24 hours in Wellington

Get a taste of the best the city has to offer from nature, great views, museums, top eats, craft beer and some street art - all in one day

Cuba Street people walking shops
Lamason man brewing coffee

Grab a coffee

Start the day with a delicious brunch at one of Wellington's top cafe eat's. Wellington is a city with beautiful coastlines, so why not head to one of our cafe's to soak up the views of the harbour or inner city laneways while you enjoy our city's legendary great coffee and free-range eggs done just the way you like them.

Ride the Cable Car

Take a ride on the historic Cable Car all the way to the top to check out the panoramic views of the city and harbour. From here you can catch a free shuttle to Zealandia, a world-first, fully-fenced predator-free ecosanctuary, the first of its kind in the world.

Wellington Cable Car_People on board Wellington City background
Zealandia Ecosanctuary Kaka flying

See & do

Visit an ecosanctuary

Take a guided walk around Zealandia to find out more about their extraordinary 500-year vision to restore a Wellington valley’s forest and freshwater ecosystems as closely as possible to their pre-human state.

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Lunch in a laneway

Ride Zealandia’s free shuttle back into town and take a stroll along Cuba Street. Known as Wellington’s most colourful street, here you’ll find the Bucket Fountain sculpture.

Nearby is Hannah's Laneway, a culinary hotspot that’s home to artisan peanut butter makers Fix & Fogg, Wellington Chocolate Factory and more.

For lunch, head to the next laneway over for Egmont Street Eatery’s seasonal menu with a strong emphasis on local ingredients. The restaurant has won awards for its food and the stunning interior fit-out.

wellington chocolate factory tasting chocolate
Egmont St Eatery plate
Fix and Fogg
Te Papa Museum Family and Guide v2

See & do

Visit Te Papa

Te Papa Tongarewa, New Zealand’s national museum and art gallery is known for its cutting-edge approach to telling the stories of Aotearoa New Zealand. The best way to discover the museum is to take a guided tour.

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Gelato or craft beer (or both)

Take a stroll around the beautiful waterfront, stopping to check out the public art along the way and to get a scoop of locally-made gelato at Oriental Bay, Wellington's golden-sand, inner-city beach. Or go for a taste of Wellington’s famous craft beer. Ghuznee Street boasts a fantastic line-up of brew bars including Whistling Sisters, Fortune Favours and Choice Bros.

Gelissimo gelato scoops cups
ED Martinborough pouring beer from tap
eat and drink Fortune Favours credit pivot photography bar brewery food drink craft beer bartender people tap pour people 1
Wellington Night Markets crowd resized

Dinner in the Culinary Capital

If you’re here on a Friday or Saturday, head to the Cuba Street Night Market where you'll find an array of food stalls with cuisines from around the world. The markets are colourful and lively with buskers, entertainment and the smell of delicious food in the air.

Otherwise, head to one of Wellington’s top eateries for dinner. Wellington offers a range of dining styles - from fun, casual eats at Mr Go’s, 1154 and Burger Liquor, to the laidback luxury of Ortega Fish Shack and Rita or try some of Wellington’s favourite Malaysian eats at Little Penang or Rasa.

Rydges Wellington Airport exterior

Stay

Don't want to leave?

We don't blame you. If you can't drag yourself away from Wellington and miss your flight, you can always book in to stay at Rydges Wellington Airport - an art-filled and stylish hotel with a great restaurant.

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