Hastings: Discover parks, culture and history

Hastings offers various ways to explore the city’s history, parks and culture. Art Deco features and a historic atmosphere shape the city centre. There are also places to enjoy art, events and discoveries related to water. As you plan, consider which of these aspects interests you most and how you would like to spend your time in Hastings.

Parks with different features

Cornwall Park is in the centre of Hastings and covers eight hectares. Its landscape includes several ponds and a stream. In January and February, the weekly “Summer in the Park” concerts take place there. If you’re travelling during these months, you can take the concert series into account when planning and check the dates for your visit. Frimley Park in Hastings offers a different garden experience: its formal gardens feature more than 5,500 roses. The waterways at Cornwall Park and the rose gardens at Frimley Park can therefore be seen as two distinct park highlights. For families, this contrast can help when planning for different interests throughout the day.

City history along a route and in the urban landscape

The Hastings Urban Heritage Trail is 39.7 km long and leads to historic buildings, churches, monuments, parks and other significant places in Hastings. You can drive it or cycle along it. The route connects different kinds of historic places, offering more than one perspective on the city’s history. The city centre itself is also worth a closer look: its Art Deco features and distinctive historic atmosphere give it a character of its own. If you’re interested in exploring the city, you can consider the route as a more comprehensive option and include the historic impressions of the centre as another focus.

Art, stories and event venues

Ngā Pou o Heretaunga is on permanent display at Civic Square, by the Hastings Art Gallery. This unique collection comprises 18 pou tūpuna, or ancestral posts; their stories span 20 generations. The number of generations brings the collection’s narrative arc to life and gives visitors a different way to experience Hastings than through its architecture or parks. The Hastings Art Gallery offers exhibitions, public events and school programmes. As the programme may change, check the current schedule for a specific date.

Toitoi – Hawke’s Bay Arts and Events Centre has the historic Opera House at its heart and also includes a modern venue covering 660 m². Toitoi aims to give the community access to, and opportunities to participate in, the performing arts, events of all kinds and cultural activities. The historic Opera House and modern event space together represent the venue’s different facets.

Water knowledge and regional produce

Waiaroha – Heretaunga Water Discovery Centre in Hastings explains the journey of water from the mountains to the sea, via rivers, streams, wetlands and aquifers. Through a large window, visitors can see how the water treatment plant works and learn more about its processes. This sequence makes it easier to understand water as an interconnected system. Check visiting options before you arrive.

The Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market in Hastings also offers a first-hand look at regional produce: you can buy seasonal products and handcrafted goods directly from growers and producers. Another opportunity to add culture to your calendar is the annual commemoration of the anniversary of the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake. Hastings holds it every year on 3 February as a public event; the special ceremony takes place at Hastings City Centre Mall.

Choose accommodation to suit your plans

When choosing a hotel in Hastings, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: would you rather explore historic places, spend time in parks or plan around a specific cultural event? Then compare possible hotel locations with the stops you actually intend to visit. This way, your search starts with the experiences that matter to your trip.

Discover more destinations: Poukawa, Clifton, Karamu, Kahuranaki, Tuki Tuki, Waiwhare, Maraekakaho, Clive

For the broader travel overview: Hastings District.