Guidebook for Wellington
Food Scene
Fantastic italian restaurant. Best food and value in Wellington and just 10 mins down the road.
20 locals recommend
Cicio Cacio Osteria
167 Riddiford StFantastic italian restaurant. Best food and value in Wellington and just 10 mins down the road.
5 mins walk around the coast to a fantastic cafe with great views of the rugged south coast.
41 locals recommend
The Beach House and Kiosk
410 The Esplanade5 mins walk around the coast to a fantastic cafe with great views of the rugged south coast.
The best fruit and vege market in the south of the city. On every Saturday morning. Good quality cheap fruit and vegetables and artisan breads, cheeses and a variety of other produce.
Newtown Fruit and Vegetable Market
Mein StreetThe best fruit and vege market in the south of the city. On every Saturday morning. Good quality cheap fruit and vegetables and artisan breads, cheeses and a variety of other produce.
Parks & Nature
ZEALANDIA Ecosanctuary
53 Waiapu RoadMount Kaukau
A great walk and view of wellington. Amazing on a fine day.
Wellington Zoo - Stop A station
Wellington Zoo is close by and a great afternoon out on a sunny day.
If you like to surf and want an iconic and secluded place to do it, this is it.
11 locals recommend
Houghton Bay
If you like to surf and want an iconic and secluded place to do it, this is it.
The best Dive shop in Wellington is located on the South coast a 5 minute walk from the house. Great dive instructors and you can walk right out of the shop onto the beach and into some good locations to learn diving.
7 locals recommend
Dive Wellington
432 The EsplanadeThe best Dive shop in Wellington is located on the South coast a 5 minute walk from the house. Great dive instructors and you can walk right out of the shop onto the beach and into some good locations to learn diving.
A fantastic aquarium in an old boathouse on the rocks. Targeted at kids they can get hands-on, elbow deep into tabletop tanks with starfish and other seabed denizens. Their Octupus feeding time talk is brilliant. Cheap and terrific fun for the kids.
22 locals recommend
Island Bay Marine Education Centre-Bait House Aquarium
213 The EsplanadeA fantastic aquarium in an old boathouse on the rocks. Targeted at kids they can get hands-on, elbow deep into tabletop tanks with starfish and other seabed denizens. Their Octupus feeding time talk is brilliant. Cheap and terrific fun for the kids.
The terrific park across the road. It contains several playgrounds for kids of all ages and a huge slide. There are free gas BBQ's and tables scattered throughout the park and In summer there are bands and theatre playing as well as coffee and icecream stalls. Good place for a picnic.
7 locals recommend
Shorland Park
Reef StreetThe terrific park across the road. It contains several playgrounds for kids of all ages and a huge slide. There are free gas BBQ's and tables scattered throughout the park and In summer there are bands and theatre playing as well as coffee and icecream stalls. Good place for a picnic.
If you are into diving, Owhiro Bay has four shipwrecks within approx 13 meters depth. There's a big old eel living in the wreck of the "Yung Pen" and whilst friendly he's as scary as hell.
6 locals recommend
Owhiro Bay
If you are into diving, Owhiro Bay has four shipwrecks within approx 13 meters depth. There's a big old eel living in the wreck of the "Yung Pen" and whilst friendly he's as scary as hell.
Arts & Culture
Cable Street near Te Papa Museum
Because its brilliantly eccentric and odd. Great art mixed with great objects of enthusiasm from everyday people. Run by fascinating people, this place never ceases to put a smile on my face
Tapu Te Ranga Gallery
139 The ParadeBecause its brilliantly eccentric and odd. Great art mixed with great objects of enthusiasm from everyday people. Run by fascinating people, this place never ceases to put a smile on my face
City Gallery Wellington
Essentials
New World Island Bay
6 Medway StBe safe out there. But if for some reason you need a doctor, the nearest is here, a few blocks down the road from the house.
