Whanganui

Whanganui accommodation puts a river city and the black sand at Castlecliff a short drive apart, with holiday homes and cottages in between. The 1899 paddle steamer Waimarie is kept at the riverboat centre on the waterfront, coal-fired and wooden.

Virginia Lake, the Sarjeant Gallery and the river path are all close by. The river itself holds legal personhood here, Te Awa Tupua, which says a good deal about how the city sees it.