Surf Highway 45: Taranaki Things to Do on West Coast Road Trip

New Plymouth is the hub for Taranaki province and worthy of several nights exploring the city that punches above its weight culturally and for its scenic attractions.

New Plymouth is a great year round destination with indoor activities for the cooler months. New Plymouth offers the visitor a comfortable hub for exploring Taranaki from the iconic Mount Taranaki to regional towns and settlements with their quirky personalities. Food lovers have a wide choice from fine dining to fish n chips on a surf beach. And, of course New Zealand always has a vineyard around the corner.

Things to Do in New Plymouth

Great photo locations with stunning visuals create memorable holiday moments. Check these places:

• Te Rewa Rewa bridge with its soaring steel wings
• Len Lye Centre, swirling silver building as a backdrop against the setting sun on the coast, including the wind wand
• Paritutu Rock
• Festival of Lights (summer)
• Pukekura Park with its cultivated gardens and themed corners
• Meeting of the Waters Reserve for natural forest scenery & swing bridge

• Pukekura Gardens attractions, things to do – Best Bits
• Potters Collective, Te Henui Vicarage historic building – Best Bits
• New Plymouth Puke Ariki Museum things to do – Best Bits

Your first stop on the Surf Highway is Oakura. Pop down to the beach and meet Jono. From We have a wide range of boards available for hire from complete beginners soft top surfboards, advanced performance boards, body boards, Standup Paddle Boards and everything else in between. And, of course surf lessons from beginners to polishing your style or simply getting to know Vertigo.

Jono is the owner of Vertigo Surf and a life long waterman. He recently moved his shop down to the beach, making rentals and surf lessons way more practical. Jono will hook you up with the right board to have a good session in almost any conditions.

One of the world’s biggest surfboards graces the entrance to Vertigo surf shop and sets the laid back beach vibe for a summer favourite destination in Taranaki. Oakura has an interesting art trail, a shipwreck and is satisfying close to the urban heart of New Plymouth for a night on the town.

What to do, highlights:

• Low tide walk to the Timaru Reef (rocks near Weld Road surf break) and wonder about the fate of SS Gairloch crew as you view the rusting, twisted frame of the wrecked ship.
• Learn, practice or show off your surfing crediants on the iron sand beach of Oakura.
• Estuary paddling for kids in the Oakura River.
• Wander along the Oakura Arts Trail and explore artists’ studios, jewellers and craft workshops.
• Find a mosaic sofa and take a SELFIE.

More about Oakura

Next the surf highway leads to Okato. Okato is the surfing destination with the Kumera Patch, Graveyard and Rockies as calling cards for the initiated to wax the boards and find the breaks. Want to explore further, there is a fascinating detective trail for botanists interested in the blue rata tree to find and observe the tree in its natural setting. The Hangatuhua Stony River is a local secret favourite swimming spot to enjoy.

Highlights:

• Surfing sweet spots, Kumera Patch, Graveyard and Rockies
• Hangatuhua Stony River swimming holes
• Very rare Blue Rata trees (scenic reserve)

More about Okato

Surf Highway is about families and kids with Opunake the drawcard for many visitors.

What to do, highlights in Opunake:

• Cape Egmont Lighthouse is a spectacular sight on the coastline. Open by appointment only.
• Opunake Loop Trail and locate the secret garden.
• Fish n chips on the local black sand beach.
• Local beach is a favourite with kids for swimming as the headland protects swimmers from ocean currents. There is a lifeguard in the peak season.
• Surfing naturally, it is located on surf highway 45.
• Find the surf fence and take a selfie while admiring the styles of boards from then and now.
• Discover the glorious art deco community owned cinema is a study in cuteness with classic movie stars, Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe front row pinups.

Manaia is another surf town and Manaia is home to one of New Zealand’s largest bread factories with the town motto, ‘Bread Capital.’

Manaia is where you hear the beat at the Country Music Museum, take a selfie with an enormous bread sculpture and read the story of George, a heroic Jack Russell dog.

More about Manaia

AHU AHU beach surf is a 3 km detour, look for the nearby wreck of the SS Gairloch, a rusted skeleton of the ship that foundered on Timaru Reef in 1903.

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Great photo moment, rusting wreck, sunset and the isolated beach.