My Perfect Weekend: Keri Hawira's ideal weekend in Whanganui

Keri Hawira's perfect weekend. Photo / Selfie

Every week we catch up with someone from the Whanganui community so they can tell us what their perfect weekend in the region would be. This week we spoke to Whanganui i-SITE senior travel consultant Keri Hawira.

My perfect weekend would start on Friday with a packed lunch from Honest Kitchen. Their food is top-class.

Because of where I work, I'd get the i-SITE to book me a jet boat tour to the Bridge to Nowhere. So I'd stop off at Jolt, grab a coffee and then head up the Whanganui River.
I'd call into a couple of the stops on the way up.

First, there's the Aramoana viewpoint, where I'd sit and have my coffee. It's where the river opens up for you and it's the first time you get a glimpse of the whole river, it's absolutely stunning.

From there you go past the Oyster Cliff, then Ātene. A lot of the marae are still closed unless you're tangata whenua.

I'd also go to the hand-dug culvert. It's been cut out through the road to allow water to run freely without damaging anything and it's stunning. Then, because I'm from Koroniti, I'd say hello to the whānau that have passed on.

For this trip, I'd go with Ken and Josephine Howard's Whanganui River Adventures, as they're Māori-focused. It's an all-day excursion and I'd probably get back around 3.30pm.

By then I'd be pretty hungry, so I'd go to the Rutland Arms. I love their sticky date pudding, it's divine.

Then I'd nosy on over to Porridge Watson for a Tahu gin. Gotta have one of those. And I love going there and being surprised when three guys will just jump up on the stage and start jamming.

Then on Sunday I'd go get another coffee, I know, I'm a coffeeholic. This time I'd go to Burrow in the arcade and also grab a beautiful croissant or one of their filled doughnuts.

I'd probably go on the Waimarie for the 11am cruise, and would get back around 1pm, just in time for lunch at Mud Ducks.

A visit to New Zealand Glassworks and the Whanganui Regional Museum would really top off my weekend, and possibly another gin at Porridge Watson.