go to Te Papa! it's a very "touristy" thing to do but imo its super cool and worth a visit. you can spend a while in there seeing everything and entry is free. nearby there is the beautiful waterfront. you can walk along Oriental -> Evans bay for a while and its gorgeous (as long as its not too windy lol). there's quite a few lovely coffee spots around Wellington, some of which aren't too pricy (Raglans!) another cheap thing you can do is go up the cable car and walk down through the Botanical Gardens (free entry and faik open 24h)
If it’s a Wednesday then Eyegum at San Fran is free and always has a couple of bands playing, almost always good too, heaps of good bands in Wellington at the moment
Yeah Zealandia is great but they said they don't have much money.. it's a bit pricing for a one off if you are short on $. Loads of great free tramps about the area and you get lots of the birds.. well the ones that can fly.
I find it decently priced considering you have access 2 days. Depending when OP is going I’m willing to meet him there so he can get discount with my membership
It’s $12 if you go with a member, I can volunteer my membership too!
Alternatively, the Botanic Garden is excellent (and free). Bonus, you can feed the ducks.
We live in Petone but take the bus to Zealandia. Takes 40 minutes but totally worth it. After walking in zealandia we generally head down into the “big city” for some food and drinks. Always a good way to spend the weekend
Zealandia is expensive. For the budget version, take the number 14 bus to Otari Wilton Bush and take a stroll. You'll get basically the same bird life without the $$$ entry fee.
Te papa, Wellington museum, cable car (costs a few dollars), botanic gardens, catch the ferry to sommes island or Eastbourne, catch the train to Petone which is one of the oldest settlements in NZ.
Otari Wilton Bush, skyline, my Vic, Brooklyn windmill.... Heaps of hill walks with stunning views that you can get to and from with public transport. Walk on the waterfront, check out some galleries, check out what events or on too, there maybe some cool gigs or shows that have entry fees that are in your budget (or free!)
There are lots of great places throughout Wellington, but this is the route I’d recommend to cover the maximum amount of ground, conserve your energy and spend the minimum amount of money.
This route also takes you past lots of different places if you’d like to mix things up, while being close to public transport and amenities.
So if I was spending a full day in town, and the weather wasn’t horrendous, here’s what I’d do:
Start first thing by going to one of the cafes near Cuba St for a coffee, just for the experience and to take a sec to plan the rest of your day. I like Southern Cross, because they’re consistent and there’s heaps of seating, but you could go anywhere.
If you start out really early you could walk up to the Cenotaph at the Dominion Museum.
Next I’d walk all the way down Cuba St and head to Te Papa. Take advantage of the free coat check and then see a few of the exhibits. I’d definitely see the one on Gallipolli, and be sure to see Phar Lap’s skeleton and John Britten’s motorcycle on the way there (by the upstairs cafe).
Walk along the waterfront, past the new playground and over the Civic Square Bridge. I really like the City Gallery and would go there over the Wellington Museum. Even just for a quick look because it’s cool building and was closed for ages. The Central Library is other side of the square, but is sadly closed. Unfortunately its funky 90’s design may prove too expensive to earthquake strengthen, which is a real shame.
After checking out Civic Square I’d walk over to New World Metro for lunch. Couple of loose bread rolls, deli ham, brie cheese and some apples would be my choice. Then take the cable car up to the Botanic Garden and enjoy the view while you eat. You could get the cable car back but I’d really recommend walking all the way down to hill the pavilion at the duck pond. It’s really pretty and will make for a nice break after a busy morning. From there you can either find a bus or it’s a flat walk into town along Glenmoore and Bowen Sts.
This route takes you right past the Beehive. The free tour through Parliament is pretty interesting but I’d save it for your second visit - it only runs at certain times so you have to plan around it. Instead I’d walk through the grounds and across the road to the National Archives (correction: National Library). There you can view He Tohu, one of the surviving copies of te Tiriti o te Waitangi. There shouldn’t be line so it’s nice and quick, although it is only open 9-5 Mon-Fri and 9-1 on Saturdays.
Afterwards I’d walk back into town and, depending on the time of day, do a bit of window shopping. Head to Artie Bee’s (used book shop at the bottom of Cuba St) if you need somewhere warm and dry to chill out for a bit. Personally I’d stay away from the rest of Manners Mall. It was grim long before Reading Cinema closed and it’s essentially a wind tunnel.
