The pick of New Plymouth's parks, Pukekura has 49 hectares of gardens, playgrounds, trails, streams, waterfalls, ponds and display houses. Rowboats (per half-hour $12, summer only) meander across the main lake (full of arm-size eels), next to which the Tea House serves light meals (and awesome carrot cake!). The Technicolored Festival of Lights draws the summer crowds here, as does the impeccably mowed cricket oval .
