Hawke’s Bay Wine Country by Campervan: Napier, Hastings and the Gimblett Gravels

Quick summary: Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s oldest wine region and one of the best for a campervan wine trip. It’s sunny and dry, with wineries spread across the plains around Napier and Hastings, a network of flat cycle trails linking them, and holiday parks close to the action. Park the campervan or motorhome for a few days, ride or tour between cellar doors, and enjoy Art Deco Napier, the farmers’ market and the views from Te Mata Peak.

At a glance
Where	The east coast of the North Island, around Napier and Hastings
From Auckland	Around 420 km via Taupō, about 5 hours 30 minutes
From Wellington	Around 320 km, about 4 hours
Signature wines	Syrah, Chardonnay, Bordeaux-style red blends
Best way to taste	The Hawke’s Bay Trails by bike, or a wine tour
Tours	Hawke’s Bay wine tours

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Why is Hawke’s Bay so good for a campervan wine trip?

Because it brings together everything that makes a wine trip easy: a warm, sunny climate, many cellar doors close together, flat land for cycling, and towns with plenty of holiday parks. The region has been making wine since the 19th century, and its range is wide, from Chardonnay to Syrah and red blends grown on the stony soils of the Gimblett Gravels. Napier’s Art Deco architecture and the coast add plenty to do between tastings.

What are Hawke’s Bay’s main wine areas?

Area	Known for
Gimblett Gravels	Stony former riverbed soils producing intense Syrah and red blends
Bridge Pa Triangle	Red wines and aromatic whites on warm, free-draining soils
Havelock North and Te Mata	Historic wineries beneath Te Mata Peak
Esk Valley and Bay View	Coastal vineyards north of Napier

How do you taste Hawke’s Bay’s wines without driving?

• Ride the Hawke’s Bay Trails. A network of mostly flat, off-road cycle trails links Napier, Hastings, Havelock North and the coast, passing many wineries along the way. Bike hire shops offer e-bikes and route maps, and some deliver bikes to accommodation.
• Take a wine tour. Half-day and full-day tours collect from Napier and Hastings, visiting several cellar doors with lunch at a vineyard restaurant.
• Combine food and wine on a tour that adds chocolate, cheese and olive oil tastings.

Browse Hawke’s Bay wine tours, and see our guide to cycling wine trails.

Where can you park an RV for a few days in Hawke’s Bay?

At a holiday park in Napier, Hastings or Havelock North. Napier’s holiday parks are close to the waterfront and the city centre, with trails leading south towards the wineries, while parks in Hastings and Havelock North sit closer to the vineyards themselves. Choose one near a trail or a tour pickup point and leave the vehicle parked on tasting days.

What else is there to do?

• Napier’s Art Deco city centre, rebuilt in the 1930s style after a major earthquake, with walking tours and vintage car rides.
• Te Mata Peak, a short drive from Havelock North, with sweeping views over the plains and vineyards.
• The farmers’ market at Hastings, one of New Zealand’s best-known, held weekly.
• Cape Kidnappers, home to a large gannet colony, reached by tour.
• Marine Parade in Napier, lined with Norfolk pines and gardens.

How do you get to Hawke’s Bay?

• From Auckland: around 420 km via Taupō, about 5 hours 30 minutes, best split with a night in Taupō or Rotorua.
• From Wellington: around 320 km via the Wairarapa, about 4 hours, past Martinborough.

For the drive along the coast, see our sister site’s Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa route.

Where can you stay?

• Holiday parks in Napier, Hastings, Havelock North and the coast.
• Vineyard stays at some wineries for self-contained vehicles, by arrangement. See our vineyard overnight stays guide.
• Freedom camping is limited, for certified self-contained vehicles, and only where Hastings District or Napier City councils permit it.

What comes next?

Continue south to Martinborough, around 3 hours away, on our North Island wine trail.

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Frequently Asked Questions