Itineraries for Your Trip to Wellington
2 Days in Wellington for First Timers
I’m happy to live in a small South Island city with (much) better weather than Wellington, but when I need urban therapy, my choice is Wellington, a quick and bumpy flight away over the Cook Strait. The New Zealand capital is small enough to feel intimate and manageable but big enough to offer exciting museums and galleries, specialty bookstores, eclectic boutiques, vibrant dining and nightlife, and a whole bunch of politicians.
Many travelers pass through between the North and South Islands, so here are some ways to spend two top days in Wellywood. Just don’t mind the weather.
Wellington’s famous wind isn’t a rumor: It’s real and can (and does) blow at any time of year.
If you only have time for one thing, make it to Te Papa, aka the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
Get your bearings in Wellington by heading up to the Mt. Victoria Lookout. You can either hike up from central Courtenay Place or drive/take a bus. There are great views of the city and the harbor. It can be blustery, so bring a jacket, no matter what the weather is like at ground level.
After dark, head to the Zealandia Ecosanctuary, a fully fenced sanctuary near the city working to revitalize native animal, bird, and plant species. It’s open for day tours, too, but visiting at night lets you experience the New Zealand bush in surprising and delightful ways—especially the sounds.
Fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit won’t want to miss visiting Weta Workshop, a movie and television special effects and prop company that director Peter Jackson founded. Take a tour to see some impressive props and to learn more about New Zealand’s role in movie making, which spans far beyond those two famous franchises.
Wellington prides itself on its food and drink culture, especially its microbrewery scene. Spend the afternoon touring breweries and sampling some of the capital’s finest. Alternatively, if you prefer wine, take an afternoon tour to the Wairarapa, a wine-producing region just northeast of Wellington, where there are many cellar doors you can visit.
Continue the food and drink theme with a special dinner on your last night in Wellington. The capital is home to some serious fine-dining establishments worth a splurge. Still, it’s also a diverse city with a range of international fare often underrepresented in other parts of New Zealand, including Malaysian, Mexican, and Ethiopian.