Top 10 Things to do Good for a Rainy Day in Hawke's Bay Region, North Island

Fuel your imagination as you walk around Hawkes Bay’s largest Hand’s-on Interactive Museum. It’s a fascinating, family-friendly place, a place where children of all ages can have fun while learning. You can immerse yourself in an Aladdin’s Cave of technology, science and history. Explore our large collection of vintage machines, gadgets, or simply take a trip down memory lane while playing in the arcade, or phoning a friend the old fashioned way.

Village Cellar Door: An intimate space to enjoy a flight of Smith & Sheth CRU wines, located in the Courtyard, Village Exchange in Havelock North. Heretaunga Studio Experience an exclusive sensory wine journey through our craft. Wine Lounge: Crossing into the evening hours, the Smith & Sheth CRU Cellar Door turns into a cozy Wine Lounge.

At Mission Estate, we have been perfecting our craft since 1851. By combining the traditional craft of winemaking with the latest technology, we are reaching out to a new generation of wine lovers across the globe.

We welcome visitors to our cellar door, located at the winery in the heart of the Gimblett Gravels wine region. Originally a working part of the winery, the cellar door is an impressive space with 5 metre-high ceilings and a great view of our white barrel hall through a huge sliding glass door. Here you can purchase from our full range of award winning wines and a wide selection is open for tasting. You can even pick up a bottle or two of something special – wines only retailed through the cellar door – or take home a souvenir of your visit from our quality branded merchandise. Our lovely gardens and expansive lawn make the perfect spot to enjoy a picnic – you can make up your own platter from our selection of delicious produce. In the summer we often have live music and hot food available at weekends, just check the events section of our website.The cellar door team are a knowledgeable and friendly bunch who will guide you through our wines and answer your questions. They might even have a bottle of something “not on the list” for you to try, especially at weekends. In the summer(October – Easter), we are open 7 days a week for sales and tasting (except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Good Friday 10.00am – 5.00pmWinter (After Easter – September) we're open Wednesday through Saturday 11.00am – 4.00pm We do ask that larger groups, mini-bus groups and tours book in with us in advance. Tasting charges apply.

In ancient Greece the Sileni were companions of Dionysus, the god of wine, vineyards and theatre. When there was something to be celebrated, the Sileni were always on hand to encourage enjoyment of delicious food, great wine and social interaction. Named in their honour, Sileni produces a range of wines from Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough, made to be great collaborators with a talent for enhancing flavours and textures. Sileni Cellar Door is the complete food and wine destination. Enjoy artisan chocolates, local food products and local and international cheese from the climate controlled cheese larder, unique giftware completes the experience. The Cellar Door also offers a full range of internationally acclaimed, award-winning wines including the very best Hawke's Bay Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah, plus the popular Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.