Although it lies on a major fault line and is one of the windiest cities on earth, the compact capital city of Wellington (pop. 400,000) is a better place to catch your breath than to lose it. Overlooking scenic Wellington Harbour near North Island’s southern tip, New Zealand’s second-largest city entertains visitors with an impressive series of festivals, renowned museums, and some of the country’s best theater and dance. A ten minute drive from the bustling city center brings visitors to wild shorelines and nature preserves.
Flights: Wellington International Airport (☎ 385 5123) spans the Miramar Peninsula in the southeastern suburbs with international flights to Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne on Qantas or Air New Zealand ...more
Central Wellington is remarkably compact, though its suburbs sprawl around the harbor into nearby valleys and out onto the Miramar Peninsula. Easily explored in a day, downtown Wellington sits between ...more
Public Transportation: Ridewell Service Centre (☎ 801 7000 or 0800 801 700; www.stagecoach.co.nz) can answer questions about public transportation. Open daily 24hr. Stagecoach (☎ 801 7000 or 0800 801 ...more
Visitors Center: The Wellington i-Site, at Wakefield and Victoria St. (☎ 802 4860; www.wellingtonnz.com). Internet $4 per hr. Open M-F 8:30am-6:30pm, Sa-Su 9am-5:30pm. Airport Visitor’s Centre (☎ ...more
For truly spectacular sleeps, head north to one of the many shorefront hostels along the coast. Book your bed in advance during the summer and on weekends. Wellington City YHA (☎ 801 7280; www ...more
Lambton Quay and Willis Street are full of lunch spots, but become dead at night. The young and chic liven up Courtenay Place and its side streets on evenings and weekends, while Cuba Street is peppered ...more
With the highest number of cafes per capita in the Southern Hemisphere (and thankfully, only three Starbucks), Wellington is certainly doing something right. Courtenay Place is lined with standard cafes ...more
Museum Of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. This museum’s enormous collection of ambitious, informative, and entertaining exhibits is Wellington’s pride and joy; free admission is just a bonus ...more
Walks And Rides. The Northern, Southern, and Eastern Walkways, detailed in leaflets from the Wellington i-Site or DOC offices, are tame and accessible walks through the city’s greenbelt and ...more
Wellington presents a wide variety of diversions, from high art to high-energy sport. The Wellington i-Site has schedules and information about shows and theaters, and they sell rush tickets for Downstage ...more
The Summer City Festival (☎ 494 4444; www.feelinggreat.co.nz) is a brilliant cavalcade of festivals like Sunday night jazz in the Botanic Gardens, mass walks up Mt. Victoria, and a Pacific Island festival ...more
Wellington nightlife comes in flavors ranging from business chic to skater cool. The Courtenay Place stretch is clogged with slick bars frequented by after-work businessmen and black-clad students; most ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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