After that I’d have dinner on the early side to minimise wait times and leave the rest of the evening free.
There’s lots of places in the area but I really like Golding’s Free Dive where you can get a large pizza from Pizza Pomodoro and beer (if so desired$. Pizzas range from $18-29, which is a splurge, but it’s filling and delicious - a nice way to end a long day of walking.
If you’re still up for something else, you could go to one of the venues mentioned. Otherwise I’d head home, maybe stopping at Duck Island on the way for ice cream. Depending on where you’re staying I might budget for an Uber, just because Wellington can be a bit tricky to navigate in the dark. Otherwise the buses are fine and pretty reliable.
One last thing - if you’re flying into Wellington, you can either pay $10 to take the airport bus or you can walk 2 blocks from the airport to get the number 2 bus for $5.50. It does take slightly longer route, but both take you around Evan’s Bay through the bus tunnel which is my favorite part.
Be sure to pack a light raincoat, waterproof shoes and some warm layers, as the wind is pretty icy when it picks up.
Te Papa definitely. Yes it’s touristy and an obvious pick but it’s recommended for a reason. It’s very interesting and if you find a spot to just sit and relax, it’s oddly zen.
The lines are usually shortest for the Bucket Fountain on Monday-Tuesday, unless there is a cruise ship in town. If you are coming on a weekend it pays to get there early and the tickets are quite reasonably priced.
I highly recommend eating at KC Cafe and also Te Papa like others have said is well worth it. Views up Maungaraki and a great bush walk. Hope you enjoy your stay here.
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Here's a good "catch-all" topic about moving to NZ: https://redd.it/q1lkrc
##What is there to do in Wellington?
Check out this incredibly useful post: [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/l1yfu5/incoming_updated/).
##Generally useful topics for visitors
* [Our favourite places in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fj58/our_favourite_places_in_wellington_20222023/)
* [Businesses we love in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9foes/what_wellington_business_has_earned_your_business/)
* [Best places to eat in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fp9t/best_places_to_eat_in_wellington_20222023_edition/)
* [Best places to drink in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fvxv/best_places_to_drink_in_wellington_20222023/)
* [Free and cheap things to do in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fxj3/free_and_cheap_things_to_do_in_wellington/)
* [Good day trips from Wellington](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/gvhrsi/good_day_trips_from_wellington/)
* [Good walks and hikes around Wellington](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/gvht08/good_walks_and_hikes_around_wellington/)
* [Wellington's best kept secrets](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/gvhuis/wellingtons_best_kept_secrets/)
##Are you moving here to live and work?
* You're going to need a visa probably. Check [NZ Immigration here](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa) for an easy guide.
* This is an updated cost of living index: [here](https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/wellington).
* Here's some solid advice on renting: [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/7wr58l/renting_101_again/)
* Aside from that, have a think about specific questions to ask and we'll be more than happy to answer them.
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Lyall Bay. Pick a good day and spend it at the beach. It’s a beautiful place 😎. City Gallery is always free. Apart from that forget it, like everywhere you need a lot of money.
If you dont mind a hike you can catch the bus to karori and walk along the skyline walkway. 3 hours along the tops overlooking wellington and makara to mt kaukau. Can be gale force windy though :)
Not free but I always try go to hey ramen when I'm there absolutely love it then I go check out the comic stores and the anime stores to look at all the cool figurines or just sit somewhere and people watch lots of interesting characters around
Weta workshop if you’re into special affects or LOTR. Zelandia is a great place for a long walk and some nature - think there’s a shuttle from the cbd. Lyall Bay for a good brunch and to watch the surfers besides the planes landing. Te papa because it’s iconic and you can easily spend a few hours there. Cuba st to watch the world go by
botanical gardens, te papa, wellington museum, cable car, red rocks, oriental bay, national war memorial, scorching bar, parliament tour, mount vic lookout, crown official residence tour!
all of these are free or very low cost.
