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Sharon Stephenson.
Rated by Lonely Planet as one of the top
500 places on Earth, Te Papa should hover somewhere near the top of every New Zealander’s bucket list.
This behemoth on Wellington’s waterfront is, after all, the repository of our nation’s treasures, from the Mana Whenua exhibition and the Toi Art national art collection to ShakerMod, the earthquake simulator.
And don’t miss the staggering Gallipoli: The Scale of our War exhibition, which follows eight ordinary New Zealanders through the Gallipoli campaign, using models 2.4 times human size, created by those clever clogs at Weta Workshop.
Couples
Since 1902, thousands of people have shuttled up and down Kelburn’s steep hills on the fire enginered cable car.
Mostly they’re commuters, students and tourists, but for romantics looking for a place to sit and gaze over the city, enveloped by native bush or hundreds of roses, then jump on the funicular to enjoy the slow trundle up the hill to the Botanic Gardens.
I can’t verify the accuracy of this claim, but friends tell me the gardens are a good place to pop the question.
Solo travellers
What most overseas visitors usually lose their minds over is the fact that Zealandia is only a 10-minute drive, or a short bus ride, from the central city.
If you want to see what New Zealand looked like before we arrived and started messing things up, this pest-proof urban island is probably the closest you’ll get.
I could tell you about the 140 rare little spotted kiwi or the tuatara or giant we¯ ta¯ , but you should really see them for yourself.
Last year, Time magazine named Zealandia one of the world’s top 100 places, and who are we to argue with Time?
Adventurers
Some would say remaining upright in a Wellington southerly is an extreme sport. But if you’re the sort who likes flinging yourself off
bridges, then the capital has your back.
From bike tours and cross-country horse trekking to Lord of the Rings tours and kayaking, there are plenty of ways to expend your excess energy.
Or just run or walk up the many hills.
Best photo spot
I’m biased because I lived there for almost eight years, but Mt Vic is one of Wellington’s best suburbs. And its lookout is where you need to head for the best Instagram shots.
Rising 196m above the city, the Mt Victoria Lookout has stunning panoramic views of Wellington’s city, harbour and hills.
You can drive there or stroll along one of the many wooded trails in the Town Belt, the
425 hectares of land that some far-sighted city father saved from development in 1873. Take in a sunrise or sunset, watch the ships sail in or, if you’re a plane-spotter, fill your boots.
Stay Budget
The YHA Wellington hostel is clean and modern, with 320 beds, so you’d have to be pretty unlucky not to secure accommodation
Best of all is the location – just around the corner from Wellington’s entertainment strip, Courtenay Pl, close to the waterfront and Te Papa, and within strolling distance of The Beehive, cable car and Victoria University. Plus, there’s a New World supermarket across the road.
If you don’t fancy sharing a room, there’s also private en-suite accommodation.
Family
Close to Wellington Railway Station, and not far from the ferry terminals, is the Rydges Wellington, a family-friendly hotel with a range of rooms, including 19 apartment-style suites kitted out with kitchenettes, washer and dryer facilities, and killer views across the harbour or city.
If you’re in town for a big game or concert, it’s a short stroll to Sky Stadium, known affectionately as the Cake Tin.
Go the other way and you’ll hit Parliament, where you can wander the halls of power and see where the big decisions are made.
Location
The heart of New Zealand’s capital is just 2km across, which means you’re usually not far from the next place you want to be.
But, if location is as important as everyone says, then QT Wellington has it made. It’s near the dining/shopping/entertainment precincts of Courtenay Pl and Cuba St, across the road from the waterfront and Te Papa, and a short ride to the airport.
No-one will mind though if you cancel your plans and stay put: the rooms are so comfy and the art is so spectacular, you’ll find enough to thrill inhouse.
Luxury
If you think you’ve fallen through a portal and ended up in Europe, you’re not alone.
The Bolton Hotel is an oldie but a goodie, drenched in old-school European charm and fivestar decor that will calm after a day on the tourist treadmill.
Opened in 2005, it’s close to Parliament, the Reserve Bank and numerous Government departments (it’s not unusual to see politicians having serious conversations in the downstairs cafe or Artisan Dining House, up one flight of stairs). The Bolton’s High Tea is not to be missed – a classic experience as delicious and Instagramworthy as you’d expect.
Claim to fame
Legend has it that The Beehive was, in fact, designed on the back of a napkin as a joke.
The designer never thought for a moment it would be built, let alone still be home to politicians and their advisers half a century later.
This article was produced with the support of Tourism New Zealand.