Wellington Activities

Wellington has a decent array of fun activities geared towards children. Top of the list is probably the city’s zoo, which has a number of exotic and endangered creatures from around the globe to go with the native wildlife. Other interesting venues include Capital E, and the Story Place at Te Papa Museum, if you are looking for something artistic and creative. Action can be found at Wet ‘n’ Wild for older kids, or Lollipop’s Playground for the younger set.

Capital E
This wonderfully imaginative and educational venue is designed for families who want to share time with their kids doing creative activities. Capital E always has a well-rounded programme featuring theatre, exhibitions and special events, some of which are hands-on. Capital E is located in Civic square. Phone: +64 4 913 3720.

Lollipop’s Playland
Right in the heart of Wellington is a huge facility filled with an amazing variety of games and activities geared towards kids under 12 years old. The highlight is a jungle of stairs, slides and tubes that eventually drop kids into a giant vat filled with 10,000 plastic balls. There’s also a bowling alley, indoor basketball court, jungle gyms and more creative endeavors like an art room. Parents can hire a special ‘playcarer’ to watch their kids while they linger in the calm café. This attraction is located at the Wellington Trade Centre. Phone: +64 4 384 4466.

Story Place
This component of the spectacular Te Papa Museum is specially designed for young children under the age of five years. A fantasy world environment has been created where kids can dress up in costumes, listen to Maori stories, sing songs and work on their art skills. Story Place is located in Te Papa. Phone: +64 4 381 7000.

Wellington Zoo
This great little zoo has plenty of creative activities to round off the excellent wildlife which lives here. Interactive programmes like Close Encounter let kids hand-feed everything from giraffes to red pandas. If you are over 18 years old, you can spend the day with a zookeeper as they tend to the animals. Wellington Zoo does a lot of work with endangered species, so the wildlife here is really exotic. The Kiwi House contains New Zealand’s native birds, while the Tropical River Trail recreates a rainforest environment. The zoo is located on Daniell street. Phone: +64 4 381 6755; website: www.wellingtonzoo.com/.

Wet ‘n’ Wild
If you have older children with you, they might want to spend an afternoon at Frank Kitts Park, where this summertime-only waterfront amusement centre has plenty of physical activities to choose from. Get on the water in a paddleboat or unusual water bike, or stay on dry land and zip around the park on inline skates. The water park is located in Frank Kitts Park. Phone: +64 4 235 9796.

A number of excellent museums, art galleries and historic districts make Wellington one of the best cities in New Zealand to soak in some culture. The shining star of this city is the award-winning Te Papa Museum dedicated to New Zealand’s heritage. Take a tour around Parliament Grounds to experience the grandeur of old Wellington or check out the hottest New Zealand art at Pataka and City Gallery.

City Gallery
The theme at this innovative and cutting-edge gallery is contemporary visual art. City Gallery has developed a reputation as the place to see the latest and most stimulating artwork coming out of New Zealand. Everything from video to sculpture and painting is presented here. The onsite café and bar is also a great place to sit back and take in the scene. The gallery is located on Wakefield street. Phone: +64 4 801 3952.

Katherine Mansfield Birthplace
New Zealand’s most famous writer used to hang around such luminaries as DH Lawrence and TS Eliot during their European heyday at the end of the 1800s. Most literary fans will recognise her name. If you want to gleam a little insight into what inspired many of her famous stories, take the tour of her family home, located on Tinakori road. Phone: +64 4 473 7268.

Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongarewa)
New Zealand’s finest museum is this five-level comprehensive tribute to the people, history, culture and environment of this island nation. As one of the world’s most high-tech museums, there are some amazing interactive exhibits showcasing New Zealand’s seismic nature as well as a feature allowing visitors to perform a virtual bungy jump. The sections featuring Maori culture are superb, as are those showcasing the natural splendor of the country. You can easily spend a day in this fascinating place. The guided tour is excellent, but must be booked ahead of time. The museums is located on Cable street. Phone: +64 4 381 7000; website: www.tepapa.govt.nz/Tepapa/English/.

Museum of Wellington City and Sea
Housed in an architectural beauty of a building, the 1892 Bond Store, Wellington’s newest museum showcases the history of the city before and after the arrival of the British. Six galleries use a blend of traditional exhibits and photographs with multimedia displays and cinema screens to present the episodes that created Wellington. The exhibit ‘A Millennium Ago’ details Maori legends with special effects to create a really great experience. The museums is located at Queens Wharf. Phone: +64 4 472 8904.

Parliament Grounds
A leisurely visit to the core of Wellington is well worth the time, especially if the weather is good. This hub of political life has some stunning architecture which serves as a backdrop for the buzzing scene of locals and tourists wandering about. The Old Government building is the second-largest wooden structure on earth, while the National Library and its gallery have an interesting collection of historical and artistic relics from Wellington’s past. Parliament Grounds are located on Molesworth street. Phone: +64 4 471 9503.