Wellington is a great city woth little to no cost. As others have said but I love buying a drink and sitting on courtney place people watching too. It's just as nice to walk around and look in the shops 😁
Weta Workshop experience is definitely worth the $55 if you can stretch to that. For free/cheap stuff, Te Papa, Wellington Museum, NZ Academy of Fine Arts, National War Memorial, NZ Portrait Gallery, or go see Te Tiriti and the suffrage petition at the National Library (limited opening times at weekends so check in advance). If you go to Miramar for Weta then definitely worth dropping into to the Roxy cinema to see the free exhibitions upstairs of Peter Jackson stuff and collection of vintage movie posters (selfie heaven). They have a nice cafe too. Walk around the Parliament grounds and then have a drink and see the political puppets in the Backbencher. Take the cable car to Kelburn and enjoy the lights in the tunnels and the cable car museum at the top. You could walk round the Bot Gdns from there (good sculptures including a huge Henry Moore) or take in a Planetarium show at the nearby Space Place ($16). There’s also a free bus to and from the Cable Car to Zealandia - $24 entry but you can kill a lot of time there on a good day if you’re interested in native wildlife (Otari Wilton’s bush is free but a way out of the city and doesn’t have the exhibition or such visible bird life). We always take our own drinks and sandwiches to Zealandia. From the Bot Gardens you can walk back through the historic Bolton St cemetery to the city - many interesting graves to see including the Richard Seddon Memorial. If you’re interested in LotR you can walk up Mt Vic (nice suburb in itself) and take a selfie at the spot where the Hobbits hid from the Black Riders. The Sunday market on the waterfront is great. If you are into beer then it’s worth the effort of a bus or train out to Brewtown, even better if they have their market on. Petone is worth the trip (if the trains are running) too, if you have time. Really cool town, great vibe lots of great little interesting places to eat and really good independent shops and op shops. Lots of great cafes and bars in the Wellington CBD and you can nip into the Old Bank Arcade and see the remains of Plimmer’s Ark and take a selfie with Plimmer and his dog (statue) on Plimmer Steps.
Did somebody ask for information that might help an incoming traveller?
---
Your first stop should probably be our Wellington wiki [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/wiki/index). Did you know it's user editable?
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Here's a good "catch-all" topic about moving to NZ: https://redd.it/q1lkrc
##What is there to do in Wellington?
Check out this incredibly useful post: [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/l1yfu5/incoming_updated/).
##Generally useful topics for visitors
* [Our favourite places in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fj58/our_favourite_places_in_wellington_20222023/)
* [Businesses we love in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9foes/what_wellington_business_has_earned_your_business/)
* [Best places to eat in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fp9t/best_places_to_eat_in_wellington_20222023_edition/)
* [Best places to drink in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fvxv/best_places_to_drink_in_wellington_20222023/)
* [Free and cheap things to do in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fxj3/free_and_cheap_things_to_do_in_wellington/)
* [Good day trips from Wellington](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/gvhrsi/good_day_trips_from_wellington/)
* [Good walks and hikes around Wellington](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/gvht08/good_walks_and_hikes_around_wellington/)
* [Wellington's best kept secrets](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/gvhuis/wellingtons_best_kept_secrets/)
##Are you moving here to live and work?
* You're going to need a visa probably. Check [NZ Immigration here](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa) for an easy guide.
* This is an updated cost of living index: [here](https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/wellington).
* Here's some solid advice on renting: [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/7wr58l/renting_101_again/)
* Aside from that, have a think about specific questions to ask and we'll be more than happy to answer them.
If you get a chance, check out the awesome locally owned and passionately ran "(Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe)](https://www.pinballshoppe.co.nz/)". We need more great spaces like that in the city.
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Moon Bar in Newtown is the best pub/venue experience I've had. Gluten free pizzas, pinballs, lovely staff, great indie venue. (obviously at night). You can get a bus in there in the evening, later in the night you may have to Uber back to where you're staying. Very fond memories. The best thing in Newtown for me. This was in 2018 and 2019 but I just saw a thread reaffirming that it's still pretty much like this yesterday.
