Regional Attractions

Some Palmerston North and Manawatu attractions include:

• Te Apiti Gorge Walks
  We are only 15km from one of the regions finest bush walks with some simply stunning scenery overlooking the Manawatu Gorge and Plains.
  Te Apiti is a special place and a ‘must do’ in the Manawatu Gorge.
• Manawatu Gorge
  Manawatu Gorge (in Maori Te Apiti, meaning ‘The Narrow Passage’) runs between the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges of the North Island of New Zealand. In the past the Manawatu Gorge was a formidable barrier to west-east travel. The Manawatu Gorge was travelled by Maori who would haul their canoes upstream through the rapids.
• Te Apiti Wind Farm
  Te Apiti wind farm located on Saddle Road north of the Manawatu Gorge, 15 kms from the city of Palmerston North. Te Apiti is situated within 1,150 hectares of farmland owned by several landowners, including Meridian Energy. The Te Apiti wind farm is the first wind farm to supply electricity to New Zealand’s national grid. The Te Apiti wind farm is also a carbon offset project.
• Pohangina Valley Manawatu
  The Pohangina Valley, named after the river that flows through it, is about 50 Kilometers (30 Miles) long, and has been for a long time a beef and sheep area. There is a picturesque round trip from Palmerston North, easily achievable in half a day.
• Ashhurst Domain
  The Ashhurst Domain lies just 15 kilometres north of Palmerston North on State Highway 3 athe the southern end of the Manawatu Gorge, nestled beside the Manawatu River and the Ashhurst township. The Ashhurst Domain is a native flora reserve over 54 hectares with a sheltered family picnic area…
• Cross Hills
  A visit to the Cross Hills Gardens and Nursery in Kimbolton, featuring New Zealand’s largest and most comprehensive collection of flowering Rhododendrons and Azaleas is truly an experience to remember.
• Manawatu Golf Club
  The Manawatu Golf Club is situated in Palmerston North’s Suburb of Hokowhitu bordering on the banks of the Manawatu River and Palmerston North’s Centennial Lagoon.
• Dugald MacKenzie Rose Garden
  From October to April the The Dugald MacKenzie Rose Garden brims with colour and fragrance with over 5,000 plants and 100 rose varieties. Recognised as one of the world’s top five rose gardens in 2003 by the World Federation of Rose Societies and is home to New Zealand’s National Rose Trial Gardens and the Plant Variety Rights Trial Beds.
• Palmerston North Victoria Esplanade Gardens
  Victoria Esplanade Gardens Palmerston North: Running 19 hectares along the Manawatu River at Palmerston North’s southern entrance, the Esplanade is a striking city gateway offering a wealth of recreation and leisure pursuits.
• Coach House Museum
  The Coach House Museum is a horse-drawn era museum giving insight into the life of our early pioneers through their stories, phots and the transportation they used to settle in the Manawatu and New Zealand.
• Regent Theatre on Broadway Palmerston North
  When the Regent Theatre on Broadway in Palmerston North opened on 4 July 1930 it was described as The Theatre Beautiful, and that it was creating an entirely new standard of entertainment.
  Regent on Broadway is a grand old lady of theatre with a timeless elegance, saved from demolition by the local community. It has been lovingly restored to its former glory.
• Palmerston North Picnic Spots