Napier has the best climate of any city in New Zealand, with more sunshine hours annually than anywhere else in the country. Summer (December–February) is reliably warm and dry, with temperatures typically in the mid-20s Celsius. This is the best time to visit Cape Kidnappers for the gannet colony, and the local festival calendar is busiest.
The Hawke's Bay region hosts its main wine and food festival — the Hawke's Bay Wine and Food Weekend — in February, coinciding with harvest season. The Art Deco Weekend, held every February, is Napier's most visited event: thousands of visitors arrive in 1930s dress, vintage cars fill the streets, and the central city comes alive in a way that is both nostalgic and genuinely fun.
Autumn (March–May) is quieter and arguably the best time to visit the wineries — the grapes are being harvested and cellars are open for barrel tastings. Winter is mild by New Zealand standards and very uncrowded; the gannets are gone from Cape Kidnappers but the city itself is unchanged.