2025 Wellington Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in May)

It our second time to Wellington, New Zealand. Aside from city walk, we also visited Scorching Bay and found it to be a peaceful escape from the city’s buzz. This serene beach, with golden sands and crystal-clear waters, is perfect for a leisurely walk or a quiet afternoon with a book 📖 The nearby café ☕️ served some of the best coffee we’ve had, and the laid-back vibe made it a hidden gem. I’d recommend going early in the morning to catch the sunrise ☀️ 📍Scorching Bay Beach, Karaka Bay Road, Miramar, Wellington 6022 We explored the charming Holloway Road Walkway, tucked away in the Aro Valley. The trail leads through lush greenery, showcasing Wellington’s natural beauty without the crowds. Along the way, we stumbled upon remnants of an old quarry and native birdlife, which felt like stepping back in time. I’d recommend this for anyone who loves tranquil hikes 🏔️ 📍 Holloway Road Walkway, Aro Valley, Wellington 6021 We also visited Wrights Hill Fortress, a lesser-known historical site. This World War II-era structure is fascinating, with underground tunnels and stories of Wellington’s military past. Exploring the fortifications gave us a unique perspective on the city’s history. I’d recommend checking their schedule for guided tours to get the most out of the visit. 📍 Wrights Hill Fortress, Wrights Hill Road, Karori, Wellington 6012 We also explored Owhiro Bay Quarry, a hidden coastal area perfect for those seeking rugged landscapes. The dramatic cliffs and crashing waves make it a photographer’s dream 📸 Nearby, we found a secluded spot to sit and take in the scenery. I’d recommend packing a picnic and spending a few hours here. 📍 Owhiro Bay Quarry, Owhiro Bay Parade, Wellington 6023 These hidden gems made our second visit to Wellington feel like an entirely new adventure. I hope this itinerary gives you fresh ideas for your trip! Definitely explore the city then only spend times in the hidden 💎 #newzealandtrip #vacation #trip

The Oatery is hands down the best cafe in all of Wellington. The food is absolutely immaculate, healthy, consistent and affordable. The staff are incredibly calm and friendly, and the relaxing atmosphere makes for a pleasant eating experience. If you are in Wellington, you must visit The Oatery. Their porridge and granola bowls are addictive. I am yet to try other menu items such as their coffee, toast, soups and salads, however I am certain that they are scrumptious. #newzealandtrip #couplestrip #travel

In New Zealand, cherry blossoms usually bloom from mid-September to October. Here are some great places to see cherry blossoms in New Zealand: - Hagley Park, Christchurch: Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island of New Zealand, and Hagley Park is one of the largest parks in Christchurch and one of the most famous places to see cherry blossoms in New Zealand. Every spring, the cherry trees in the park are in full bloom, forming a sea of pink flowers, which is very beautiful. - Cornwall Park, Auckland: Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, and Cornwall Park is one of the most famous parks in Auckland and one of the most famous places to see cherry blossoms in New Zealand. Every spring, the cherry trees in the park are in full bloom, forming a sea of pink flowers, which is very beautiful. - Wellington Botanic Garden: Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, and Wellington Botanic Garden is one of the most famous parks in Wellington and one of the most famous places to see cherry blossoms in New Zealand. Every spring, the cherry trees in the botanical garden are in full bloom, forming a sea of pink flowers, which is very beautiful.

Wellington "Wellington" 🇳🇿 The small capital of New Zealand. This small, warm and unique capital city is famous for its art, restaurants, and outdoor atmosphere. It is suitable for a vacation. 🎪 Since we had 2 days free, we booked a flight ticket from Auckland 🛫 Wellington. We got a cute ticket price. A short trip was born. There are important landmarks that we visited, which are........🛬 - Wellington Cable Car, a red tram 🚂 running from Lampton Quay Station to Kelburn. There are interesting attractions such as the city viewpoint, botanical gardens, tram museum, observatory and planetarium. The tram runs every 10 minutes. - Cuba Street 🤸🏼♀️ is a chic walking street full of shops, restaurants, bars and cafes. There are also vintage products, record shops, and various art buildings for taking pictures. - Oriental Bay ⛱️ is a center for many restaurants, cafes and shops. People here like to make appointments to relax. Or do activities such as cycling, running, sunbathing or swimming in the sea. - Lambton Quay 🏢 The capital's business center With outstanding sculptures It is popular because it is in the city center. Easy to travel If you want to come alone like us, you can travel. Small town, not crowded, easy to travel. Travel in a slow life, relax, chill ✅ #TravelNewZealand #NewZealand #Wellington

