15 Best Sights in East Coast and the Volcanic Zone, New Zealand

One of this region's most attractive wineries features rose gardens and a tasting room that overlooks the vines. The chardonnay and pinot gris are usually outstanding, but the showpiece is the reserve cabernet sauvignon–merlot, a powerful red that ages well. Syrah grapes are proving spectacular as is the Brookfields Hillside syrah.

Situated by a small lake with the towering Te Mata Peak beyond, this vineyard has a stellar backdrop. The wines include single-varietal chardonnay, merlot, and syrah; a predominantly merlot blend called Sophia; and a pinot noir dubbed Aroha. You can sample wines at the cellar door; leave time to linger over a meal at Terroir, a French-inspired restaurant overlooking the lake.

Inspired by the gardens seen on a trip to England in 1910, William Douglas Cook returned home and began planting 160 acres. His brainchild became a stunning collection of more than 600 genera of trees from around the world. In spring and summer, daffodils mass yellow; magnolias bloom in clouds of pink and white; and cherries, crab apples, wisteria, and azalea add to the spectacle. The main trails in the park can be walked in about 45 minutes. Maps and self-guided tour booklets are available. Drive west from Gisborne center on State Highway 2 toward Napier, cross the bridge, and turn at the rotary onto the Ngatapa–Rere Road. Follow it 35 km (22 miles) to the arboretum.

Even if you’re not an aficionado of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, a delve into this magic, pretend world of the Shire of Middle-earth (aka the Hobbiton movie set) is rather fascinating. Guides will escort you along the paths of the 12-acre set, stopping at little Hobbit houses set into the hillsides. Along the way, they share secrets about how the movies were made and explain incredible, intricate details of the set design. Like the thirsty Hobbits, you’ll enjoy finishing up at the Green Dragon Inn for an exclusively brewed beverage. The standard tour lasts two hours. Meal packages can be added, and transport can be arranged from nearby Matamata and Rotorua. Hobbiton is one of New Zealand's most visited attractions, and reservations are essential for all tours. To think this was once just another New Zealand sheep farm.

The first New Zealand facility to attain organic certification specializes in making fine wine from estate-grown grapes sourced from single vineyards and grown in the traditional manner using biodynamic techniques. It's a great place to sample, sit, and relax. The vineyard is signposted off State Highway 2, about 11 km (7 miles) south of Gisborne.

Surrounded by gardens, this classic winery—the country's oldest and set up by Catholic missionaries—stands in the Taradale hills overlooking Napier. Dating back to 1851, it deserves to be added to your "must-see" list. Award-winning wines, including the Mission Jewelstone range, can be bought or tasted at the cellar door. Learn more about the mission's history by joining one of the twice-daily tours, or order a meal in the on-site restaurant, which serves lunch and dinner daily (take a seat on the terrace for a terrific view of the vineyard and Napier). Also check out the website—the winery occasionally hosts concerts by big-name performers.

Rewind time by spending an evening at Mitai Māori Village, where you can listen to the harmonious chant of traditionally clad warriors as they paddle a waka (war canoe) along the Wai-o-whiro stream, then watch a top-notch cultural show, and enjoy a delicious hāngi feast. Getting the chance to see glowworms on a short, guided bush walk is a bonus.

This complex, also known as the Hawke's Bay Museum, is home to a museum, a theater, and an art gallery. The museum component's curatorial team is engaged, and the exhibitions ponder a range of local and international issues, so you might see a temporary display devoted to an exploration of memory alongside a cutting-edge digital presentation. There's also a significant collection of newspaper reports, photographs, and audiovisuals that re-create the suffering caused by the 1931 earthquake, plus a unique collection of artifacts—including vessels, decorative work, and statues—relating to the Ngāti Kahungunu Māori people of the East Coast.

Stand on a moving conveyor that takes you through the world of sharks, rays, and fish. Environmental and ecological displays showcase tropical fish, sea horses, tuatara, and other creatures. For an additional fee you can get up close and personal with penguins. There is also a kiwi enclosure where these birds can be seen in ideal viewing conditions.

Take a step into the dark for an up-close and personal view of the kiwi. The hatchery was established in 2008 and has become a leader in breeding and rearing the brown version of the national bird. Kiwi experts are on hand to guide you as you understand the kiwi hatching process and take a peak at newly hatched kiwi chicks in its  state-of-the-art facilities.

Prominent Hawke’s Bay winemaker Kate Radburnd has been making wine for 40 years and her boutique winery now has a cellar door. She's not the most prolific wine maker and consequently her chardonnay, syrah and cabernet merlot come with a price. That said, she's particular to the nth degree and nothing is left to chance in her making. She keeps an eye on everything from grapes to bottle and all fruit is from are either Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand accredited or organic suppliers. Tastings are by appointment.

This is one of New Zealand's oldest and best family-owned wineries. Coleraine, a rich but elegant cabernet–merlot blend named after the much-photographed home of the owner, John Buck, is considered the archetypal Hawke's Bay red. Bullnose syrah, Elston chardonnay, and Cape Crest sauvignon blanc show similar restraint and balance. If there's any Zara viognier open (it's made only in tiny quantities), try it—it's excellent.

The grounds here are home to silica terraces, mud pools, and the Pohutu Geyser (the largest active one in the southern hemisphere). Te Puia also contains the New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts Institute, where you can watch skilled carvers and weavers at work. Don't miss the Nocturnal Kiwi House, where you might spot one of New Zealand's beloved national birds. Day passes include a guided tour; packages with extras like a cultural performance or hāngi feast are also available.

Remote Te Urewera National Park is rugged and mountainous. This park's outstanding feature is glorious Lake Waikaremoana ("sea of rippling waters"), a forest-girded lake with good swimming, boating, and fishing. The lake is encircled by a 50-km (31-mile) walking trail, which takes three or four days to complete; it's a popular trek, and the lakeside hiking huts are heavily used in the summer months. The Department of Conservation Visitor Centre at Aniwaniwa is stocked with maps and informative leaflets; staff will also give advice about other park walks, like the one to the Aniwaniwa Falls (30 minutes round-trip) or to Lake Waikareiti (five to six hours round-trip). All trails pass through spectacular countryside of high, misty ridges covered with silver and mountain beech. Waterfalls and streams abound, and on the lower levels the forest giants, rimu, rata, kamahi, totara, and tawa attract native birds like the New Zealand falcon, North Island brown kiwi, kaka, and kokako. A motor camp on the lakeshore, not far from the visitor center, has cabins, chalets, and motel units; in summer, a launch operates sightseeing and fishing trips from it. Note that there are areas of private Māori land within the park, so be sure to stay on marked paths.  Be sure to check with  www.ngaituhoe.iwi.nz for alerts as some tracks are unstable especially after weather events.

When Mt. Tarawera erupted in 1886, destroying Rotomahana's terraces, not all was lost. A volcanic valley emerged from the ashes, extending southwest from Lake Rotomahana. It's consequently one of the world's newest thermal-activity areas, encompassing the boiling water of the massive Inferno Crater Lake, plus steaming cliffs, bubbling springs, and bush-fringed terraces. A path (one- to two hours) runs through the valley down to the lake, where a shuttle bus can get you back to the entrance. You can also cap your trip by taking a cruise on the lake itself. Waimangu is 26 km (16 miles) southeast of Rotorua; to reach it, take Highway 5 south (Taupō direction) and look for the turn after 19 km (12 miles).