This was my first trip of this sort, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Seeing as much as we did in such a short time would be nearly impossible to do on your own. Karen was a wonderful guide.
Damin, USA

Our guide was an adrenaline junkie with a passion to entertain.
Bas Hulst, Netherlands

The worst part of the trip was Malcolm's singing to Robbie Williams.
Sarah, Australia

This page is out of date – we are working on it, but the old one is still useful so we have left it up.

Our Guide to Wellington

Some worthy little trips

Karori Wildlife Sanctuary has night tours (it’s also open during the day). This is an astonishing place to find in a city.
Makara – if you have transport drive to Makara beach and climb the lonely hill above the cliffs for a sunset over the South Island.
Catch a bus to the South Coast Seatoun then explore south to Island Bay and west to Owhiro Bay to the old quarry. Follow the gravel road along for another 30-40 min to the great seal colony at Red Rocks (half a km after the small stream crossing).Its walk, 4wd or rental car only.
For some peace and quiet head up to the end of Holloway Road at the top of Aro Valley; a cute little local-made park at the end of a hippyish street.
Walk up to the top of Mt Victoria (and watch a plane land at the airport when the wind is from the South) or drive to the Brooklyn Wind Turbine to get a view.

City cruising

See a play at Bats, Circa, or Downstage Theatres – try the last minute spare seats price.
Parliament House – visit the beehive. Do an organised tour if the house is sitting and lose faith in democracy.
Gaze at the stars during the day at the Carter Observatory, top of the cable car (out the back is the cool sundial-of-human-involvement).
Go to the City Library, revel in the fact that it is a “noisy” library, check out the complete set of New Zealand topographical maps on the 3rd floor for outdoor inspiration. Peruse the latest copies of New Zealand magazines – North & South, NZ Geographic, Wilderness – on the 2nd floor. Photocopy your blisters on ground floor.
Spend at least 2 hours in Te Papa – Museum of New Zealand – focus on Kiwiana and art if you are short (of time).
Walk east along Oriental Parade on a bright sunny morning to Balena bay or the wee lighthouse near the point.
Walk/drive up Mt Victoria for the view – especially of the South Island on a nice day. Take a bottle of wine and two jackets.
See the hologram (and the rest) at the maritime museum.
Look at the beautiful wooden Victorian houses of Mt Victoria or Thorndon or Kelburn.

Nightlife

Wander up Cuba Street to soak up the ambience, check out the second hand book shops, notice that people look different than in Auckland and Christchurch, buy a coffee at Midnight Espresso café – the original Welly café with great big veggie food. Watch the world go by from the window bar seats.
Experience the buzz of a Friday/Saturday evening (after 9pm) on Courtenay Place.
There are some great pubs and eats on Blair and Alan Streets (near YHA), Check out the bars on Cuba Street.
Have a beer on the veranda’s of Kitty O’Sheas or Mollie Mallone’s (Courtenay Place), or ask for a big bottle of Steinlager at the Armadillo (Willis Street).

Full of (coffee) beans?

Hire a kayak from Ferg’s climbing wall down near Queen’s wharf (doubles and singles are cheap for an hour or two) and explore the port.

Relax

Take the cable car and a book to the Botanic Gardens.
See a film at the Paramount or the Embassy (best screen and sound system in town) and buy a beer or nice glass of wine and take it in – how civilised.

Time on your side

Take the ferry across the Harbour to Days Bay. Stop on Matiu (Somes) Island on the way back . Check out the multi-cultural suburb of Newtown (Wellington Zoo with its nocturnal kiwi house is just beyond here).

Getting from A to Z

Ride all day on the bus for something affordable.
Walk – it’s a tiny city.
Tip, plan to walk downwind if you can, watch out for wind-driven flotsam and jetsam (small trucks and old ladies) going past 2 metres off the ground – its polite to duck.

Live Sound

Is everywhere – check out the free “Capital Times” and read the lamposts for posters! Look out for the weekly what’s on guide called “the package” – it’s very small, but fortunately expands.
Thumping mass pubs as well as groovy little bars litter Courtenay Place East end (and the side streets).
Malcolm also likes the more sporadic West side of the city – Bodega for big bar music, for, Fidel’s for castro-nomic delights (Cuba Street – where else!?), Matterhorn for contemporary 60’s style, and Watkins for narrowness and basement DJ. Joe suggests the Good Luck bar – see if you can find it??

Cheap eats and otherwise

Just sooooo much in this town. Stop in at Pandoros in Wakefield Street for great Italian bread, or visit the Dixon Street Deli for a great choice of cheese and bread – anything from the Brooklyn Bakery is good – bagels especially). Walk along Oriental Bay in the morning or evening (have a coffee or breakfast at The Parade café. Wellington is the Malaysian restaurant capital of New Zealand and you can’t really go wrong here. Excellent Pakistani is Tabak’s in Cuba Street. This city is just fantastic for choice and its all shoulder to shoulder.

Eating in

New World supermarket at end of Courtenay Place and on Willis Street.

Shopping - heaven forbid!!

Nothing other than the obvious except for Rear-creation summer collection 2003 at 96 Aro Street is as whacked out a clothing shop as you will find – call first. WPS (Wellington Photographic supplies) is big, good value and is good at getting sand out of cameras (they deal with slide/dia film too - quaint) and enthusiastic.

Its raining again!

Go to the Beehive (free 1 hour tour of parliament).
Auntie bees bookshops.
If it’s just cold and grey, but not raining, walk to “Basin Reserve” and buy fish and chips from ‘Starfish’, ask for lemon pepper. Walk back through the cool Victorian houses of Mt Victoria via Ellis Street, Brougham Street, into Elizabeth, Austin, Majoribanks Street, and back to Courtenay Place.

StIlL bOrEd?

Ask at shops for an umbrella that is designed for Wellington conditions.

Useful stuff

Find a copy of the (weekly on Thursdays) Capital Times – great reviews and event listings. Poste Restante CPO – NZ Post, Waterloo Quay (near Downtown Backpackers).
Super Shuttle 0800 SHUTTLE to airport. Look at the official Wellington website.