WOMAD is New Plymouth's major international music festival, held in the green bowl of Pukekura Park. The setting is a large part of the appeal: stages, food stalls, families, and late-summer crowds tucked into one of New Zealand's loveliest urban parks.
This is only relevant if your visit lines up with the festival dates, but if it does, book accommodation early. Outside the festival weekend, Pukekura Park itself remains the everyday attraction.