Best things to see and do in Palmerston North

The level path beside Manawatu Gorge is inviting for walkers, cyclists and people with pushchairs or pushing wheelchairs. Photo / Natalie Slade

This small North Island city is home to more than 100 cultures, finds Elisabeth Easther.

Where is it? About 140km north of Wellington, on the Manawatu Plains.

Origin of name: Maori knew the place as Papaioea which means "how beautiful it is". It was later named Palmerston after the third Viscount Palmerston and, in 1871, the Post Office added "North" to distinguish Palmerston from the South Island town of the same name.

Nicknames: Palmy, Rose City, Student City and Knowledge City.

Population: 84,000.

Town icon: The clock tower in The Square.

Best websites: manawatu.co.nz

Famous locals: Sports stars include Black Sticks, Black Caps and All Whites. All Black legend Nevan McEwan lives here; Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith and the four Whitelock brothers were born and raised locally. Cricketer Jacob Oram, F1 test driver Brendon Hartley and YouTube star Shannon Harris aka "ShaaanXO" live there. Singer Benny Tipene and motocross star Levi Sherwood grew up there and Paul Dibble, one of New Zealand's leading sculptors, lives there too.

Big business: Agriscience, health, food innovation, retail, agriculture, manufacturing, education, tourism and the Defence Force's Linton Army Base and Ohakea Air Base are both in the region.

Blooming marvellous: The world renowned Dugald McKenzie Rose Garden has over 5000 rose varieties and is home to the NZ Rose Society International Rose Trial Grounds.

Good times: The Festival of Cultures celebrates the area's diversity - Palmerston North is home to more than 100 cultures. Evento Wearable Arts is a must-see spectacular, showcasing the vibrant creations of talented students from schools around the lower North Island. The Track 'n' Tunnel walk is amazing, taking people through Te Apiti Manawatu Gorge by walking along the railway lines. Plus there are numerous music, sport, dance, food and art events all year.

Here for a short time: Families love Victoria Esplanade with its miniature train rides, playgrounds, bush walks, aviary and rose gardens. The central city Arts and Sculpture Trail is also a winner, with over 20 sculptures, murals and installations along it.

The New Zealand Rugby Museum in Palmerston North. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Another reason to stop: People travel from far and wide to shop in Palmy. The Plaza, the George and Coleman Quarter and The Square are all full of temptations. Plus there's groovy vintage and antique shopping, from clothing to collectibles, furniture, antiques, knick-knacks and more. Enjoy blockbuster exhibitions at Te Manawa, check out agricultural and social history at Coach House Museum or explore the national religion at the NZ Rugby Museum, home to one of the world's largest collections of rugby memorabilia.

Kids love: Lido Aquatic Centre has New Zealand's highest water slides, the SuperBowl and Speedslide tower 14m above the ground.

Best playground: Victoria Esplanade has several playgrounds with equipment for all ages. The flying fox especially is popular.

Best park: Memorial Park has a skating rink, paddling pools, mini-lake and playgrounds. Pitt Park, an historic quarry, is now a protected wetlands thanks to passionate, conservatorially minded locals. Victoria Esplanade, the city's gorgeous main park, spreads across 19ha beside the river.

Best walk: Manawatu River Pathway, 10km of uninterrupted riverside, is mostly flat. It's perfect for pushchairs, wheelchairs and bikes. For something a bit more challenging, head to Te Apiti Manawatu Gorge and take on the Tawa Loop. Aside from stunning native bush you'll also come face to face with Whatonga, an ancient Maori chief immortalised in a 6m-tall sculpture.

Best view: Anzac Park (Te Motu O Poutoa), locally known as "Pork Chop Hill", gives views across the city, down to the river and out to Mt Ruapehu.

Best place to pull over: Head up Saddle Rd and check out Te Apiti Wind Farm lookout for panoramic views of Manawatu and Tararua Ranges. It's such a buzz.

Te Apiti Wind Farm lookout offers panoramic views of Manawatu and Tararua Ranges. Photo / File

Best swims: Lido Aquatic Centre and Freyberg Pools offer year-round swimming, while Himatangi Beach is perfect for warmer months. Plus there are several interconnecting rivers, big ones and little ones, and top swimming holes can be found round Pohangina Valley and Te Apiti Manawatu Gorge.

Nice arts: The city is dotted with installations, sculptures and galleries. The Arts Trail offers self-guided tours of more than 20 sculptures, carvings, paintings, murals, mosaics and galleries, including Taylor Jensen Fine Arts, Snails Gallery, Zimmerman Gallery, the White Room and Te Manawa.

Best flat white: Coffee is taken seriously here with the main caffeine clusters on George St and at Coleman Mall. The range of cafes is genuinely eclectic.

Down the rabbit hole: But, if you insist a single place is named, try Joseph St Kitchen. Down in an industrial area, it's unassuming and covered in a grapevines, while inside chairs hang from the ceiling and there's all manner of eccentricity. The coffee is divine, ditto the food.

Best food: Choose between award-winning gastropubs and Kiwi fusion, plus a broad array of international cuisines — around the world in 80 resaurants. You'll figure it out.

Baked: Visit the expert breadmakers at Breadworks or stop in at Cuba St Bakehouse for their famous pies and cakes. The Golden Tulip Bakery is a CBD staple where their trusty lunches always hit the mark.

Wet your whistle: The Village Inn Kitchen for craft brews and tapas, the Brewers Apprentice and Speight's Ale House for beer essentials, or go to one of the country pubs on the outskirts of town.

Best adventure: Hire an electric bike from the i-Site and feel the wind in your hair as you cruise along the Manawatu River Pathway. Head out to the coast where Wind Warrior Kitesports can take you kite surfing or stand-up paddleboarding. Go up river with Mangaweka Adventure Company and raft the gorges and rapids.

Mountain biking: Arapuke Park serves up rides from grade 1 to 5, there are tremendous tracks through the wind farm or hop to Te Apiti Manawatu Gorge where there's a purpose-built downhill track for adrenaline junkies.

Acting up: Centrepoint Theatre is the only professional theatre to operate outside the four main centres. All the big names have played there at one time or another.

Wildlife: The Oroua Blue Duck Protection Project is run by the Manawatu branch of the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association and the Manawatu Estuary is now a wetland of international importance. It features one of the most diverse ranges of birds in one place in all of New Zealand. A total of 93 species of birds have been identified here, including the bar-tailed godwit, which migrates 11,000km from Siberia to escape the Northern Hemisphere winter.

Be warned: Many people go to Palmerston North for what they think is a short-term contract and the next thing they know, they end up loving it so much they move in permanently.

Thanks a bunch to Janet Reynolds.