Compare campervans, motorhomes and RVs to hire in Napier, listed by private owners and local hire businesses. See prices, photos and reviews for campervan hire in New Zealand, then book online with insurance included.
Napier is Hawke’s Bay’s coastal base, rebuilt almost entirely in Art Deco style after the 1931 earthquake — a compact, walkable city surrounded by one of New Zealand’s major wine regions. This page covers Napier in detail; for the wider New Zealand route, see the Campervan Hire New Zealand guide.
Napier Campervan, Motorhome and RV Hire
Owners list a mix of compact 2-berth campervans, mid-size camper vans and larger motorhomes with their own toilet and shower, and you book whichever vehicle suits your trip through our partner Outdoorsy.
What’s around Napier
Art Deco architecture defines the city centre — the Deco Centre on Tennyson Street runs daily guided walks, and the annual Art Deco Festival each February fills the streets with vintage cars and period costume.
The Hawke’s Bay wine region has dozens of cellar doors, including Church Road, Black Barn and Mission Estate — the first stop on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail.
Cape Kidnappers, south of the city, is home to the world’s largest accessible mainland gannet colony, on a working farm overlooking the coast. Guided overland tours run daily from September to April, before the birds migrate for winter — outside that window there’s little to see at the colony itself.
Marine Parade is the waterfront promenade running through the city centre, home to the National Aquarium of New Zealand — its main draw is a 1.5-million-litre oceanarium tunnel, alongside kiwi, little blue penguins and tuatara.
Te Mata Peak, about 20 minutes away near Hastings and Havelock North, is a 399m ridge with 360° views over Hawke’s Bay. A sealed road runs to the summit car park if you don’t want to walk, or there are graded walking and mountain-bike tracks through a redwood grove on the lower slopes.
Cycling the Hawke’s Bay Trails
Hawke’s Bay has around 200km of dedicated, mostly flat cycle trail split into three linked loops — the coastal Water Ride along Napier’s waterfront toward Clifton, the rural Landscapes Ride through orchards and farmland, and the Wineries Ride between Taradale and Havelock North, which is the one most people use to link several cellar doors without driving. Bikes can be hired in Napier if you don’t want to bring your own, and the trails are well signposted with several wineries set up for cyclists specifically.
Where to stay overnight around Napier
- Hawke’s Bay Holiday Park — 6km from Napier, walking distance to Crab Farm Winery, 5 minutes from Mission Estate and Church Road.
- Napier Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park — powered sites, hot showers, communal kitchens.
Best time to visit
Hawke’s Bay is one of the sunnier, drier parts of New Zealand — November to April gives the best weather. The Art Deco Festival in February is worth timing a visit around if that interests you, but accommodation books out early.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to hire a campervan in Napier?
The same nightly ranges apply as the rest of New Zealand — see the cost breakdown on the main New Zealand page.
Is Napier good for a wine-focused trip?
Yes — it’s the start of the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail, with dozens of cellar doors close to the city.
Can I cycle between wineries instead of driving?
Yes, Hawke’s Bay has dedicated cycle trails connecting many cellar doors — a common, safer way to visit several in a day.
Is the Art Deco Festival worth planning around?
Yes if the architecture and history angle appeals, but book accommodation well ahead — it’s the town’s busiest week.
How do you get to the Cape Kidnappers gannet colony?
By guided 4WD tour or a tide-dependent walking tour from Napier.
When can I see the gannets at Cape Kidnappers?
September to April — the colony is at its busiest through summer, and the birds migrate out over winter, so there’s little reason to book a tour outside that window.
Is Te Mata Peak worth the drive from Napier?
Yes, and it doesn’t need to be a detour — it’s about 20 minutes from Napier, the road goes right to the summit car park, and the view over Hawke’s Bay is one of the best in the region for the effort involved.
Is a campervan the same as a motorhome or RV?
Yes — “campervan”, “motorhome” and “RV” describe the same type of vehicle on this site. Different countries and hire companies favour different terms, but they’re searchable interchangeably here.
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