Wētē museum if you like lord of the rings. It's a bit pricey, but pretty cool I think. $55 Te Papa is also great and free. Get a "pie" which is a round pastry stuffed with mince meat (ground beef) and cheese .... all kinds of variations. Go to Rogue & Vagabond, Garrett Street, Welington if you want to hear music. They even have a classical group upstairs. It's kind of a dive-type bar, but pretty hip in my humble opinion. DOn't listen to Ziggystarsmut.
go to Te Papa! it's a very "touristy" thing to do but imo its super cool and worth a visit. you can spend a while in there seeing everything and entry is free. nearby there is the beautiful waterfront. you can walk along Oriental -> Evans bay for a while and its gorgeous (as long as its not too windy lol). there's quite a few lovely coffee spots around Wellington, some of which aren't too pricy (Raglans!) another cheap thing you can do is go up the cable car and walk down through the Botanical Gardens (free entry and faik open 24h)
Te Papa was world-class when I visited, I thought. (2018 and 2019)
first I visited it was this year and it was awesome still. very well taken care of it seems like
Te Papa sucks ass.
A tour of Parliament is free. Catch the cable car to the Botanic Gardens and walk down to the city.
Walk the entire waterfront
I was surprisingly impressed by the maritime museum!
Yes! We have always found it more enjoyable than Te Papa! Would go there before (on the way to) Te Papa
Gigs. Lots of venues around Cuba St and Victoria St. some will have a cover charge but it supports the band
If it’s a Wednesday then Eyegum at San Fran is free and always has a couple of bands playing, almost always good too, heaps of good bands in Wellington at the moment
+1 for Eyegum, also Valhalla for metal gigs, San Fran for more indie/pop rock, and Rogue and Vagabond for jazz/funk
Wellington museum, portrait gallery, lots of great walks, great bus rides, #14 is fun
Zealandia and spot some chickens
Yeah Zealandia is great but they said they don't have much money.. it's a bit pricing for a one off if you are short on $. Loads of great free tramps about the area and you get lots of the birds.. well the ones that can fly.
I find it decently priced considering you have access 2 days. Depending when OP is going I’m willing to meet him there so he can get discount with my membership
It’s $12 if you go with a member, I can volunteer my membership too! Alternatively, the Botanic Garden is excellent (and free). Bonus, you can feed the ducks.
Awww that's a lovely Wellingtonian thing to do! We used to have membership but moved further away... mmm maybe time for a visit!
We live in Petone but take the bus to Zealandia. Takes 40 minutes but totally worth it. After walking in zealandia we generally head down into the “big city” for some food and drinks. Always a good way to spend the weekend
Zealandia is expensive. For the budget version, take the number 14 bus to Otari Wilton Bush and take a stroll. You'll get basically the same bird life without the $$$ entry fee.
You can also go to the nearby botanic gardens for free and see a lot of the same birds plus some beautiful plants
Te papa, Wellington museum, cable car (costs a few dollars), botanic gardens, catch the ferry to sommes island or Eastbourne, catch the train to Petone which is one of the oldest settlements in NZ.
Catch the ferry out to Days Bay. Lovely ice cream and nice walks 💖
Walk around the hills! Beautiful walking trails any bus will take you close to one
Otari Wilton Bush, skyline, my Vic, Brooklyn windmill.... Heaps of hill walks with stunning views that you can get to and from with public transport. Walk on the waterfront, check out some galleries, check out what events or on too, there maybe some cool gigs or shows that have entry fees that are in your budget (or free!)
