Got a couple of days to spend in the coolest capital city in the world? Check out the best places to visit in Wellington, then head further afield to explore all that the wider Wellington region has to offer.
To help you plan the best itinerary, we’ve outlined the best things to do for 48 hours in Wellington.
Day 1 – Explore the city
Wellington is a compact city that’s easy to walk around, with most attractions close to each other, so you can get a really good feel for the city in a single day.
If you’re in town for breakfast, there are plenty of options. On a weekday, follow the people in business suits to find the best breakfast in town, and on the weekend, enjoy a leisurely brunch. Gotham Cafe, Drexels, and Olive Restaurant are all good options.
The city has a famous tourist route that includes the Parliament Building and Te Papa, but although you may be tempted to stay away from these places that appear in every guidebook, they are really worth it, so be sure to include them in your itinerary and consider taking a tour for additional insight.
If you want to skip breakfast, take the funicular up the hill and then walk through the Botanical Gardens back to the city center. Be sure to stop and see Bolton Cemetery on the way down. This is the site of the city’s original cemetery and contains the graves of many early settlers and important figures in the city’s history.
On the waterfront, don’t forget to pop into the little shops along the way and take note of the quotes and sculptures that line the path. If you don’t feel like walking, you can rent roller skates or a crocodile bike, and the more adventurous can jump off the diving platform next to Te Papa into the harbor below.
Later, stroll through the main shopping area known as the Golden Mile, along Lambton Quay and Courtney Place, where you’ll find shops to suit every taste and budget, then head to Cuba Street, where you’ll find an eclectic selection of vintage boutiques and other shops, as well as artist galleries and a wide range of restaurants if you’re ready to work on your taste buds. From the luxurious Logan Brown, located in a restored 1920s bank building, to the ever-popular Floriditas Cafe, Cuba Street has something for everyone.
In the evening, treat yourself to dinner at one of the award-winning restaurants. Try Hippopotamus for fine dining or Ortega Fish Shack for excellent fish. There’s good hospitality with a foreign touch at The Green Man Irish Bar (also the favorite local rugby club, the Hurricanes) or at the Welsh Dragon Bar, strangely located on a transport island in the city center.
If you want to work up an appetite, take a trip to Mount Victoria Lookout, one of the best places to watch the sunset and enjoy amazing views of the harbor and city lights at night. (If you really don’t feel like walking, you’re in luck, as you can actually drive all the way there!)
Day 2 – Downtown or Beyond
With so many attractions in the city center, you can spend your second day in Wellington seeing more of the city’s main tourist attractions. Head to Wellington Zoo, Zealandia, Wellington Museum, the Great War Exhibition, or the Art Gallery for a cultural experience. However, a two-day stay gives you the opportunity to explore some more original options, so why not venture a little further afield and try one of those.
Matiu Sōms Island – A trip to Matiu Sōms Island is like traveling to another world. Just a few minutes by ferry from Wellington, the island has been a Maori settlement, a lighthouse, and a quarantine station for immigrants at various times, and is now a historic site and nature reserve.
The Attic at the Wellington Museum – Even if you’re not a museum buff, The Attic may appeal to you with its random collection of artifacts that tell the stories of Wellington’s famous and not-so-famous residents.
National Tattoo Museum – A private museum housed in Underground Arts on Vivian Street, exploring the history of tattooing and traditional Maori tattoos.
The Roxy – Catch a movie at The Roxy and admire the stunning interior and sculptures by the Weta Workshop team.
Katharine Mansfield House – Katharine Mansfield is one of New Zealand’s most famous writers, and her childhood home has an exhibition exploring her life and work, as well as showing what life was like in Wellington in the 1800s.
Outside the city
Forty-eight hours in the region also gives you the opportunity to get out of the city center, as most of the greater Wellington region is easily accessible, especially if you have transportation. Here are some of our favorites to inspire you:
If it’s a sunny day, take a scenic drive around Wellington’s bays—there are beaches for swimming, cafes for relaxing, and endless views along the way. Don’t pass by Chocolate Fish Cafe in Maupiua without stopping in—that is, if you can get past all the locals.
Test yourself at the Adrenaline Forest in Porirua with a series of zip lines and rope courses to test your courage, head to Kaitoa Regional Park in the Hutt Valley, which was used as the location for Rivendell, or head a little further north to the Kapiti Coast, a place chosen by many Wellingtonians for their own holidays. Then take a stroll along one of the beaches or enjoy lunch at The Fisherman’s Table in Paekakariki with stunning views of Kapiti Island.