🚏Devonport + Mount Victoria In Auckland CBD, in addition to taking the bus and train, you can also take a ferry for an outing! 📍Downtown Terminal Google this landmark, the boat entrance is right next to it! 🕒Ferry runs every half hour (one way trip takes about ten minutes) 🎫I forgot whether the ticket price was 3 or 4 yuan, I only know that it would be cheaper to use AT card because I used AT card! Although it is only a short ten-minute flight But there is also a canteen on the ship where you can buy coffee, snacks and drinks. There are indoor and outdoor seats. If the weather is good, it is recommended to sit outdoors. You can enjoy the view of CBD from different angles It takes about 10 minutes to walk from Devonport to Mount Victoria. You will pass by many restaurants and Gelato shops on the way! It takes about 20 minutes to reach the top of Victoria Mountain. When you reach the top of the mountain, you will see many red mushroom heads. It's a bit like coming to the world of Super Mario 😆 #foodie #good family destinations #localtravel #familytravel #newzealand

It took us 6 hours drive from roturua to Wellington on a Christmas evening. Lots of places will be closed on Christmas day, we had our buffet dinner in the hotel instead Wellington City Walk / Ride - Beehive (Parliament House) - Wellington Waterfront" Wellington Botanic Garden, Wellington Cable Car (skip the cable car if not too enthusiastic just to ride on it), Cable Car Museum (9.30am-5pm - Free) Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (10am - 6pm) - It's Free! 55 Cable St, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand Cuba Street walk Had breakfast at the Chocolate Fish Café, Drive along Massey Rd - Massey Memorial, Point Halswell Lighthouse (before getting to the lord of the rings tour) - The Weta Cave (9am - 5.30pm) - bought the ticket through their web site. 1 Weka St, Miramar, Wellington 6022, New Zealand • Weta Studio Tours Combo (2pm) - Adults: $48, Children 6-12 Years: $22, Family (2 adult + 2 children): $125 #celebratewithtrip

There are great little shops upstairs of the Wellington airport for you to choose from clothes to suitcases to food, even a little convenience store!! As I live in the Pacific, I was so excited about the many vending machines that have such a nice range of snacks and drinks. #wellington #airport

Wellington airport was overWELLmington! 😂 get it? This was my first time ever to travel to Wellington, all other previous trips to Nz was to Auckland only so finally seeing a different of NZ was a fresh experience. Not as big as Akl airport but it’s still big compared to my home airport (Fiji) and I couldnt help but admire all the goodies they had at the airport! #travel #airport #wellington #nz

If you're a huge fan of lord of the rings, you would recognize this place as the setting for the "Paths of the dead" scene in Return of the King! This is a MUST VISIT for anyone travelling to the North Island of New Zealand! The rock formation is just out of the world and unreal, looking like a place I've only seen in movies. A truly spectacular ancient rock formation, perfect for photographers to photograph. The walking trails are also properly maintained, allowing visitors to walk the route with ease. Getting here: The nearest city is Martinborough. From the nearest carpark, allow at least 2 hours to return, and remember to take lots of water with you! Its quite a simple hike to reach the main vantage point of the Pinnacle but it's always good to be well prepared! #momentssg #unforgettableexperiences #nationalpark #scenicspotguide

Cape Palliser is a charming lighthouse located in Wairarapa, on the North Island of New Zealand. Interestingly, it is also the southernmost point of the North Island. Make a 253 steps climb to reach the lighthouse and you will be generously rewarded with the magnificent views of the blue seas and the rugged coastline from the top. If you are there during the evening, I recommend you stay till sunset as you will be able to catch a clear unobstructed view of the sun setting beyond the glistening blue seas. You can plan a day trip there from Wellington as it is only about an hour plus drive away from Wellington. #momentssg #newzealand #scenicspotguide

The section of Wellington street in central ( or old town central as they call it now) recently earned the nickname of bullstarp mile. Here you'll find long time and family run local joints that have received nods in the red book because , well, the food is outstanding and it's cheap. Makn's noodle is a personal favorite. The small bowls of wonbton noodle soup amust eat will only set you back a few usd. Go early to avoid the line. Jong you teahousebia a local institution that serves dim #summervacation #beachvacation #hikingtrailsb#hotelstay #urbanexplorer #themeparks#nationalpark#lakes#beaches#infinitypool

joined a 1/2 day tour. its very interesting even though i have not watched the movie before. But a pity that i could not fully enjoy it as im travelling with a toddler. thus my hub finished the tour alone while i have to leave the room as my 2yr old son is a bit too active to participate. recommend not to bring young kids . visited some places thats we could have drove ourselves thus a bit time wasting. prefer to have the whole tour covering the making of movies and exploring lord of the ring scenes. nevertheless, it was still a good experience. This is an absolute trip everyone should attend. The tour guy, Grant, was very friendly and 100% full of knowlegge of the scenes. We were surprised about how Weta workshop has been working and what they had achieved in film products and computer special effects. We do recommend people to join this trip. #summervacation

