Wellington City Travel Guide
Wellington City accommodation, Wellington City activities and attractions, Wellington City maps, transportation to and around Wellington City - the ALL NEW Jasons Wellington City Destination Travel Guide is your complete visitor guide for Wellington City.
Enjoying a spectacular location at the head of Port Nicholson harbour, vibrant Wellington is New Zealand's cosmopolitan capital. The great thing about Wellington is its compact size makes it perfect to explore on foot, yet it's still a city with plenty of urban attitude and sophistication. Wellington enjoys a reputation as New Zealand's Cultural Capital, and it's easy to see why. There's always something happening here, from live theatre, bands and ballet to gourmet food tours and boutique beer tasting. A must-see for visitors to Wellington is
Te Papa on Cable Street, the country's bold and innovative national museum.
Shoppers in Wellington are spoilt for choice with bustling markets and local
designer boutiques to browse, and after a day of taking in the city sights, you can check out the action in Wellington's lively entertainment and dining precinct, Courtenay Place. If you fancy a seaside stroll, then strike out along Wellington's scenic Oriental Parade, which snakes around the waterfront linking up a series of beaches. You'll find some great al fresco eateries as well. Down at Queen's Wharf there are museums and cafes, or hire a kayak and explore the harbour. For superb city views, climb or drive up the local landmark, Mount Victoria, or catch Wellington's historic
cable car up to the
Botanic Garden. There are breathtaking views over Wellington harbour and you can enjoy a scenic walk
or morning tea in the lovely gardens. Visit the "Beehive" and the beautifully refurbished
Parliament Buildings in the historic suburb of Thorndon. Other activities in the
Wellington region include windsurfing, kayaking,
hiking, mountain biking, and surfing at Palliser Bay, south-east of the city. Further afield, you can explore the wineries of the
Wairarapa and the sweeping beaches of the
Kapiti Coast.
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Population
165,000
Climate
Summer average: 19°C
Winter average: 5°C
Average rainfall: 1270mm/year
Getting Your Bearings
Built around the harbour, Wellington's main shopping and business precincts run off Lambton Quay and Willis Street. Off Willis Street, turn down Manners or Dixon Street to head to Courtenay Place, a key entertainment and dining precinct. You’ll need to take public transport if most of your business lies in downtown Wellington. The
Hutt Valley lies north of Wellington, incorporating both
Lower Hutt (24km north of Wellington) and
Upper Hutt (39km north of Wellington).