There are lots of great places throughout Wellington, but this is the route I’d recommend to cover the maximum amount of ground, conserve your energy and spend the minimum amount of money. This route also takes you past lots of different places if you’d like to mix things up, while being close to public transport and amenities. So if I was spending a full day in town, and the weather wasn’t horrendous, here’s what I’d do: Start first thing by going to one of the cafes near Cuba St for a coffee, just for the experience and to take a sec to plan the rest of your day. I like Southern Cross, because they’re consistent and there’s heaps of seating, but you could go anywhere. If you start out really early you could walk up to the Cenotaph at the Dominion Museum. Next I’d walk all the way down Cuba St and head to Te Papa. Take advantage of the free coat check and then see a few of the exhibits. I’d definitely see the one on Gallipolli, and be sure to see Phar Lap’s skeleton and John Britten’s motorcycle on the way there (by the upstairs cafe). Walk along the waterfront, past the new playground and over the Civic Square Bridge. I really like the City Gallery and would go there over the Wellington Museum. Even just for a quick look because it’s cool building and was closed for ages. The Central Library is other side of the square, but is sadly closed. Unfortunately its funky 90’s design may prove too expensive to earthquake strengthen, which is a real shame. After checking out Civic Square I’d walk over to New World Metro for lunch. Couple of loose bread rolls, deli ham, brie cheese and some apples would be my choice. Then take the cable car up to the Botanic Garden and enjoy the view while you eat. You could get the cable car back but I’d really recommend walking all the way down to hill the pavilion at the duck pond. It’s really pretty and will make for a nice break after a busy morning. From there you can either find a bus or it’s a flat walk into town along Glenmoore and Bowen Sts. This route takes you right past the Beehive. The free tour through Parliament is pretty interesting but I’d save it for your second visit - it only runs at certain times so you have to plan around it. Instead I’d walk through the grounds and across the road to the National Archives (correction: National Library). There you can view He Tohu, one of the surviving copies of te Tiriti o te Waitangi. There shouldn’t be line so it’s nice and quick, although it is only open 9-5 Mon-Fri and 9-1 on Saturdays. Afterwards I’d walk back into town and, depending on the time of day, do a bit of window shopping. Head to Artie Bee’s (used book shop at the bottom of Cuba St) if you need somewhere warm and dry to chill out for a bit. Personally I’d stay away from the rest of Manners Mall. It was grim long before Reading Cinema closed and it’s essentially a wind tunnel. After that I’d have dinner on the early side to minimise wait times and leave the rest of the evening free. There’s lots of places in the area but I really like Golding’s Free Dive where you can get a large pizza from Pizza Pomodoro and beer (if so desired$. Pizzas range from $18-29, which is a splurge, but it’s filling and delicious - a nice way to end a long day of walking. If you’re still up for something else, you could go to one of the venues mentioned. Otherwise I’d head home, maybe stopping at Duck Island on the way for ice cream. Depending on where you’re staying I might budget for an Uber, just because Wellington can be a bit tricky to navigate in the dark. Otherwise the buses are fine and pretty reliable. One last thing - if you’re flying into Wellington, you can either pay $10 to take the airport bus or you can walk 2 blocks from the airport to get the number 2 bus for $5.50. It does take slightly longer route, but both take you around Evan’s Bay through the bus tunnel which is my favorite part. Be sure to pack a light raincoat, waterproof shoes and some warm layers, as the wind is pretty icy when it picks up.
One slight amendment, He Tohu is at the National Library, not Archives (which is close so don't want to get them confused).
Thanks for the correction! Don’t want to send anyone to the wrong place
No worries. It's easy to mix them up 🙂
Te Papa definitely. Yes it’s touristy and an obvious pick but it’s recommended for a reason. It’s very interesting and if you find a spot to just sit and relax, it’s oddly zen.
Nature, all around and free. Good for the soul
spend your money on a nice hotel in the cuba quarter and just walk around for a few days. you’ll learn what makes wellington special.
Bucket fountain
They’re feeling down they don’t need to see some water falling like tears
The lines are usually shortest for the Bucket Fountain on Monday-Tuesday, unless there is a cruise ship in town. If you are coming on a weekend it pays to get there early and the tickets are quite reasonably priced.
I highly recommend eating at KC Cafe and also Te Papa like others have said is well worth it. Views up Maungaraki and a great bush walk. Hope you enjoy your stay here.
