Things to do in Gisborne
23 places worth stopping for and 10 places to stay on a road trip through Gisborne.
See and do
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Te Araroa
East Cape Lighthouse
The easternmost lighthouse on the mainland, up 700 steps for a first-light view.
Swimming hole · RereHidden gem
Rere Rockslide
A natural 60 m rock slide down a river, ridden on boogie boards in summer.
- Beach
Beach · Tolaga BayHidden gem
Anaura Bay
Safe, golden crescent beach reached by a side road off SH35.
- History
History · Tolaga Bay
Tolaga Bay Wharf
One of the longest wharves in the country, with the walkway to Cooks Cove from its base.
Garden · Ngātapa
Eastwoodhill Arboretum
New Zealand's national arboretum, best for autumn colour.
- Walk
Walk · Tolaga Bay
Cooks Cove Walkway
Coastal track over farm cliffs to a rock tunnel and a sheltered cove.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · RereHidden gem
Rere Falls
A wide curtain of water you can walk behind, with a swimming pool below.
- Walk
Walk · Tolaga BayHidden gem
Anaura Bay Walkway
A coastal track through farmland and bush above Anaura Bay.
Beach · Tokomaru BayHidden gem
Tokomaru Bay
A broad bay with the ruins of an old freezing works and wharf.
- Wildlife
Wildlife · TatapouriHidden gem
Tatapouri Point
Rock pools and a stingray feeding experience just up the coast from Gisborne.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Gisborne
Titirangi / Kaiti Hill lookout
The lookout over Gisborne's harbour and Poverty Bay.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · MuriwaiHidden gem
Young Nick's Head
Chalk headland where Cook's crew first sighted land, with a ridge walk.
- Roadside oddity
Roadside oddity · Te Araroa
Te Waha o Rerekohu pohutukawa
A giant pohutukawa said to be among the oldest and largest in the country.
- History
History · TikitikiHidden gem
St Mary's Church, Tikitiki
A small church filled with Ngāti Porou carving and tukutuku panels.
- Beach
Beach · Hicks BayHidden gem
Hicks Bay (Horseshoe Bay)
Sweeping horseshoe beach with an old wharf and a bush walk to Onepoto.
- Beach
Beach · Gisborne
Wainui Beach
Gisborne's classic surf beach on the road out of town.
- Beach
Beach · Makorori
Makorori Beach
Long surf beach reached straight off SH35 with big headland views.
- History
History · Gisborne
Cook Landing Site (Puhi Kai Iti)
Where Cook's crew first came ashore in 1769, at the foot of Kaiti Hill.
- Museum
Museum · Gisborne
Tairāwhiti Museum
Local museum and gallery on the river, covering Māori and settler history.
- Walk
Walk · OkituHidden gem
Okitu Bush
A 30 minute walk through native bush with creeks and a grassy picnic area.
- Beach
Beach · Waipiro BayHidden gem
Waipiro Bay
Small, out-of-the-way coastal settlement with a quiet beach and an old wharf.
- Activity
Activity · GisborneHidden gem
Gisborne City Vintage Railway
Vintage rail experiences from a heritage station in the city.
- Garden
Garden · Gisborne
Gisborne Botanical Gardens
Free town gardens with lawns and mature trees by the river.
Places to stay
- Holiday park
Holiday park · Te AraroaHidden gem
Te Araroa Camp Ground
Simple camp in Te Araroa, home of a giant pohutukawa and the road up to East Cape lighthouse.
- Holiday park
Holiday park · Te Araroa
Te Araroa Holiday Park
Tent and powered sites with cabins near the beach at Te Araroa.
- Lodge
Lodge · Tokomaru BayHidden gem
Stranded in Paradise
Hillside eco-lodge and cabins looking over Tokomaru Bay.
- Holiday park
Holiday park · Tolaga Bay
Tolaga Bay Holiday Park
Camping by the beach at Tolaga Bay, close to the wharf.
- Holiday park
Holiday park · Tatapouri
Tatapouri Bay Holiday Park
Family-friendly holiday park on the Pacific Coast Highway near Gisborne.
Holiday park · Tolaga BayHidden gem
Anaura Bay Motor Camp
Seasonal beachfront camp at the north end of Anaura Bay.
- Freedom camping
Freedom camping · GisborneHidden gem
Kaiti Beach freedom camping
Free overnight parking at Kaiti Beach with a toilet and playground, below the Cook landing sites.
- Freedom camping
Freedom camping · Tokomaru BayHidden gem
Tokomaru Bay south freedom camping
Free winter camping behind the dunes at Tokomaru Bay, 1 May to Labour weekend.
- Holiday park
Holiday park · Gisborne
Waikanae Beach Top 10 Holiday Park
Beachfront holiday park on Grey Street with a heated covered pool, ten minutes' walk from town.
- Freedom camping
Freedom camping · Gisborne
Midway Beach freedom camping
Free overnight spot by Midway Beach, near the toilets and Olympic pool. Up to three nights.
Plan the drive, not just the stops
Roadtrip works out what the drive costs in fuel for your car, splits it into days with the best stops and places to sleep, and finds the cheapest fuel on the way.
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