Coast Kids have two weeks packed full of activities to keep the youngsters smiling. Everything from ice skating trips to Auckland or a meet the creatures of the deep at Kelly Tarltons. Sessions closer to home include a day at Bay Wave or the Zirka Circus and a winter white-out roller disco at the magical Winter Wonderland and Sleepover. That’s just for the holidays so check them out for other family activities.

Why not challenge your competitive spirit and inner being at the kayaking and team building adventure park. They put on a good array of activities during the holidays and make it especially easy by picking the kids up by bus. Blastacars drift karts sounds like a good bash for a budding car enthusiast. And the Manic Room rock climb a perfect place for sure-footed mountaineers. There’s a couple of dips to Kawerau Hot Pools too.

Cooking is hot on the school holiday programme agenda this winter and the YMCA has a good one. If you fancy yourself as a chef and doing all the planning, shopping, preparing and menu presentation enter the Y Kitchen Rules challenge. If that all sounds too hard maybe a day trip to Candyland in Hamilton beckons … where a sweet feast awaits.

Whakatane is putting on a chiller Winter Wonderland Disco with a bouncy castle snowball fight and bumper Zorbs during their Bizzy Buddyz School Holiday Programme. Get right into it and dress in camouflage-white or your favourite arctic animal.

Whether you are a horse-loving beginner who wants to hire one or a dedicated equestrian with experience, Pete and Carla at Trinity Valley offer great opportunities for the young riding enthusiast with their multi-day holiday programmes. Novices can learn how to communicate in horse speak, take care of their horse, ride, play games and join in a mini show on the final day. Above all it’s packed full of love and fun and you are guaranteed to make new friends – both horse and human. More advanced riders can polish up their showjumping, horsemanship and western riding techniques.

Unitec’s transformational learning programme, The Mind Lab, has rolled out in Gisborne. Personalised to each child, this innovative ground breaking course brings contemporary teaching to the digital classroom. Kids can select from a full day camp these school holidays and explore a world of robotics, science and engineering, coding and film making.

The National Aquarium always puts on a good show for the school holidays as they unravel the mysteries of the deep. How cool is this kids? Learn how to communicate in diver’s language and find out how they breath under water and just what they might encounter under the deep blue sea.

They’ve got two weeks packed full of school holiday activities both on and off site. Doesn’t a heavenly trip to the Silky Oak Chocolate Factory haven or a Chocolate Mug cake making workshop sound awesome. And then there’s a DVD day or Scooters on Marine Parade all ending with a swim and slide.

There are goings-on galore for busy kids at the YMCA Holiday Programme over the break, everything from day trips, challenging sports competitions and outdoor experiences to creative art and crafts and favourite cooking and eating activities. You will even be able to help celebrate the YMCA’s 125th birthday.

Seven to 14-year-olds can join our most capped Black Stick Emily Naylor and other hockey reps at the Hawke’s Bay Hockey Stadium in Napier to learn some amazing skills and drills. What an opportunity for competitive spirits to aim high and learn from the best.

Hop on down to Vetro in Ahuriri and pick up one of Paolo most delicious freshly baked Italian-styled breads – they often change however the savoury parmedana and sage shortbread was out of this world. The goods are on the counter most weekends, but a warning to late risers – get in early because they run out the door.

Hot crunchy organic bread, Turkish sourdough and rewana breads, chocolaterie and patisserie and a pick of gorgeous croissants, pasties, gourmet pies and excellent coffee. It’s just all lip-smacking good stuff.

You’ll pick up the best éclairs ever here at French patisserie and bakery Ya Bon, but I don’t think anything will be a disappointment, it’s all very tempting.

Sugar queen and baking dynamo Kirstyn will transform your ultimate fantasy into an edible delicacy special occasion cake. Her colour-filled creative cakes, cake pops and cupcakes don’t only look fantastic, and far too good to eat, but taste heavenly as well.

I love Entice’s delicious sweet treats. They’ve been a regular for 10 years at the Hastings Farmers Market as well as having a presence on Karamu Road and always have a good range of gluten-free sweet and savoury treats. If you’re a donut or cronut lover try the beautiful Banofee Cronut or one of the to-die-for custard, chocolate, lemon or rhubarb and vanilla selection. They come highly recommended.

