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New Zealand has been on my bucket list for a long time, and in 2022, I finally managed to make time. But there’s a challenge in choosing more prominent countries like these; finding the city.
Wellington was the clear winner after a bit of research. Now that I’m back home, I thought about sharing what I personally found to be the best there.
But before I do, let me share some MUST-KNOW travel tips when you’re in New Zealand.
- Accommodation in Wellington works on different levels. For example, dorm rooms are as cheap as NZ$20. A private room would probably start from the NZ$100 mark. Some underground venues will offer accommodation as cheap as $10. But take my advice and go for a dorm room if you’re tight on the budget.
- When it comes to the subject of food, NZ$30 flat is more than enough for an okay-ish meal. Add ten more bucks, and you can have a fantastic meal. The water bottles I bought were just NZ$3, and a cappuccino was NZ$5. My point is that NZ foods don’t break your bank.
- And keep reading until the end for the last important tip.
Now, let’s look at the ten best locations you must visit when it is Wellington.
Row Through The Beautiful Zealandia
Wellington is a magnificent city since this beautiful Eco-sanctuary was just 2 kilometres away from the city center. The sanctuary was first created exclusively to protect the natural animals and dwindling forest reserves. After all, it’s what SHOULD be done given the 225-hectare land with all the rare animals.
But the cherry on top is the presence of 30+ kilometres of walking trails in the sanctuary area.
You’ll never ever be the only person walking these trails. I was lucky enough to come across a photographer, and the photos he took were phenomenal. I know all of us tourists will most definitely have a camera. So, don’t forget to bring yours to this park.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t find anyone. There are more than enough travel guides. It’s your choice to walk the path on your own or take a rather informative walk.
Ride The Famous Wellington Cable Car
It’d take 5 minutes to reach the destination from the Wellington city center if you’re travelling by motor vehicle. When you do, a truly unforgettable experience awaits.
I don’t know about you, but the town I’m from doesn’t have anything remotely close to a cable car. The 5 minutes spent inside the cable car was a moment I decided to capture with several photographs. The cable car leaves every 5-10 minutes for less than $10.
The well-known Wellington Botanic Garden is reached via a cable car that connects the downtown Lambton Quay stations. Between Countdown and Flight Center, near McDonald’s, is where you’ll find the entrance to the cable car.
Go On A Hike On Mount Victoria
Sanctuaries are generally a bit loud due to all the people and all the animals. Mt. Victoria is the PERFECT balance between nature and solitude. What’s impressive is that you don’t have to travel anywhere; it’s in the immediate east of the city center. The location is locally identified as Tangi-te keo.
But there was a reason I wanted to walk almost 200m slope of the mountain; Lord Of The Rings was shot here! That’s right! So, if you’re a true Tolkien fan, you do NOT want to miss hiking this mountain.
I know some of you would just want to see the scenic beauty of it, but it’d be better to walk since the road is relatively narrow. If it is a colder day, be sure to take a jacket with you; the coldness of the Wellington breeze is more freezing than you’d expect.
Witness The History Of NZ Cars At The Paraparaumu Museum
Most people won’t list down this little gem of a location, and that’s because it’s an underrated location that appeals only to a niche crowd. Being a petrolhead, I belong to that crowd. But I’m recommending the site to you anyway because the cars you’d find are ABSOLUTELY STUNNING.
Some cars are so historically significant that staff would stand next to them.
I have a habit of checking travel guides like Trip Advisor, so I did. Guess what? 330+ people giving an excellent rating made me visit the location sooner.
Have you heard of Mickey Cohen? He’s a notorious American Gangster. Guess where you can see his 1950 Cadillac? But believe me when I say it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Stanley Steamer was another notable car I noticed; it was an all-NZ steam car.
See The Sunset At The Princess Bay
All that walking and exploring during the entire day will get you tired. Why not see the sunset at Princess Bay?
Princess Bay is 9 kilometres away from Wellington town, making it the perfect destination to have a mini road trip during your stay. You might be able to see Taputeranga Island and the top of the Kaikoura Range on a clear day.
