3 Best Sights in Kapiti Coast, Wellington and the Wairarapa

Housing the southern hemisphere's largest private car collection, this museum has more than 400 automobiles and 140 motorcycles, plus aircraft, vintage tools, and an old fire engine. Among the most popular are Marlene Dietrich's 1934 Cadillac Town Cabriolet, a 1915 Stutz Indianapolis race car, a gull-winged Mercedes-Benz, a 1950 Cadillac "Gangster Special" that had belonged to gangster Mickey Cohen, and an 1895 Benz Velo.

This 9.1 km (5.7 miles) cliffside trail has breathtaking views of the coast. With its step-climbs and swing bridges, this track is a little different from your typical "long walks on the beach." Most walkers drive to the Pukerua Bay Train station and catch the northbound train to the next stop, Paekākāriki, to walk the trail from north to south.

Paekākāriki's draw is the shore, but it's also the main entry point for Queen Elizabeth Park. Covering more than 1,600 acres, the park is edged by sand dunes and swimmable beaches. Walking, horseback riding, and cycling are popular activities here. Of special interest is the WWII U.S. Marines memorial and display.