I always love a trip on a cable car and the Wellington funicular was a great way to get up to the Gardens. It's only a short, five minute journey and is very reasonably priced. The views from the top are stunning so it's well worth the trip. #wintergetaway #wintergetaway

The National Museum of New Zealand is the largest museum in the Southern Hemisphere, with a rich collection of Maori culture, and the War Pavilion is impressed by its authenticity. And its most prestigious is its interactivity, known as the most interactive museum in the world. There are a lot of interesting projects waiting for visitors to participate. Through interaction, let children know more about nature and understand the world! Bring children here on New Year's Day holiday, there is an unknown magical world waiting for them to open!

#April2025: Wellington Zoo** 📍 **Location**: Newtown 🌟 **Features**: - The world's first zoo to be certified carbon neutral - "Kiwi Nocturnal Pavilion" simulates natural habitat - There will be a keeper explanation at 11:00 every day ⏰ **Opening hours**: 9:30-17:00 🎫 **Tickets**: Adult NZ$24, Family NZ$65 ⚠️ **Note**: - Some animals are not displayed on rainy days - No feeding allowed ---

#April2025 Museum of Wellington City & Sea** 📍 **Location**: Queens Wharf 🌟 **Features**: - Recreation of a 19th century immigrant ship cabin and the 1918 flu epidemic - Earthquake Simulator: Experience the 8.2 magnitude earthquake in 1855 - Free viewing of the documentary "The Birth of the Windy City" ⏰ **Opening hours**: 10:00-17:00 (closed on Mondays) 🎫 **Tickets**: Donation (recommended NZ$5) ⚠️ **Note**: - Strong winds in the dock area - Interactive exhibits suitable for children

#4月好地方2025 Red Rocks Reserve** 📍 **Location**: South Coast (Owhiro Bay) 🌟 **Features**: - Red volcanic rocks formed 200 million years ago, seal habitat (June-October) - The hiking route "Sinclair Head" takes 3 hours round trip - Maori legend says the rock was dyed red by the blood of a sea monster 🚗 **Transportation**: Self-driving (free parking) or bus #4 ⚠️ **Note**: - Some sections of the road are wet and slippery - Keep 10 meters away from seals ---

#4月好地方2025 Weta Workshop** 📍 **Location**: Miramar 🌟 **Features**: - Special effects production base for "The Lord of the Rings" and "Avatar" - Take a guided tour to see handcrafted props and armor - Gift shop sells limited edition Gollum statues ⏰ **Guided tour time**: 9:00-17:30 (one group every 30 minutes) 🎫 **Tickets**: NZ$45 (reservation required) ⚠️ **Note**: - Photography is prohibited inside the studio - Take bus #2 from the city center directly to

#4月好地方2025 Oriental Bay Beach** 📍 **Location**: East side of city center 🌟 **Features**: - Wellington "City Beach", golden sand imported from Australia - The coastal trail "Oriental Parade" is suitable for cycling - Garlic mussels at Beach Babylon 🏖️ **Facilities**: Free showers, bicycle rental station ⚠️ **Note**: - Sea water temperature is below 18°C ​​all year round - Parking fee NZ$4/hour ---

#4月好去2025 Wellington Parliament Buildings (Beehive & Parliament)** 📍 **Location**: End of Lambton Quay 🌟 **Features**: - Honeycomb-shaped building (built in 1977), the most modern parliament in the Southern Hemisphere - Free guided tour of the underground nuclear bunker (built during the Cold War) - Wooden dome of the historic building "Library of Congress" ⏰ **Guided tour time**: 10:15/11:30/13:15/14:30 (closed on Sundays) 🎫 **Tickets**: Free (security check required) ⚠️ **Note**: - Passport or ID required - Photographing of meeting rooms is prohibited

#4月好地方2025 Cuba Street** 📍 **Location**: Central area of ​​the city 🌟 **Features**: - Bohemian neighborhood with colorful buildings and street art - The "Bakt Fountain" will suddenly spray water to prank passers-by - Sunday market with artisan cheeses and antiques 🛍️ **Must-visit**: - 「Unity Books」Independent bookstore - Carrot cake at Fidels Cafe ⚠️ **Note**: - Friday night bar is crowded - Some small shops only accept cash