But why stop there if you can also take a quick walk and swim?
Sail In The Interislander Ferry Service
Wellington people genuinely know how to give us visitors to stay in the town; the Interislander ferry service is one of the top reasons for that. I went by my rented motorcycle, which was $20 for me and $15 more for the motorbike. The ferry service sails straight between the crooks’ north and the South Island.
I also learned that there were three payment plans: saver, flexible, and refundable. You can ride the ferry for a whole hour with both the flexible and the refundable plan. Maybe I’ll try that next time I visit.
The cherry on top included their Plus Lounge to the booking; it was affordable and extra comfortable. The private Kaitaki Cabin can also be included in the booking.
Stroll Respectfully Through The National War Memorial
You can easily reach the National War Memorial after a 2-minute ride from the Wellington CBD (Central Business District). Let me clarify one little thing before you visit there.
This location is a war memorial, a monument to remember the great heroes of New Zealand. So, it’s wise not to expect anything overly loud or flashy. However, the town has recently taken measures to redo the atmosphere around the memorial, bringing the ideal ambience a war memorial deserves.
A little bit of research shed some light on my question: For whom was this memorial built? It is dedicated to all NZ military personnel who served in the First World War, Second World War, post-war wars, and peacekeeping missions.
Visit The Matiu-Somes Island
I can’t begin to tell you how scenic Matiu-Somes island is; the credit goes to the efforts of the Department of Conservation. It’s not one of those random islands as well; there’s history integrated into the very soils of the island.
Some locals asked me to rent a kayak, but I didn’t want to do that. This is something personal; I can’t swim. On top of that, I needed to keep my head and hands free to photograph the entire trip. So, I eventually ended up getting on a ferry.
It didn’t take half an hour to get to the island, and even the ferry ride helped me capture beautiful photographs. Once we got to the island, it was more or less a spend-day type of opportunity. But since I had already hiked Mt. Victoria, I came back sooner.
Go See The Rare Animals At The Wellington Zoo
My #1 advice about visiting the Wellington Zoo is NOT to see it during Christmas. This is the busiest time of the year, and you don’t want to get in the middle of that family crowd. If not for that, the Wellington Zoo is a magical place where the experience seems to change every time you visit it.
Most zoos are pretty depressing when you look at how abusive the zookeepers and staff are. But the Wellington Zoo has a different code of conduct, constantly reminding the visitors not to agitate or do anything that would throw the animals off.
The only type of animal you won’t find here are dragons that breathe air; the zoo is THAT diverse, and I’m talking about rare breeds of reptiles to animals only found in Australia. You can simply visit the website right here, where you’d see that it only costs $27.
Be A Part Of Nature At The Wellington Botanic Garden
The Wellington Botanic Garden and the cable car are kind of interconnected to each other. So, I had plans to visit the garden sooner than later. In my mind, I badly wanted to see the Carter Observatory, which was recommended to me by a friend. Apparently, the observatory has shown, and I LOVE space shows.
However, I got too distracted by 25 hectares of roses, white-purple tulips, all the rare plants, and everything in between. I was lucky enough to be in the town right at the beginning of the summer. The result was me ending up with permanent memory of different natural fragrances.
If you can’t find the roses, ask for the Lady Norwood Rose Gardens inside the garden; that’s where you’d see all the roses.
The Last Tip!
It’s incredible how a single city could have so many things to do; that too with such a variety. I told you there was a third tip and congratulations! You made it to the end, so here it is.
Wellington and scenic locations related to it are distributed in a vast area. Assuming you can’t run like the Flash, it’s ESSENTIAL to plan your day well ahead. But planning I imply on TIMING the day in proportion to the physical fatigue you’d have.
So, list down the locations you will cover during the day and plan the route ideally. That’ll surely help you experience Wellington in the way I did.
The absolutely best possible way.
Share this reading with your friends so they can plan their Wellington trip as well as you will. Don’t they deserve to read this too?
Featured Image Credit: Robert CHG
