Pukekura Park and Pukeiti: New Plymouth's Two Great Gardens
New Plymouth has two gardens that would be the highlight of most cities' trips. Pukekura Park sits right in town, a 150-year-old park of lakes, ferns and night lights. Pukeiti is 25 minutes away on the slopes of the maunga, a rainforest garden that rhododendron lovers cross the world to see. Both are free. Do one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, and you've had a very good day.
Pukekura Park at 150
Pukekura Park was set aside in 1876 and celebrated its 150th birthday in May 2026. Today it covers 52 hectares in the middle of New Plymouth, and locals use it the way other cities use their high streets: for coffee, walks, dates, concerts and a wander with the kids.
What to see in Pukekura Park
The lakes and Tea House: the Tea House on the Lake serves cabinet food and coffee with a view of the ducks, and hires out rowing boats. A slow row is about as romantic as New Plymouth gets, drizzle or not.
The Fernery and Display Houses: tunnels and glasshouses of ferns, begonias and tropical plants. The perfect rainy-day stop.
The waterfall, fountain and Poet's Bridge: the waterfall between the Hatchery Lawn and the Main Lake lights up in colour at night, the Queen Elizabeth II fountain, installed in 1955, sends up floodlit plumes, and the red Poet's Bridge is the park's most photographed spot.
Brooklands: the adjoining park has huge old trees, the small Brooklands Zoo and the Bowl of Brooklands, a natural amphitheatre by a lake that hosts summer concerts and WOMAD each March.
Victorian corners: look for the Brooklands fireplace, the Queen Victoria Jubilee drinking fountain and the waterwheel by the Gilbert Street entrance.
For kids: playgrounds with flying foxes, the waterwheel, the zoo and ducks to feed. Bring wild bird seed or frozen peas, not bread.
The TSB Festival of Lights
Every summer the park becomes a glowing night-time playground of light installations, music and performances. The TSB Festival of Lights runs from 19 December 2026 to 24 January 2027, it's free, and it was named New Zealand's best local government event in 2026. Go on a weeknight to dodge the crowds.
Getting around Pukekura Park
Entry: free. The main entrance is on Fillis Street, with more parking at Rogan Street, Victoria Road and Brooklands Park Drive.
Access: many paths are wide, flat and signposted for wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and the council lends free mobility scooters if you book ahead.
Dogs: on a lead in designated areas only, and not near the playgrounds, the Fernery or the zoo.
Allow: two to three hours, with lunch at the Tea House.
Pukeiti: the rainforest garden
Pukeiti is 360 hectares of rainforest on Carrington Road, about 25 minutes from New Plymouth, and it's internationally known for its rhododendrons. It isn't a manicured garden. Paths wander through regenerating bush where the plantings sit among native trees, birdsong fills the canopy and the bush runs on into the national park. The name means "little hill".
Walks at Pukeiti
Rhododendron Stroll: an easy, mostly flat grassy avenue of under a kilometre.
Valley of the Giants: the must-do for rare and enormous mountain rhododendrons. Loop back on the Puke Te Whiti Trail and allow about two hours in all.
Pukeiti Summit: cross the swing bridge into forest that was logged for rimu in the 1920s, follow the old bush tramline, then climb to the 490-metre lookout. It's a real climb, so wear proper shoes.
For kids: the treehouse trail, the swing bridge, sculptures and the waterwheel, which also pumps the garden's water supply.
When to go, food and staying the night
The big mountain rhododendrons start flowering in August, and October is the peak, with camellias and magnolias out too. That makes the Taranaki Garden Festival in late October and early November a perfect time to visit. Entry is free, the Rainforest Eatery serves lunch with garden views, and you can even stay over: the Pīwakawaka Family Hut sleeps 12, about an hour's walk in (book through the Taranaki Regional Council). Hours change with the seasons, so check before you go. No dogs.
Still keen on rhododendrons? Stratford's McCullough Rhododendron Dell, in King Edward Park, has one of the region's best collections outside Pukeiti.
Where to stay
Browse places to stay in New Plymouth on Booking.com.
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FAQs
Is Pukekura Park free?
Yes. The park, the Fernery and Display Houses and the Festival of Lights are all free. You only pay for food at the Tea House and boat hire.
When is the Festival of Lights?
From 19 December 2026 to 24 January 2027, every evening in Pukekura Park, with free entry.
When is the best time to visit Pukeiti?
October, when most of the rhododendrons are in full bloom. The rainforest is beautiful year-round, though, and quieter outside spring.
How far is Pukeiti from New Plymouth?
About 25 minutes' drive south-west on Carrington Road. There's no public transport, so you'll need a car.