Island Bay Medical Centre
159 The ParadeBe safe out there. But if for some reason you need a doctor, the nearest is here, a few blocks down the road from the house.
Drinks & Nightlife
Brew'd Island Bay
163 The ParadeA good selection of craft beers and activities.
Sightseeing
A great coastal walk. Rugged cliffs and coastline and several seal colonies along the way. A great walk to finish up at Beach Kiosk Cafe
10 locals recommend
Red Rocks Walkway
A great coastal walk. Rugged cliffs and coastline and several seal colonies along the way. A great walk to finish up at Beach Kiosk Cafe
Wellington is an old colonial city and its cemeteries are filled with odd pieces of history. In this cemetery out the back of Karori is the grave of some of the members of Earnest Shackletons failed Antarctic expedition.
There's even a statue of the ships cat "Mrs Chippy" who was tragically deemed too tasty to live when the expeditions ship was stuck in pack ice for many months..
76 Old Karori Rd
76 Old Karori RoadWellington is an old colonial city and its cemeteries are filled with odd pieces of history. In this cemetery out the back of Karori is the grave of some of the members of Earnest Shackletons failed Antarctic expedition.
There's even a statue of the ships cat "Mrs Chippy" who was tragically deemed too tasty to live when the expeditions ship was stuck in pack ice for many months..
Entertainment & Activities
If theres a big game on or a major concert in town its here. Local sports teams that play there regularly are the Wellington Phoenix (Football) an the Wellington Hurricanes (Rugby)
56 locals recommend
Westpac Stadium
105 Waterloo QuayIf theres a big game on or a major concert in town its here. Local sports teams that play there regularly are the Wellington Phoenix (Football) an the Wellington Hurricanes (Rugby)
The tour of Weta Workshops includes all the most visually amazing things from their films. Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, Avatar, etc
174 locals recommend
The Weta Cave
1 Weka StThe tour of Weta Workshops includes all the most visually amazing things from their films. Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, Avatar, etc
A great local movie theatre with the best coffee in the Bay.
54 locals recommend
Empire Cinema & Eatery
214 The ParadeA great local movie theatre with the best coffee in the Bay.
The Basin Reserve is NZ's best Test Cricket venue and is 10 mins away on the bus. On a sunny day sitting on the embankment, there is no better cricket venue.
6 locals recommend
Mount Cook
The Basin Reserve is NZ's best Test Cricket venue and is 10 mins away on the bus. On a sunny day sitting on the embankment, there is no better cricket venue.
Counterculture is a bar and cafe with an immense selection of board games. If you are a true board game enthusiast or just keen to try they have everything from familiar board games up to complex and immersive ones that will take you all day.
Counter Culture Board Game Cafe & Bar
211 Victoria StCounterculture is a bar and cafe with an immense selection of board games. If you are a true board game enthusiast or just keen to try they have everything from familiar board games up to complex and immersive ones that will take you all day.
On weekend nights Kilbirnie Rec Centre hosts Roller Derby tournaments and the place packs out with spectators and popcorn. During the day its a roller rink for kids of all ages.
6 locals recommend
Kilbirnie Recreation Centre, Wellington
101 Kilbirnie CresOn weekend nights Kilbirnie Rec Centre hosts Roller Derby tournaments and the place packs out with spectators and popcorn. During the day its a roller rink for kids of all ages.
This is the local community pool. It's a very large facility and has lane swimming, a gym, dive facilities as well as a selection of specialist pools for kids.
Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre (opposite) station
This is the local community pool. It's a very large facility and has lane swimming, a gym, dive facilities as well as a selection of specialist pools for kids.
Makara is a well designed set of mountain bike trails across the rugged coastal hills west of the city. Not to be missed if mountain biking is your thing.
30 locals recommend
Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park
122 S Karori RdMakara is a well designed set of mountain bike trails across the rugged coastal hills west of the city. Not to be missed if mountain biking is your thing.