#4月好去2025 Mount Victoria Lookout** 📍 **Location**: 2 km east of the city center 🌟 **Features**: - 360-degree panoramic views of Wellington Harbour and the airport runway - The filming location where the Hobbits hid from the Black Knight in the Lord of the Rings movie - Photographers' favorite at sunset 🚗 **Transportation**: Self-driving (free parking) or bus #20 ⚠️ **Note**: - It is windy on the top of the mountain, so bring a jacket - Hiking trail with many steps (about 40 minutes)

#April2025 National Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongarewa)** 📍 **Location**: Cable Street 🌟 **Features**: - The largest interactive museum in the Southern Hemisphere, free to visit - Earthquake Experience House simulates the 2011 Christchurch earthquake - Giant squid specimen and Maori Cultural Hall ⏰ **Opening hours**: 10:00-18:00 (extended to 21:00 on Thursday) 🎫 **Tickets**: Permanent exhibitions free, special exhibitions about NZ$20 ⚠️ **Note**: - Weekend parent-child activities require advance reservations - Eating and drinking are not allowed in the museum (the cafe is located on the 2nd floor) ---

#4月好去2025 Wellington Cable Car** 📍 **Location**: Starting point at Lambton Quay 🌟 **Features**: - 120-year-old red cable car, 5 minutes to Kelburn Lookout - The Botanic Garden is free to visit and has a tropical greenhouse and duck pond - The Cable Car Museum displays the original machinery from the 1890s ⏰ **Operating hours**: 7:00-22:00 (every 10 minutes) 🎫 **Price**: NZ$6 one way, NZ$9 round trip (half price for children) ⚠️ **Note**: - The last bus down the mountain is at 21:30 - Must-try honey cake at the Cable Car Cafe on the Peak

#April2025West Wind Farm** 📍 **Location**: Makara Hill 🌟 **Features**: - The largest onshore wind farm in the Southern Hemisphere, with 62 turbines. - Take a guided tour to the control center to learn about the operation of renewable energy (appointment required). - The cinnamon rolls at the Windblown café on the top of the mountain are baked using wind energy. ⏰ **Guided tour time**: Wednesday/Saturday 10:00 (NZ$25) ⚠️ **Note**: - The park will be closed when the wind speed exceeds 25m/s. - Mountain roads are suitable for 4WD vehicles only. ---

#4月好地方2025 Wellington Chocolate Factory** 📍 **Location**: Eva Street 🌟 **Features**: - A fully transparent production line from cocoa beans to finished products, showcasing the Fair Trade chocolate manufacturing process. - Limited edition 'Wellington Flavours' collection featuring local sea salt and Manuka honey. - DIY workshop to make your own label chocolate (NZ$45/person). ⏰ **Experience time**: Tuesday to Saturday 11:00/14:00 (reservation required) 🎫 **Tickets**: Guided tour NZ$20 (including tasting) ⚠️ **Note**: - The factory temperature is maintained at 28°C, so it is recommended to travel light. - The product does not contain preservatives and must be kept refrigerated.

#April2025 Otari-Wilton's Bush** 📍 **Location**: Wilton West 🌟 **Features**: - The only reserve in New Zealand dedicated to native plants, with 800-year-old kauri trees. - The "Treetop Walkway" is suspended 10 meters in the air, allowing you to observe honeybirds collecting nectar up close. - Maori Herb Garden showcases traditional healing plants. ⏰ **Opening hours**: Sunrise to sunset (Visitor Center 9:00-16:00) 🎫 **Tickets**: Free (guided tour NZ$15) ⚠️ **Note**: - Some trails are slippery, so wear non-slip shoes. - Collecting of any plants is prohibited.

#4月好地方2025 Wellington Harbour Cruise** 📍 **Boarding point**: Queens Wharf 🌟 **Features**: - 1.5 hours of sailing through the "Canyon of the Winds", with the guide sharing Maori sailing stories. - Get a close look at the seal colony island and historic lighthouse. - Freshly caught Bluff oysters are available on board (NZ$18/half dozen). ⏰ **Flight**: Daily 11:00/14:00 (Sunset sailing added in summer) 🎫 **Ticket price**: Adult NZ$65, Child NZ$35 ⚠️ **Note**: - You may get seasick when the wind and waves are strong, so it is recommended to take medication in advance. - The temperature on deck is 5°C lower than on land, so you need to bring a jacket.