Discover Wellington

Wellington brings together nature experiences, museums, historic sites and a vibrant food scene. When planning your stay, you can first consider whether you’re most interested in sanctuaries and gardens, culture and history, or city life. These different themes can also help guide your search for a hotel in Wellington.

Nature and wildlife in Wellington

Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne is a fully fenced sanctuary in Wellington. Its regenerating forest is home to rare birds, reptiles, fish and insects. The sanctuary covers about 225 hectares in the Karori Valley. Wellington Botanic Garden ki Paekākā offers a different landscape: across 25 hectares, you’ll find protected native forest, plant collections and floral displays, as well as views over Wellington.

Wellington Zoo also offers encounters with endangered animals. The animals mentioned include lemurs, meerkats, sun bears and a tiger. Availability of individual encounters may change, so check before your trip. These nature destinations differ not only in their landscapes, but also in the wildlife and plant life they focus on.

Cable car, waterfront and history

The Wellington Cable Car is New Zealand’s last historic funicular. Its two cars are permanently connected by underground cables and move in opposite directions on a steep slope. A permanent display featuring 45,000 LED lights is part of the attraction in the middle and upper tunnels. Within the wider destination of Wellington City, the Cable Car connects Lambton Quay, Victoria University and the Botanic Garden in a five-minute ride.

Wellington Museum is at the heart of Wellington’s waterfront, with Lambton Quay and the Cable Car each just two minutes away. It tells stories of the Wellington region and is housed in a heritage-listed building from 1892, designed by architect Frederick de Jersey Clere. Wellington Town Hall has served as the capital’s town hall and its main civic venue since 1904. Notable performers have appeared there, and significant concerts have been held there.

At the National Library of New Zealand, He Tohu displays three important documents: Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the 1893 Women’s Suffrage Petition and He Whakaputanga, the Declaration of Independence. Parliament House and the Parliament Grounds form the symbolic centre of New Zealand’s government and the heart of the country’s political life. New Zealand Parliament Tours take visitors behind the scenes at the Beehive and Parliament House, offering insights into New Zealand’s history and how its democracy works.

Tours, trails and creative experiences

In Miramar, Wētā Workshop offers a guided tour showing how film props, creatures and costumes are made. The Wētā Workshop Experiences Tour lasts about 90 minutes. Check the booking conditions if you’re planning this experience. Nearby, the Southern Walkway starts at Roseneath Park and Lookout near central Wellington and heads south through the Town Belt to Island Bay. The Mount Victoria lookout is part of the Southern Walkway and the Town Belt trail network.

Nairn Street Cottage offers another perspective on history: tours explore the life of the Wallis family during the 120 years they lived in the house. Three generations lived there from 1857 until the late 1970s. At Te Papa, the tours on offer focus instead on the stories of the people and landscapes of Aotearoa New Zealand; check their availability before your trip.

Food and city life

Cuba Street is a 900-metre-long street, partly converted into a pedestrian zone, with shops, restaurants, bars and cafés. Here you can stroll, eat, drink, shop and enjoy entertainment. It adds a distinct city-stay focus to the nature and culture destinations.

Within the wider destination of Wellington City, the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, New Zealand’s national museum, is located on Wellington’s waterfront. It showcases Māori and Pacific treasures, the colossal squid and the national art collection; its holdings include more than two million artworks, objects and specimens. Use these different themes to help plan your trip and search for a hotel in Wellington.

Discover more destinations: Johnsonville, Miramar.

Back to the wider travel overview: Wellington City.