Pataka
If you are a true art aficionado, or just want to see the best representative works of local artists from New Zealand, this modern gallery is a great place to start. The cultural diversity which makes up this nation is celebrated through the art of the Maori, Pacific Islanders and New Zealanders. If you see something you like, there’s a chance it may be for sale. The gallery is located in Porirua City. Phone: +64 4 237 1511.

The dining scene in Wellington is well-established and continues to evolve at a steady and respectable pace. The range of eateries in this cosmopolitan city is a reflection of the diverse population which calls it home. One of the greatest attributes of dining out in Wellington is that so much is clustered within easy walking distance. Whether it’s budget Indian fare or cutting edge Pan-Asian fusion cuisine you are looking for, you will be catered for, with ethnic restaurants commonly found right next to each other.

New Zealand cuisine is a rather blurred concept, having taken bits and pieces from British and Continental dishes and reinvented them using local produce and the abundant fresh seafood from the surrounding ocean. Ethnic restaurants have become the biggest players in this city, with many Asian nations adding to the wealth of Indian, Malaysian, Greek and Turkish food.

If you want to eat within a budget and enjoy ethnic food, then head straight for Cuba street. This super hip downtown district has a little of everything, including some of the best vegetarian cafés in the city. It also has plenty of style and quirkiness to add dimension to your dining experience. Courtenay Place is another good choice for a wide range of affordable ethnic eateries, but don’t forget the suburbs. Little pockets of amazing dining choices can be found in Thorndon, Eastbourne, and Oriental Parade.

The best quick eats can be found in Wellington’s food courts. If you want to save some money, these clusters of independent fast food stalls offer a surprising selection of food. The BNZ Centre’s Gourmet Land is probably the best, but the Reading Food Court and Wellington Market are also good spots. For a taste of local gourmet goodies, spend your Sunday morning at the Jackson Street Market, or try the Moore Wilson Fresh Food Market on any day of the week. The visitor centre has a great guide to wining and dining in Wellington.

Fortunately, Wellington is a compact city so it’s easy to cover some serious ground in a short time on your shopping endeavors. The Golden Mile, which runs along Lambton Quay and into the Willis street district, is the city’s main shopping strip. Its interlinked arcades are packed with boutiques, music shops, bookstores and Wellington’s iconic department store - Kirkcaldie & Stains.

The most popular shopping malls include the Old Bank Arcade, Capital on the Quay and the BNZ Centre. Even the most experienced shopper will be impressed with the sheer quantity of shopping spots in such a concentrated area.

The bohemian side of Wellington can be found along Cuba street. Equally noted for its great selection of cafés, this is the place to dig into vintage clothing shops, get a tattoo or browse second-hand antiques. Apart from the wonderful hand-woven merino wool products, New Zealand isn’t particularly famous for any specific items. Opals are abundant, making for good buys, and Maori crafts, jewellery and carvings make great souvenirs. James Street Market’s 25 funky shops and Wellington Market are two other interesting local spots for a different kind of shopping experience.

With its location wedged between one of the world’s most beautiful harbours and a ring of mountains, Wellington offers an impressive amount of outdoor recreation for a city of its size. On the water, there’s excellent sailing and kayaking opportunities, while inland it’s all about hiking and biking. Golfers will be happy to learn that there are a dozen great golf courses within minutes of the city limits.

Golf
The lush landscape around Wellington makes for some of the planet’s most scenic and enjoyable golfing. There are several courses to choose from if you want to get in a round or two. Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club ranks among the top 50 courses in the world, and is well worth the expensive greens fees. Be sure to book your tee time well in advance. Hutt Golf Club and Karori Golf Club are much cheaper and nearly as scenic. Website: www.paraparaumubeachgolfclub.co.nz/.

Kayaking
Sea kayaking is much more relaxing than the rushing river version. Wellington’s harbour is the perfect place to either learn this sport or get in some quality paddling time. Queen’s Wharf is the place to rent your gear and get training if needed. Take a guided tour or paddle out yourself. The night harbour tour is particularly fun, as is the more remote excursion around Kapiti Island, a major wildlife conservation area.

Mountain Biking
The hilly terrain that surrounds Wellington is ideal for mountain biking. A solid biking scene has developed in the city making it easy to rent a bike, get trail maps and even take a guided ride. If you want a more casual experience, just cruise around the bays. However, if its excitement you need, Mount Victoria has some seriously steep descents.

Walking
You don’t even have to leave the city to find some great walking spots. The Botanic Gardens and Oriental Parade both offer plenty of shady flat paths ideal for casual strolls. Mount Victoria, just behind the city, offers more strenuous trails. There are a number of different ways to the top and the views from the summit are worth the effort. Stop by the city’s visitor centre for their Heritage Trail brochure.