Imagine the crunch as you break into a crusty artisan sourdough or a nutritious sprouted grain loaf. Flaveur Breads have got to make the best range of gluten free and sourdough in the country, loaded with fresh organic ingredients and healthy fruits, nuts and seeds. Drop into the Mount Maunganui bakery and there’s usually a daily sweet treat, maybe a yummy almond croissant or a mouth-watering gluten free coconut, almond and chocolate ganache tart.

Love love love the fabulous and delicious food at Rosie’s quirky bakery-styled café. This place hits the sweet spot and has got to be up there with the greatest. I’ve had one of the best-ever carrot cakes from here. All their food is baked on site and there are loads of choices to suit vegetarian, vegan, gluten and dairy free preferences.

There’s a lot of loving going on in the kitchen and the visual delight out front is a gastronomic puzzle for indecisive taste buds, but at least be tempted with the tantalising lime meringue cupcakes filled with lime curd and topped with toasty meringue.

L’Epicerie country bakery and delicatessen is the best place to get a dose of foodie Frenchness and the most amazing almond croissants, washed down with a superb coffee. Look out for their vintage Citroen food truck serving up galettes, crepes and fresh pastries at the beach. Ooh la la.

If you love good old-fashioned Sally Lunns Upper Crust Bakery has the most awesome range of mini ones. My favourite is the raspberry and coconut.

Regarded as one of the region’s premier restaurants the beautiful tastes of Post Bank’s cuisine are a consequence of an innovative and interesting menu, all based on a literary note. It’s popular, so don’t expect it to be a quiet occasion and even if you and your dining partner aren’t talking there’s plenty of books to entertain.

This local hot spot has a Tapas and a la carte menu – ethically correct free range and locally supplied. There’s nothing mundane here – it’s a cool place where the beautiful crowd hang out and rowdy party central to the locals.

So fitting to The Mount beach lifestyle – casual and affordable is the word, although there’s nothing simple about the service and food, shared plates and pure flavours, craft beers on tap or the uncomplicated wine list. It’s a great place to meet friends or introduce yourself to new ones.

Hot, hot, hot on The Strand eating strip is Comida, a passionate welcome true to the Spanish spirit, which pumps out live music and is known for its authentic tapas, juicy oysters, tasty paella and nice warm sunny courtyard.

A fine dining experience in the unpretentious kiwi style and a welcome from the more casual eateries along the town’s centre strip. A normally high standard of service and superb gastronomic skills make this a really popular and sophisticated night out.

It’s only been open a month, but if the daytime vibe is anything to go on Maina, in the old Post Office building is already a success. I’m greeted by Hayley, hospo extraordinaire and the essence of her grandmother, Maina, who the restaurant is named after. Hayley says her grandmother taught her everything about hospitality and was the type of woman who would take anyone and everyone into her home. The family have rekindled her spirit here – a house full of new friends, old friends and friendly faces. Hayley, a self-proclaimed “passionate coffee geek” along with parents and international chefs Stuart and Katie focus on maintaining that warmth and kindness. They’ll soon be open four nights a week for European-styled bistro meals.

Havelock North was hungry for a Hugo Chang and what an impact its made – a little taste of Shanghai meets Soho with small plates of European-Chinese options, but the food and wine is secondary to the exotic atmosphere and cultural styling created under red lanterns and comfy couches.

It’s not your ordinary Mexican but a stylish take on traditional Mexican cuisine. It has great staff and fantastic food focused on tapas-styled small plates and wonderful margarita cocktails, is family-friendly and still a hot trend after two years.

The bar affiliated to Mister D and alluring the cool crowd is the fun place to hang out between Thursday and Sunday for sophisticated snacks, worldly wines, craft beers and perfectly executed cocktails performed with loads of personality. Discreetly housed down a laneway off in the historic precinct.

This Mediterranean-styled restaurant is highly rated for tasty and imaginative cuisine combinations, each plate is beautifully presented and crafted with locally sourced seasonal food led by chef Kent Baddeley, perfectly matched with a superb wine list coupled with knowledgeable staff to advise.