Valentines Day in Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay makes a perfect getaway for Valentine's Day this February, with its wineries, art deco celebrations and romantic vineyard restaurants.
Famous for its sunshine, fine wines and food, Hawke's Bay has long been a favourite with the romantic at heart, but if you're visiting in February, this is one of the liveliest months on the Hawke's Bay events calendar. The popular Harvest Hawke's Bay Festival and the Art Deco Weekend are both in full swing, with plenty to see and do, from relaxing to jazz at the
Church Road winery to dressing up deco-style for jazz and bubbles at the annual Gatsby Picnic.
A wonderful base to soak up the festival atmosphere is
Napier, best known for its stunning deco architecture. Napier was destroyed in the 1931 Hawke’s Bay Earthquake and rebuilt in the colourful deco style of the Jazz Age. This elegant seaside city is packed full of thriving craft shops, galleries and pavement cafés, and there are daily art deco walking tours from the Visitor Information Centre on Marine Parade.
When you've finished exploring the deco quarter, enjoy a stroll with the locals along beautiful Marine Parade, the perfect place to watch the sunset, then head out to a winery for dinner among the vines and the perfect end to your Valentine's Day celebrations.
Romantic Ways to See the Sights
- Bike the Wineries
Hire a cycle and spend the day checking out some of the world-class wineries that surround Napier and Hastings. The Visitor Information Centre has details of wineries and tours.
- Drive the Hawke’s Bay Wine Country Food Trail
Pick up the Food Trail Map from the Visitor Information Centre and get ready to tempt your tastebuds with some of the region’s abundant produce – everything from sweetcorn, strawberries, cherries and berries to avocados and nuts.
- Take a Spin in a Vintage Deco Car
Travel in a beautifully restored vintage Buick and visit some of the area’s deco gems, including the National Tobacco Company Building, the deco suburb of Marewa, and a stunning art deco home.
- Climb Te Mata Peak at Dawn
This iconic Hawke's Bay landmark just outside Havelock North is one of the first places in the world to see the dawn of the new day. If you can’t make it up at dawn, you can still enjoy the spectacular views from its towering peak (399m), which looks out over the Heretaunga Plains and Hawke Bay.
- Stroll along Marine Parade to Pania of the Reef
Located in the city’s Marine Parade Gardens, you can see Napier’s famous statue of Pania of the Reef. An ancient Maori legend tells of a young chief and his lover, the beautiful sea maiden, Pania. Lured by the siren voices of the sea people, she swam out to meet them. When Pania tried to return to her lover, she was transformed into the reef which now lies beyond the Napier Breakwater.
February in Hawke’s Bay
- Harvest Hawke’s Bay
Wine and music lovers get to indulge in a weekend of pure pleasure as wineries around Hawke’s Bay open their cellar doors, welcoming visitors with wine tasting and a host of live music and special events. Shuttle Buses run between festival venues on Saturday and Sunday, while Monday is a self-drive day. This year, a special package deal ($90) allows ticket holders to combine both the Church Road Jazz concert as well as a shuttle pass to the winery venues.
- Art Deco Napier
Time to put on your deco glad rags for this seriously fun celebration of all things deco. The festival brings to life all the glitz and glamour of this bygone era with a vintage car cruise, jazz bands, a bi-plane swoop, exhibitions and entertainment with a 1930s theme. Highlights include the Survivor’s Weekend and the annual Brebner Print Art Deco Weekend, with such colourful events as the Rollicking Railcar Ride in a restored 1930s railcar, the Eerie Earthquake Tour at Old Napier Prison, the Deco Dawdle, the Gatsby Picnic, brunch at the Chambers Restaurant and cocktails at the elegant Hawke’s Bay Club (in full deco dress of course!).
Napier i-SITE Visitor Centre (Par 2 Mini Golf)
The official Hawke’s Bay Tourism website