Features and Attractions
New Plymouth District has a reputation as an events centre, with major festivals (the annual TSB Bank Festival of Lights, Taranaki Powerco Garden Spectacular, WOMAD and the biennial Taranaki Arts Festival), sports fixtures (including international rugby, surfing, cricket and tennis matches, and the annual ITU World Cup Triathlon) and concerts (from Sir Elton John, Jack Johnson, R.E.M and Fleetwood Mac).
With its rich volcanic soil, the city is well known for its gardens. Chief among them are the 52 ha Pukekura Park in the centre of the city (named a Garden of National Significance), and Pukeiti, a rhododendron garden of international significance high on the Pouakai Range.
Pukekura Park is also the home of the TSB Bank Festival of Lights, which runs for free every year from mid-December to early February. It has daytime and night time programmes of events for people of all ages, and the festival itself transforms the park into an illuminated wonderland every evening.
Next to the foreshore in the central city is Puke Ariki – the world’s first purpose-built, fully integrated museum, library and information centre which tells the stories of Taranaki in a variety of interactive media.
Nearby is the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, a contemporary art museum and the home of the collection of film maker and kinetic artist Len Lye. Plans are in place to house Lye's collection in a purpose-built centre next to the gallery, making New Plymouth the world centre for Len Lye.
The Coastal Walkway is a 11 km path that forms an expansive sea-edge promenade stretching almost the entire length of the city, from the Bell Block mouth in the east to Port Taranaki in the west. The pathway includes the iconic Te Rewa Rewa Bridge and is ideal for walking, running, cycling or skating, or simply enjoying the view of the dramatic west coast. It has won numerous awards, including the Cycle Friendly Award in 2008 for the best New Zealand cycle facility.
Right next to the Coastal Walkway is the Todd Energy Aquatic Centre, with indoor and outdoor pools, a diving pool, wave machine, hydroslides, spa, sauna and gym.
Mount Taranaki/Egmont provides recreation opportunities, from skiing and snowboarding to rock climbing and alpine walks. The North Egmont Visitors Centre is 20 minutes' drive from central New Plymouth.
Taranaki is known as big wave territory with some of the country's best surfing spots found off this coastline.
The region has 20 golf courses, ranging from nine-hole country courses where you have to move the sheep, through to Ngamotu Links–consistently rated one of the best golf courses in New Zealand. All 20 golf courses are within an hour’s drive of each other.
Centre City Shopping Centre is the only mall in New Plymouth. It contains over 55 shops and services.
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—Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)
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—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)