor centre

• The Ridge Loop Track (a strenuous 1-hour return)
• Hooker Shelter (a strenuous 1 hour one-way)
• Waingongoro Hut (half-day/overnight tram to a 16-bunk hut)
• Enchanted- Waingongoro Loop (a 3.5-hour tramp to the highest swing bridge in the park with a steep descent).

Unusual things to do in Taranaki

• Fenton St Arts Collective, Stratford
  Possibly my favourite find, this is a combination art gallery, gin distillery, cafe and expresso bar. We did it all, from coffee to gin tasting, viewing the art, meeting one of the artists, and enjoying lunch.
• Cheese Bar, Eltham
  We could not resist shopping at the Cheese Bar, located across the street from Fontara’s factory in Eltham, the cheese capital of New Zealand. The town is also known for its vintage and retro shopping.
• Manaia
  If I am mentioning the cheese capital, it seemed only fitting to note the bread capital of New Zealand. This one was made famous from the independently owned Yarrows Bakery, founded in 1923, and is now one of the country’s largest independent bakeries.
• Normanby Wier, Normanby
  We missed this, but from what we have been told, adventure seekers always find it. It’s a dam that you can swim over the edge as the water flows.

Historical things to do in Taranaki

• Stratford Glockenspiel, Stratford
  Encapsulating the Shakespearean influence in Stratford, New Zealand’s only glockenspiel clock tower stands along the main street. Four times daily (10am, 1pm, 3pm, and 7pm), Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, emerge for the balcony scene.
• TET King’s Theatre, Stratford
  This 1916 movie theatre was the first in the Southern Hemisphere to feature a talking film. We strolled inside to find original decor and a display of old projectors, but we didn’t watch a film.
• Cape Egmont Lighthouse, Pungarehu
  Located along the Surf Highway off of Cape Rd in the western part of Taranaki, this historic lighthouse offers stunning views of the mountain. About 4km to the North, along Bayly Rd is a ⅔ height replica lighthouse housing the original 1850s Fresnil prismatic light. There’s also an aptly named Historic Cape Light Museum (open Fri-Mon).

• Hawera Water Tower, Hawera
  Built in 1914, the water tower stands 54.2m (168 feet). The strenuous 215-step climb to the top rewards most visitors with town views and surrounding landscapes. But the rain put us off, and we didn’t climb.
• SS Garilock Shipwreck, Opunake
  The rusty remains of a historic shipwreck are a testament to the region’s seafaring past and provide a captivating backdrop for coastal walks.

Things to do in Taranaki: Walks and beaches

Beaches

With 105 kilometres of coast, plenty of surf and family-friendly beaches exist. We spent most of our beach time at the lifeguard patrolled Fitzroy Beach, a well-known surf beach with a family-friendly swimming area. We found great beach information here.

Local walks

• Paritutu Rock, New Plymouth
  Seen from many of the vantage points in New Plymouth, one can climb to the top of Paritutu Rock for stunning views. A chain rail alongside the trail at the steeper portions to make it easier.
• Opunake Lake Walk, Opunake
  We didn’t drive the full cirlce, therefore we missed the scenic picturesque Opunake Lake Walk encircling the town’s tranquil lake.
• Coastal Walkway, New Plymouth
  Strolling or cycling along any section of the 12.7km Coastal Walkway is one of my favourite things to do over and over in New Plymouth. An award-winning walkway, we enjoyed breathtaking views of the Tasman Sea and Mount Taranaki. The iconic Te Rewa Rewa Bridge, with its whalebone-like design, is also along the walkway.
• Lucy’s Gully
  A lovely picnic spot alongside the Waimoku Stream with a few hiking trailheads.
• Lake Rotomanu, New Plymouth
  Popular with freedom campers and day visitors, we stopped here for a picnic along the lake’s calm waters. It’s also popular for birdwatching, watersports, and leisurely walks along its shores.

Accommodation in Taranaki: Where to stay in New Plymouth or Stratford

There are two kinds of accommodations we prefer when we travel, either pure luxury or a touch of luxury in a self-catered environment. Our accommodation in Taranaki included one of each.

Luxury at Novotel, New Plymouth

Blissful sleep, an invigorating rain shower, and delicious food were all part of the five-star luxury we found in our spacious executive room. However, the exemplary service and the go-the-extra-mile-friendly attitude separated Novotel New Plymouth from other impressive hotels. Uniqueness was found in the details, like offering to drive us to dinner when I was tired.

There is onsite parking, a gym, a sauna, and a restaurant with a huge buffet breakfast. The only thing missing was bathrobes, but we rarely use them in hotels and didn’t really notice. Reserve your stay at Novotel New Plymouth here.

Read next: 16 Things to Do in New Plymouth: Exploring this Coastal Gem

Self-contained paradise at Barberry Hill, Stratford

Charmingly rustic, yet somehow elegant, we loved this converted self-contained unit above a barn on a working dairy farm. Our huge unit featured a full kitchen, a comfortable bed, plenty of living space, a living room and a wood-burning stove.

We made our own breakfast from the farm-fresh eggs left for us and enjoyed it on the unit’s deck overlooking lush rolling pastures. Next time we stay here, I hope for better weather. Reserve your stay at Barberry Hill here.

Read next: Stratford NZ: Discover Shakespeare and Majestic Mt Taranaki

How to get to Taranaki

As North Islanders, we drove our own vehicle to the region from Auckland as part of a road trip, although driving directly would have taken about 5 hours. Similarly, it’s a 5-hour drive from Wellington that passes through Whanganui. Had we been visitors, we would have rented a car, either to get there or once we arrived, as access to so many of the places we recommend above is easy with our own car.

Bus or plane to New Plymouth

We use Bookaway for the best options to get from Auckland to New Plymouth.

Rental Car
We always use RentalCars. As an aggregator, they offer a comprehensive list of agents, ratings on specific car types, and agency ratings. Whether we rent from them or not, it’s still the perfect place to begin our search.  Start your search or reserve your rental car here.

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What are your favourite things to do in Taranaki?

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