Stratford Overview

In this small hamlet (pop. 5300), the moniker is more than half the character. One of 27 towns in the world christened after Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford has taken this connection to heart by naming most of its streets after the Bard’s characters and erecting New Zealand’s only glockenspiel, which thrice daily recites lines from Romeo and Juliet. Stratford’s other claim to fame, and the reason most visitors pass through, is its proximity to Mt. Taranaki’s Manganui ski fields.

Transportation. InterCity (☎345 4433) departs from the i-Site and heads to Auckland (7hr., M-F 1 per day, $70) via New Plymouth (35min., $12-15); Wellington (5hr., 2 per day, $33-55) via Hawera (20min., $12-14), Wanganui (1hr., $15-25), and Palmerston North (3hr., $25-36). Dalroy Express (☎759 0197 or 0508 465 622) heads to Auckland (6hr., 1 per day, $58). White Star runs to Wellington (M-F 2 per day, Sa-Su 1 per day, $39) via Hawera (30min., $10). Stratford Taxis (☎765 5651) are available for local transportation needs. The Stratford Leisure Centre, 420 Broadway, south of town between Romeo and Celia St., rents mountain bikes for $15 per day. (☎765 7580. Open M-F 9am-5pm, Sa 9am-noon.) Although Let’s Go does not recommend hitching, hitchhikers report that getting rides to New Plymouth and Wellington is easier the farther along SH3 one gets from town.

Orientation And Practical Information. Broadway (SH3) is Stratford’s main drag. The Forgotten World Highway (SH43) enters town from the east, where it’s known as Regan Street. Pembroke Road departs from the north of town and runs to Egmont National Park and the ski area to the west. Celia Street (which becomes Opunake St.) departs south of town and runs westward to Egmont National Park’s Dawson Falls Visitors Centre. The Stratford i-Site is on Prospero Pl., opposite the glockenspiel. (☎765 6708; www.stratfordnz.info. Internet $1.50 per 15min. Open M-F 8:30am-5pm, Sa-Su 10am-3pm.) The DOC office, 10km from town on Pembroke Rd., provides only basic info on Egmont National Park. (☎765 5144. Open M-F 8am-4:30pm.) Other services include: BNZ, on Broadway (☎765 7134; open M-F 9am-4:30pm); the police, on Miranda St. (☎765 8860); a 24hr. doctor (☎765 5300); the post office, 49 Miranda St. (☎765 6009. Open M-F 8:30am-5pm.)

Accommodations And Food. At  Pretty Croft B&B 3, 193 Regan St., 1km east of town on the road to Taumarunui, hosts David and Edna lovingly spoil guests in their inviting home and gardens. (☎765 6820; davidandedna@xtra.co.nz. Free Internet. Singles $45; twins $100. Cash only.) The Stratford Top 10 Holiday Park 1, 10 Page St., offers a wide variety of accommodations and luxurious touches like the spa and sauna. (☎765 6440 or 0508 478 728; stratfordholpark@hotmail.com. Spa $3. Linen $5. Bikes $10. Reception 8am-10pm. Tent sites $12, powered $14. Dorms from $18; 2-person cabins from $38, $15 per extra person.)

The little bistro Collage , on Prospero Pl. next to the i-Site, is the exception to Stratford’s general apathy toward food. Cheap fusion brunch options ($9-14) are second only to the artistic beauty of the $7 snack bagels. (☎765 7003. Open M 9am-3pm, Tu-F 9am-5pm, Sa-Su 9am-late.) Those camping or graced with kitchens may want to head to New World, at the corner of Orlando and Regan St. (☎765 6422. Open daily 8am-8pm.)

Sights And Outdoor Activities. With Mt. Taranaki looming in the background, it’s little wonder that skiing is a major activity in the area. Unpredictable snowfall means that the season can range from a few weeks to a few months. The Manganui Ski Field is the only one on the mountain. (Ski conditions ☎759 1119; www.snow.co.nz/manganui. Lift ticket $30, children $15, over 60 free.) For rentals, call the Mountain House Motor Lodge, on Pembroke Rd. north of Stratford. (☎765 6100; www.mountainhouse.co.nz. Skis or snowboard, boots, and poles from $30 per day. MC/V.) Those who want to exercise their eyes as opposed to their knees can head to the Percy Thomson Gallery (☎765 0917), next to the i-Site, which showcase various exhibits of contemporary Kiwi art. For an stroll through Stratford’s past, head to the Taranaki Pioneer Village, south of town on SH3. The 50 fully-restored, turn-of-the-century buildings celebrate Taranaki’s history. (☎765 5399; www.stratfordnz.info/pioneervillage. Open daily 10am-4pm. $10, children $4.) Stratford is also the beginning of the Forgotten World Highway (SH43), a 155km scenic drive to Taumarunui .