{"id":51360,"date":"2026-04-14T13:32:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T01:32:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/?p=51360"},"modified":"2026-04-14T13:38:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T01:38:27","slug":"the-best-lesser-known-places-to-escape-this-anzac-day-long-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/the-best-lesser-known-places-to-escape-this-anzac-day-long-weekend\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Lesser-known Places to Escape This ANZAC Day Long Weekend\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

April is\u00a0quietly one of the best months in the New Zealand calendar. The summer crowds have gone away, the heat has softened, and the country\u00a0slowly embraces the\u00a0deep golden\u00a0and\u00a0amber\u00a0hues\u00a0of autumn.\u00a0There\u2019s\u00a0a certain\u00a0unhurried charm to it,\u00a0and somewhere in the middle of it all sits\u00a0the\u00a0long\u00a0ANZAC\u00a0weekend<\/a>\u00a0that lands exactly at the right moment, in the right season. The only big question is where to spend it.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The predictable answer \u2014\u00a0Queenstown<\/a>, the\u00a0Coromandel<\/a>, anywhere with a hot pool \u2014\u00a0will\u00a0probably also\u00a0see you end up spending your\u00a0long weekend in bumper-to-bumper traffic on State Highway.\u00a0So, this year, forget\u00a0the usual suspects. Instead,\u00a0opt for somewhere quieter, slower, and breathtakingly beautiful.\u00a0We\u2019ve\u00a0rounded\u00a0up\u00a0our top three destinations.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WAIRARAPA<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wine, wild coastline, and some of the darkest skies in NZ<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pinot noir, seal colonies, and the darkest skies in the North Island;\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0all this and so much more to fall in love with\u00a0Wairarapa.\u00a0A mere two hours from\u00a0Wellington<\/a>, the Wairarapa\u00a0is completely removed from the speed of the capital city\u00a0and embraces a much slower pace. In April, the\u00a0cellar doors are still open\u00a0(and less crowded),\u00a0and the air is cool enough\u00a0to be refreshing but warm enough to sit outside with a glass of\u00a0crisp Sauvignon\u00a0Blanc and a cheese board that\u00a0turns a regular afternoon into something more intentional.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Martinborough: the perfect long wine weekend<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The beating heart of the Wairarapa, with vineyards producing some of New Zealand\u2019s finest pinot noir.\u00a0Summer draws the crowd; April, not so much.\u00a0Te\u00a0Kairanga<\/a>, Palliser Estate<\/a>,\u00a0Poppies<\/a>,\u00a0and\u00a0Martinborough Vineyard<\/a>\u00a0are all within easy cycling distance,\u00a0so hire a bike\u00a0from the town centre and spend the afternoon moving between vineyards.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why Cape Palliser is worth the drive<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An hour south of Martinborough, the road to Cape Palliser is dramatically scenic, and at the end of it lies a lighthouse: 258 steps to reach the top for your perfect Instagrammable moment. At the base, it\u2019s home to the largest seal colony in the North Island, sprawled across the rocks and completely indifferent to your presence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dark skies: the best stargazing in the North Island<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wairarapa is home to one of New Zealand\u2019s designated Dark Sky Reserves, and April\u2019s crisp, clear autumn nights are perfect for some of the best stargazing experiences. Find a bach, step outside after dinner with a hot cup of cocoa, and look up to see the dance of a million stars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to stay:<\/strong>\u00a0Find a\u00a0bach\u00a0in\u00a0Wellington-Wairarapa\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AKAROA<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dolphins, French charm, and a quieter pace of life<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The charming village of\u00a0Akaroa<\/a>\u00a0feels like a world away, especially in autumn, as the town settles into a slower rhythm.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tucked in the Banks Peninsula, this quaint town with its French heritage has a distinctly European feel with its colonial cottages and boutique cafes and bistros. With golden leaves lining the streets in autumn, there\u2019s a soft, romantic charm to every corner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to see Hector\u2019s dolphins<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Akaroa is home to the rare Hector’s dolphin \u2014 the world’s smallest and rarest dolphin, and a local taonga (treasure). Book one of the harbour cruises with\u00a0Akaroa Dolphins<\/a>\u00a0and spend a morning on the water, watching these small, curious creatures move through the harbour. It is, without question, one of the more quietly extraordinary things you can do in New Zealand.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A walk through NZ\u2019s French-inspired village<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wander through the heart of Akaroa\u00a0and\u00a0you\u2019ll\u00a0find\u00a0cute cottages, tucked-away galleries, and cafes that invite you to spend long afternoons under a canopy of amber leaves.\u00a0For a town\u00a0this size, Akaroa\u00a0carries a remarkable\u00a0history, so stop\u00a0by the\u00a0Akaroa Museum<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0explore the layered story of the region.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to stay<\/strong>: Find your next\u00a0bach\u00a0at\u00a0Akaroa<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

HAWKE\u2019S BAY<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Art deco and the perfect excuse to open a bottle of sav<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the Wairarapa is intimate and Akaroa is romantic, Hawke\u2019s Bay is the one that surprises you. You arrive for its famous wines but leave talking about the art, the food, and the drive. Late April sits at the beautiful end of harvest season, and similar to Wairarapa, its laid-back vibe is perfect to spend a long weekend.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore Napier\u2019s Art Deco streets like a local<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Napier<\/a>\u00a0was\u00a0almost entirely\u00a0destroyed in the 1931 Hawke\u2019s Bay<\/a> earthquake and rebuilt in the architectural style of the moment: Art Deco. The result is that now the region is home to one of the finest collections of Art Deco architecture in the world.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spend your mornings with a leisurely stroll in the city centre, armed with a self-guided map (the Sea Walls collection of magnificent murals is a must-visit). Between the many fine wineries, fabulous restaurants and bars, good coffees, and boutique shops, a long weekend there barely scratches the surface and leaves you coming back for more.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meet the gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers is one of the world\u2019s largest and most accessible gannet colonies, and late April is one of the last chances of the season to see the colony before the birds head north.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ganet Safaris Overland<\/a>\u00a0has daily tours at 9:30am and 1:30pm from September to April. Their fleet of 4×4 takes you through the pristine coastline, working farm, and native bush\u00a0before you reach the top of the gannet colony,\u00a0where you will\u00a0encounter\u00a020,000 gannets.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Where to stay<\/strong>: Find your accommodation in\u00a0Hawke\u2019s Bay<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

April is\u00a0quietly one of the best months in the New Zealand calendar. The summer crowds have gone away, the heat has softened, and the country\u00a0slowly embraces the\u00a0deep golden\u00a0and\u00a0amber\u00a0hues\u00a0of autumn.\u00a0There\u2019s\u00a0a certain\u00a0unhurried charm to it,\u00a0and somewhere in the middle of it all sits\u00a0the\u00a0long\u00a0ANZAC\u00a0weekend\u00a0that lands exactly at the right moment, in the right season. The only big question […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":134,"featured_media":51368,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"The best lesser-known places to escape this ANZAC Day long weekend | Bachcare","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[266],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-51360","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-anzac"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51360","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/134"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51360"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51360\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51374,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51360\/revisions\/51374"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bachcare.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}