Taranaki is for everyone.

Whether you’re exploring the region with a wheelchair, a pram, or simply seeking easy-to-navigate paths, Taranaki offers accessible experiences that allow you to enjoy arts, gardens, heritage trails, and the stunning coastline with comfort and ease.

Many local attractions and some of our seasonal events have been thoughtfully designed to be inclusive, ensuring everyone can take part and create lasting memories of our region like no other.

Accessible Accommodation Options

Taranaki has a range of accessible accommodation to suit different preferences, from boutique lodges to city hotels. Many Taranaki accommodation providers have made accessibility a priority, including:

  • Novotel New Plymouth Taranaki - Modern hotel with fully accessible rooms featuring roll-in showers, grab rails and lift access to all floors.
  • The Devon Hotel - Centrally located with ground-floor accessible rooms, with designated mobility parking.
  • The Plymouth International - Ground-floor executive studios with wide-door access and left- or right-handed bathrooms designed for wheelchair users.
  • The Metrotel - Spacious accessible studios with roll-in showers, kitchenettes and super king beds.
  • Millennium Hotel New Plymouth - Accessible king rooms with roll-in showers, grab bars, and easy access to the onsite restaurant.
  • Ngāti Ruanui Mountain Lodge - A peaceful mountain retreat with a step-free entry room, a spacious walk-in shower, and thoughtful interior layout to ensure a relaxing stay for all guests.
  • Ahu Ahu Beach Villas - Seaside charm meets accessibility, offering a wheelchair-friendly studio with sweeping coastal views.
  • King & Queen Hotel Suites - A luxury boutique in the heart of New Plymouth’s arts and culture precinct, offering four accessible rooms with walk-in showers and elegant European furnishings.

Day 1: Art, Coast & Culture

Start your Taranaki journey at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery / Len Lye Centre, a contemporary art museum filled with the latest art and ideas from New Zealand and around the world, and the home to the art of pioneering artist Len Lye. The gallery is fully accessible and features regular tactile and audio-described tours. The friendly team is on hand to help and happy to share the stories of artworks and exhibitions. Carers and guide dogs most welcome.

Just next door, Monica’s Eatery offers a stylish, wheelchair-accessible café experience, perfect for a leisurely brunch or coffee surrounded by creative energy.

From there, head to the New Plymouth Coastal Walkway, a 13km sea-edge paved path. With sweeping ocean views, gentle gradients and full accessibility for wheelchairs, prams, and mobility scooters, it’s one of the region’s most inclusive experiences. Don’t miss the iconic Te Rewa Rewa Bridge, a striking fusion of art and architecture that perfectly frames Taranaki Maunga.

Round out your afternoon at Puke Ariki Museum, where lifts connect the accessibility carparks to exhibitions displaying the many rich stories and taonga of Taranaki, from ancient past to present. The museum’s front desk team can support you to have a great experience

Where to eat: Enjoy a relaxed meal at Arborio, the museum’s waterfront neighbour, with flat entry and sea views. Or, head to Salt Restaurant, another accessible favourite on the Coastal Walkway for modern New Zealand fare.

Day 2: Gardens, Nature & Family Fun

Embrace nature in the region’s beautiful, accessible gardens, beginning at Pukekura Park, where wide pathways wind through vibrant plantings of native and exotic species. Mobility scooters are available free of charge (bookings essential) so everyone can experience this inner-city oasis.

If you’re travelling with kids, Brooklands Zoo is just next door. Free entry, compact and fully accessible, with a layout conducive to visitors using wheelchairs or mobility devices, explore a variety of animals, from monkeys to meerkats.

Continue to Pukeiti, a rainforest garden on the slopes of Taranaki Maunga. Between October and March, visitors with limited mobility can join a free guided ride on the garden’s mobility vehicle, available Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 11am. Alternatively, explore the Rhododendron Stroll, which features gravel paths suitable for most mobility devices.

In the afternoon, venture to Hollard Gardens, where grass paths wind through flourishing plantings and peaceful picnic areas. While the gardens are accessible, please note that not all paths are sealed, so some sections may be uneven or soft underfoot.

Where to eat: Treat yourself to a hearty dinner at The Good Home Bar and Restaurant, a welcoming, accessible bistro, or unwind at Eden Café & Restaurant, known for its relaxed vibe and easy access.

Day 3: Explore Further Afield

Tawhiti Museum in Hāwera, South Taranaki, brings local history to life through detailed models and immersive displays - all in a fully wheelchair-accessible setting. While you’re there, stop by King Edward Park, a beautiful, wheelchair-friendly green space.

Nature lovers can head to Potaema Track for a taste of the mountain’s natural beauty. Featuring a raised boardwalk and an even, well-formed surface, the 420m out-and-back track lets you experience the alpine forest up close.

Families will also love Destination Kāwaroa, a fully inclusive coastal play space. Designed for all ages and abilities, it includes accessible swings, a wheelchair carousel, Changing Places toilet and smooth surfacing throughout - making it a must-visit for everyone.

Where to eat: Pause for a meal at Social Kitchen, where warm service meets bold flavours in a fully accessible setting.

Looking to customise your own adventure?

Taranaki is full of accessible gems you can add to any itinerary, including:

  • Fitzroy Beach - enjoy ocean views and easy access to the sand via mobility mats that are installed over summer. Ongoing boardwalk improvements continue to make this popular beach even more accessible for wheelchairs, prams and bikes.
  • Te Henui Walkway - a peaceful, mostly flat trail that winds through parkland and riverside scenery, perfect for a gentle outing in nature.
  • Everybody’s Theatre, Ōpunakē – head back in time at this lovingly restored community cinema. The ground floor is level-access, with comfortable sofa seating and wheelchair-friendly entry.
  • Waitara Heritage Trail – a flat, scenic path that’s pram and wheelchair friendly, sharing local  Waitara stories through accessible paths and interpretive panels.
  • Te Whare Hononga - meaning The House That Binds, this striking cultural space beside St Mary’s Cathedral shares stories of reconciliation and connection. Fully wheelchair-accessible with designated parking, it’s a powerful place to reflect on our shared history.

Seasonal Events

  • TSB Festival of Lights (Dec-Jan) - Experience Pukekura Park’s magical light installations with accessible paths, mobility scooter hire, accessible buggy tours, and audio-described artworks.
  • Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival (Oct-Nov) - Filter by wheelchair-accessible gardens on their website for a smooth and inspiring floral adventure. At times, the Festival also puts on audio tours for blind or low-vision people.
  • Ōakura Halberg Surf Day (March) - Inclusive surf sessions for people of all abilities, hosted annually by the Halberg Foundation.

Helpful Resources

The New Plymouth District Council have created this map, showing mobility permit car parks, accessible walkways, toilets (single and unisex) and other accessible facilities.

Mobility scooters are available to hire for use in New Plymouth through the Taranaki Disabilities Centre Trust.