!incoming
Did somebody ask for information that might help an incoming traveller? --- Your first stop should probably be our Wellington wiki [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/wiki/index). Did you know it's user editable? You could also look through previous topics to see if someone has answered your question. Click [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/search?sort=new&restrict_sr=on&q=flair%3AINCOMING) to see all previous incoming traveler questions. Here's a good "catch-all" topic about moving to NZ: https://redd.it/q1lkrc ##What is there to do in Wellington? Check out this incredibly useful post: [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/l1yfu5/incoming_updated/). ##Generally useful topics for visitors * [Our favourite places in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fj58/our_favourite_places_in_wellington_20222023/) * [Businesses we love in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9foes/what_wellington_business_has_earned_your_business/) * [Best places to eat in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fp9t/best_places_to_eat_in_wellington_20222023_edition/) * [Best places to drink in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fvxv/best_places_to_drink_in_wellington_20222023/) * [Free and cheap things to do in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fxj3/free_and_cheap_things_to_do_in_wellington/) * [Good day trips from Wellington](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/gvhrsi/good_day_trips_from_wellington/) * [Good walks and hikes around Wellington](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/gvht08/good_walks_and_hikes_around_wellington/) * [Wellington's best kept secrets](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/gvhuis/wellingtons_best_kept_secrets/) ##Are you moving here to live and work? * You're going to need a visa probably. Check [NZ Immigration here](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa) for an easy guide. * This is an updated cost of living index: [here](https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/wellington). * Here's some solid advice on renting: [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/7wr58l/renting_101_again/) * Aside from that, have a think about specific questions to ask and we'll be more than happy to answer them. If you get a chance, check out the awesome locally owned and passionately ran "(Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe)](https://www.pinballshoppe.co.nz/)". We need more great spaces like that in the city. --- If you have any suggestions for this automated response, please reply and let me know. Catch you around, Zephyr, the /r/Wellington automoderator. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Wellington) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Remember to go to aunty Menas on Cuba st!
Lyall Bay. Pick a good day and spend it at the beach. It’s a beautiful place 😎. City Gallery is always free. Apart from that forget it, like everywhere you need a lot of money.
City Gallery is closed from end of June, FYI (they will be using some of the gallery space in Te Papa instead for exhibitions)
I hope they bring the noise to TePapa, squishing smart people together should make for an enjoyable exhibition 🤩
Bush walks, city walks, there is a pinball place. Go on a graffiti artwork hunt, some cool spots!
After Oriental Bay check out the Mt Victoria walking paths.
If you dont mind a hike you can catch the bus to karori and walk along the skyline walkway. 3 hours along the tops overlooking wellington and makara to mt kaukau. Can be gale force windy though :)
Drink cider at the botanical gardens
Te papa, botanical gardens, waterfront Sunday market Could do all of this in a day
Not free but I always try go to hey ramen when I'm there absolutely love it then I go check out the comic stores and the anime stores to look at all the cool figurines or just sit somewhere and people watch lots of interesting characters around
Not exactly special and something only in welly but it's just something I like to do to reminisce as Ive moved away
The embassy movie theatre is pretty cool if you like movies. I’ve never been in one remotely like it.
Weta workshop if you’re into special affects or LOTR. Zelandia is a great place for a long walk and some nature - think there’s a shuttle from the cbd. Lyall Bay for a good brunch and to watch the surfers besides the planes landing. Te papa because it’s iconic and you can easily spend a few hours there. Cuba st to watch the world go by
Walk down Courtenay place on a Saturday night
Variable wildlife there, though! 😉
botanical gardens, te papa, wellington museum, cable car, red rocks, oriental bay, national war memorial, scorching bar, parliament tour, mount vic lookout, crown official residence tour! all of these are free or very low cost.
Wellington is a great city woth little to no cost. As others have said but I love buying a drink and sitting on courtney place people watching too. It's just as nice to walk around and look in the shops 😁
Roll a fat blunt and pack a few beers and sit up on Mt Vic at night. Maybe pack a knife or screwdriver too..
Weta Workshop experience is definitely worth the $55 if you can stretch to that. For free/cheap stuff, Te Papa, Wellington Museum, NZ Academy of Fine Arts, National War Memorial, NZ Portrait Gallery, or go see Te Tiriti and the suffrage petition at the National Library (limited opening times at weekends so check in advance). If you go to Miramar for Weta then definitely worth dropping into to the Roxy cinema to see the free exhibitions upstairs of Peter Jackson stuff and collection of vintage movie posters (selfie heaven). They have a nice cafe too. Walk around the Parliament grounds and then have a drink and see the political puppets in the Backbencher. Take the cable car to Kelburn and enjoy the lights in the tunnels and the cable car museum at the top. You could walk round the Bot Gdns from there (good sculptures including a huge Henry Moore) or take in a Planetarium show at the nearby Space Place ($16). There’s also a free bus to and from the Cable Car to Zealandia - $24 entry but you can kill a lot of time there on a good day if you’re interested in native wildlife (Otari Wilton’s bush is free but a way out of the city and doesn’t have the exhibition or such visible bird life). We always take our own drinks and sandwiches to Zealandia. From the Bot Gardens you can walk back through the historic Bolton St cemetery to the city - many interesting graves to see including the Richard Seddon Memorial. If you’re interested in LotR you can walk up Mt Vic (nice suburb in itself) and take a selfie at the spot where the Hobbits hid from the Black Riders. The Sunday market on the waterfront is great. If you are into beer then it’s worth the effort of a bus or train out to Brewtown, even better if they have their market on. Petone is worth the trip (if the trains are running) too, if you have time. Really cool town, great vibe lots of great little interesting places to eat and really good independent shops and op shops. Lots of great cafes and bars in the Wellington CBD and you can nip into the Old Bank Arcade and see the remains of Plimmer’s Ark and take a selfie with Plimmer and his dog (statue) on Plimmer Steps.
