Miss Five was happy with her burger and ice cream, while I enjoyed a rich, creamy seafood chowder packed with plenty of fresh seafood matched with a local rose, Clearview Estate's Blush.
The drive had tuckered us out so it was an early night. And boy did we sleep well; the super king size bed was uber comfy with a spongy quilted top.
The next morning we drove the short distance into town for breakfast at the Urban Food Market. Stall holders were set up in Lower Emerson St and had plenty of foodie choices on offer, including fresh produce, baked goods, chai tea, eggs, preserves and pickles. We settled on bacon sammies on fresh white ciabatta and a custard doughnut to share for after.
With full tummies and running a bit early to be heading out to Clifton for our tour to the gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers we decided to head up Te Mata Peak to take in the views it affords.
The road up was busy. A word of warning for those who haven't been there before: the road is narrow and there are often people walking up the road instead of on the tracks, pushing buggies in some cases. Take it slow! There were plenty of tourists the day we were there - they were driving too fast and a couple of times we rounded bends with a rental van bearing down on us.
Make use of the bays to let other vehicles go.
But the slightly scary drive up was worth it for the incredible 360 degree views of the region. There's even a platform up the top for hang gliders to leap off. Not for us, dizzying pastimes like that.
We negotiated our way back down and headed out to Clifton, winding our way past Black Barn Vineyard and Kitchen (worth a stop if you fancy stocking up on pantry items from local producers) and Clearview Estate, whose fruity rose - Blush - is stocked widely in the region. We'd have had time to stop and buy a bottle but I thought we'd be back in time to call in on the way back. Alas, no.
We grabbed a bit to eat and some snacks for the tour before heading to Gannet Beach Adventures' base where we clambered on to six trailers, towed by three trusty tractors. We headed off down the stony beach towards Cape Kidnappers. Our guide, Dave, stopped a few times to tell us about the geography of the area and its natural history. The soaring cliffs show thousands, millions of years of sediment and rock layers. We spotted ancient, giant scallop shells jutting out in parts and Dave pointed out faultlines along the way.
We got a look at a couple of small gannet colonies at Black Reef where the drivers stopped to assess the conditions on the last leg to the Cape. Having decided we'd give it a go, we set off. The conditions, Dave said, had been a bit choppy this season. Sand had been washed away, making the tractors more prone to getting stuck as they negotiate stone and rocky outcrops.
We made it to the Cape without incident and set off on the 25-minute walk up to the Plateau colony. Friends had warned us of the stench from the gannets. They didn't warn us about the steep walk up. But just as we were patting ourselves on the back at having almost made it, we got a whiff on the wind blowing straight at us off the colony. Words cannot describe how bad it was.
With our gag reflex working overtime, we decided we'd head for a path that meandered below the colony. Good idea. The wind whipped the smell over our heads and we were able to get a close-up look at the parents and their hungry, fluffy chicks.
The colony is the world's largest accessible mainland gannet colony; in peak season (October to May) there are up to 25,000 birds nesting.
Having had enough of the noise, we wandered back down the track. We were spoilt with the views - the clear day afforded glimpses as far afield as the Central Plateau mountains.
Halfway down Miss Five reckoned she had blisters. So I put the backpack on my front and piggybacked her back down, as sympathetic fellow walkers passed us, commenting as they went about how sweet Miss Five had it.
Back at the trailers, we got back on the trailers and headed back to base. While I thought the scenery was the best part of the gannet adventure, Miss Five loved the next part - getting stuck. So stuck, the guides had to unhook one of the other tractors to pull us out as water splashed around our feet.
Finally out of the hole, we cheered for Dave, and on we went, chatting to the friendly German couple living in Cambridge who sat next to us.
Back to the accommodation later than anticipated, and a bit worn out, we decided to order takeaways and blob in bed watching movies. If you're in Ahuriri, try The Frying Dutchman. Their battered blue cod and gurnard is divine. And try the frikandel - a fragrant-with-spices skinless Dutch sausage. Delicious!
Sunday morning dawned bright and hot. Suitably sunblocked, we headed to Bike About Tours in Greenmeadows, between Napier and Taradale, where we were to collect our tandem adult-child bike from owner Jenne Leedes.
There are dozens of trails to choose from and I'd thought we'd try one that took in one of my favourite wineries, Moana Park. However, Jenne pointed out that including that stop would make for a very long ride on such a hot day and offered an alternative instead. So we set off down the road, heading to Mission Estate. We were there before we knew it. Miss Five looked at the hill before us and asked if we were going to bike up that.
We gave it a good go, but with legs aching we dismounted and walked the rest of the way up.
The cellar assistant knew her way around the wines on offer for tastings. Not normally a chardonnay drinker, I was impressed with one on offer that wasn't overly oakey and had punchy stonefruit flavours. A bottle stowed in the side carrier, off we meandered down the hill, Miss Five singing "the wheels on the bike go round and round". Just up the road, we called in to Church Road to buy my mum a bottle of her favourite pinot gris. Had we been a bit later, we'd have stayed for lunch under one of the umbrellas overlooking a sprawling lawn beneath the hills.
It was a bit of a hike to Silky Oak Chocolates to satisfy Miss Five's sweet tooth. But the feijoa truffle chocolates, while pricey, were well worth it. Take heed: you'll struggle to choose which confections to purchase - they all look so good.
Bottoms a tad sore, we set off back to Jenne's base where we were greeted with a large bag of fresh-picked Black Doris plums to take home.
There really is a trail to suit everyone in the Bay with a range of distances and for different levels of fitness. And Bike About offers single adult and children's bikes, adult tandems and tandems they can adapt for an adult with a child in tow, as Jenne did for us.
Since we'd skipped Moana Park on the bike tour, we drove out there. Jenne was bang on - it would have been much too far to bike.
It's a pretty spot and they welcome people for picnics and tastings. We picked up a couple of bottles of their Vin Gris - a dry, full-bodied rose made from merlot grapes.
Tummies rumbling, we set off for The Filter Room Ale & Cider House between Taradale and Awatoto. Nestled among orchards and vineyards, the boutique brewery offers a goodly selection of craft beers and ciders. A dry cider for me, lemonade for Miss Five, a seafood platter to share and live music from a guy doing Jack Johnson covers. The perfect way to round out a Sunday afternoon.
We'd been told to check out The Gintrap down by the nearby marina for dinner. The menu features lots of local produce and seafood but since they didn't really cater for kids, we headed next door to Thirsty Whale. And I'm pleased we did. Their seafood signature dish was divine: salt and pepper calamari on mesclun salad with Vietnamese dressing, seared scallops on broad bean and chorizo risotto and prawns on pineapple and mango salsa. I could barely finish it, but it was too good to leave any! Paired with a glass of Clearview Blush - bellissimo! And Miss Five chowed through her chicken nuggets, salad and chips with the lure of baked alaska for dessert.
Hawke's Bay really does offer something for everyone. Whether you're there for a romantic weekend or a family getaway, whether you want to amble around vineyards or go on a bike trail, you're spoilt for choice. My only gripe about the experience was that a long weekend is simply not long enough to truly explore Napier. We'll definitely be back, and for longer next time.