Wellington and Hawke's Bay
HubThe lower North Island pairs Wellington, the compact capital with Te Papa, the cable car and the ferry to Picton, with Hawke's Bay, the sunny east coast wine country around Art Deco Napier. Add Martinborough's vineyards for a Wairarapa day. Napier is about 5 hours 20 minutes' drive from Auckland, and Wellington sits at the end of the classic North Island road trip.
Quick facts
- Ferry to Picton
- About 3 hours 30 minutes across Cook Strait
- From our Interislander vs Bluebridge guide
- Te Papa
- Free for New Zealanders; $35 international visitors 16+
- From our Things to do in Wellington guide
Plan it:The 10-day North Island road tripAuckland to Wellington driveThree weeks in New Zealand
Wellington and Hawke's Bay on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)Drive times are routing estimates without stops. Prices and rules were checked for each guide; follow the link for the official sources.
Coming up in Wellington and Hawke's Bay
See the events calendar
Official links for Wellington and Hawke's Bay
All useful linksInterislander (opens in a new tab)
Book the Cook Strait ferry between Wellington and Picton, including vehicles and campervans.
Bluebridge (opens in a new tab)
The other Cook Strait ferry. Compare times and vehicle fares with Interislander.
Wellington Airport (opens in a new tab)
Arrivals, buses and the short hop into the city from the airport.
Hawke's Bay Airport (opens in a new tab)
The Napier airport site for flights into Hawke's Bay.
Metlink (Wellington) (opens in a new tab)
Buses, trains and harbour ferries in the Wellington region.
East by West Ferries (opens in a new tab)
Wellington harbour ferries, including the Days Bay and Matiu/Somes Island services.
Sounds Air (opens in a new tab)
Small-plane flights across Cook Strait and around the top of the South Island.
Hawke's Bay NZ (opens in a new tab)
Official visitor site for Napier, Hastings, the wineries and Te Mata Peak.
More Wellington and Hawke's Bay guides
WellingtonInterislander vs Bluebridge: which Cook Strait ferry should you book?
North IslandAuckland to Wellington drive: the best stops and overnight options
North IslandThe 10-day North Island road trip: Auckland to Wellington the fun way
NationwideThree weeks in New Zealand: the both-islands itinerary
Nationwide