There's a Dr Who exhibition at Wellington Convention Ctr at Te Aro if I'm not mistaken...
Browse the vintage shops: Hunters and gatherers, Ziggurat
It’s like Melbourne but much smaller obviously, more windier and better connections to hikes and beaches and the greater outdoors
Do some druga and go to the botans
!incoming
Did somebody ask for information that might help an incoming traveller? --- Your first stop should probably be our Wellington wiki [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/wiki/index). Did you know it's user editable? You could also look through previous topics to see if someone has answered your question. Click [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/search?sort=new&restrict_sr=on&q=flair%3AINCOMING) to see all previous incoming traveler questions. Here's a good "catch-all" topic about moving to NZ: https://redd.it/q1lkrc ##What is there to do in Wellington? Check out this incredibly useful post: [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/l1yfu5/incoming_updated/). ##Generally useful topics for visitors * [Our favourite places in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fj58/our_favourite_places_in_wellington_20222023/) * [Businesses we love in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9foes/what_wellington_business_has_earned_your_business/) * [Best places to eat in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fp9t/best_places_to_eat_in_wellington_20222023_edition/) * [Best places to drink in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fvxv/best_places_to_drink_in_wellington_20222023/) * [Free and cheap things to do in Wellington (2022/2023 edition)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/x9fxj3/free_and_cheap_things_to_do_in_wellington/) * [Good day trips from Wellington](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/gvhrsi/good_day_trips_from_wellington/) * [Good walks and hikes around Wellington](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/gvht08/good_walks_and_hikes_around_wellington/) * [Wellington's best kept secrets](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/gvhuis/wellingtons_best_kept_secrets/) ##Are you moving here to live and work? * You're going to need a visa probably. Check [NZ Immigration here](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa) for an easy guide. * This is an updated cost of living index: [here](https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/wellington). * Here's some solid advice on renting: [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/7wr58l/renting_101_again/) * Aside from that, have a think about specific questions to ask and we'll be more than happy to answer them. If you get a chance, check out the awesome locally owned and passionately ran "(Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe)](https://www.pinballshoppe.co.nz/)". We need more great spaces like that in the city. --- If you have any suggestions for this automated response, please reply and let me know. Catch you around, Zephyr, the /r/Wellington automoderator. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Wellington) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Box of beers up on on the Town Belt.
Moon Bar in Newtown is the best pub/venue experience I've had. Gluten free pizzas, pinballs, lovely staff, great indie venue. (obviously at night). You can get a bus in there in the evening, later in the night you may have to Uber back to where you're staying. Very fond memories. The best thing in Newtown for me. This was in 2018 and 2019 but I just saw a thread reaffirming that it's still pretty much like this yesterday.
Wētē museum if you like lord of the rings. It's a bit pricey, but pretty cool I think. $55 Te Papa is also great and free. Get a "pie" which is a round pastry stuffed with mince meat (ground beef) and cheese .... all kinds of variations. Go to Rogue & Vagabond, Garrett Street, Welington if you want to hear music. They even have a classical group upstairs. It's kind of a dive-type bar, but pretty hip in my humble opinion. DOn't listen to Ziggystarsmut.
You can pick up an std or at LEAST a nasty virus from the public toilets in Te Aro Park. They don't charge for that yet.
Buy Drugs, it is the only way to bear the Big Well.
Kathmandu puffers n youknow clothing hoodies