49 Best Sights in Christchurch and Canterbury, New Zealand

This bronze memorial wall, unveiled in 1993, commemorates 100 years of votes for women. New Zealand was the first country in the world to grant all women the vote, and Christchurch resident Kate Sheppard played a key role in petitioning Parliament for this essential right. The vote for all women over 21, including Māori women, was granted on September 19, 1893; the work of Sheppard and other activists is celebrated each year on that date at the memorial. The women featured on the memorial are (left to right) Helen Nicol, Kate Sheppard, Ada Wells, Harriet Morison, Meri Te Tai Mangakahia, and Amey Daldy.

Popular with surfers, this beach has a pier that goes well out into the surf. It's a great place to stroll when the sea is calm but even better when it's rough. Yellow Line buses travel here. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: surfing; walking.

The contrast of the rim of the old volcanic cone and the coves below is striking—and when you drop into one of the coves, you'll probably feel like you've found your own little corner of the world. One of the easiest bays to access is Okains Bay. Take the Summit Road at Hilltop if approaching from Christchurch or Ngaio Point Road behind Duvauchelle if approaching from Akaroa. It's about 24 km (15 miles) from Akaroa and takes about a half hour to drive. The small settlement lies at the bottom of Okains Bay Road, which ends at a beach sheltered by tall headlands.

This collection of buildings contains 20,000 Māori and 19th-century colonial artifacts, including waka (canoes) used in Waitangi Day celebrations and displays such as a smithy and print shop. There are also a wharenui (Māori meetinghouse), colonial homes, including a totara slab cottage, and a saddlery and harness shop. If you happen to be in the area on Waitangi Day (February 6), New Zealand's national day, the museum marks it in style.

New Zealand's only open-range zoo is now home to its only Great Ape Center for gorillas and orangutans, making it the place to come to glimpse these endangered animals. You will also see both native (kiwi birds and tuatara reptiles) and exotic (tigers, wild dogs, cheetah, zebras, and white rhinos) animals. Orana is world-renowned for its conservation work and breeding programs for endangered native and exotic species. Check out the different animal feeding times; hand-feeding the giraffes is a real highlight, and even small kids manage with a bit of help. For a seriously close-up view of the lions being fed, join the Lion Encounter, where you can watch from inside a specially modified vehicle. A zebra-striped Safari Shuttle with commentary loops around the park, or you can join a guided walk. It's about a 15-minute drive from Christchurch airport; there's also a door-to-door shuttle for an additional cost.

Family-run Pegasus Bay has one of the region's best reputations for wine and food, and the helicopters lined up on the lawn at lunchtime will confirm that. Taste the award-winning rieslings, chardonnay, and pinot noir while you look through a window at floor-to-ceiling stacks of oak aging casks. It has been ranked among the top five wine producers nationally by Robert Parker's buyer's guide, and it's been named Best Winery Restaurant in New Zealand by Cuisine magazine nine times. In good weather, dine outdoors in the garden, or picnic in a natural amphitheater by a small man-made lake. It's best to book ahead if visiting for a meal or large group tastings.

Located in Lyttelton Harbour, Quail Island was used by the early European settlers as a quarantine zone and leper colony and was named after the now-extinct native quail. It was once a significant area for collecting birds' eggs by local Māori. These days, Quail Island, also known as Otamahua, is being restored as an ecological reserve, and is home to many native birds including kingfisher, fantail, silvereye (a small bird common in New Zealand), and various seabirds. The Black Cat ferry from Lyttelton can zip you out here for a hike or a picnic.

SCAPE public art installs free-to-view contemporary art all year round in Christchurch, with a focus on its Public Art Annual Seasons between September and November. The works, many of which are now permanent, are urban and alternative arts such as conceptual architecture, sculpture, and city murals. Check the website for details.

The bell in this church's belfry came out with the Canterbury Pilgrims on one of the first four ships and was rung hourly to indicate time for early settlers; it is still rung every day. The original building was the first church to be built in Christchurch. The current white-timber church was built in 1872, entirely of matai, a native black pine, and has 26 English-made stained-glass windows dating back as far as 1858. It's one of the largest timber Victorian Gothic churches in Australasia. The building stood up to the 2010–11 earthquakes, apart from its 1872 Bevington pipe organ, which was badly damaged but has been beautifully restored.

State Highway 75 leads from Christchurch out onto the peninsula, curving along the southern portion past Lake Ellesmere. There are interesting stops on your way out to Akaroa. The small town of Little River used to be the end of the line for a now-defunct railway that ran from Christchurch; the route is now a walkway and bicycle trail. The old, wooden train station houses a crafts gallery and information office, and a café is next door in the grocery store. Look out for SiloStay, where grain silos have been cleverly transformed into eco-accommodation units called Silococoons. When you reach Hilltop, pause for your first glimpse of Akaroa Harbour; on a sunny day it's magnificent. (At Hilltop the highway crosses the Summit Road, the other major route through the peninsula.)

This is a popular swimming and surfing spot. The sandy beach and the beach promenade are great for walking, and there are some excellent ice-cream parlors nearby. You can catch a Purple Line bus if you don't have a car. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards. Best for: swimming; walking.

Experienced surfers prefer Taylor's Mistake to Sumner Beach because the waves are often higher. This area is also popular for hikers, bikers, and runners thanks to the spectacular cliff-top views. You can catch the Purple Line bus to Sumner and then walk the Flower Track in Scarborough down to the beach. If you're lucky, you'll see tiny, rare Hector's dolphins playing off Sumner Head on your way out. Amenities: none. Best for: surfing.

After Timeball Station was almost totally demolished in the Christchurch earthquakes, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust committed to rebuilding its tower, which is a prominent landmark overlooking the port of Lyttleton. This piece of maritime history is one of only five remaining timeball stations known to be in working order in the world, and it holds a special place in the hearts of Canterbury's people. Built in the 1870s, the ball would drop from its mast as an exact time signal for ships. After the castle-like structure was destroyed over the course of the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, much of the building was retrieved and stored for its restoration.

Kym and Ben Rayner are consummate winemakers, and Kym is one of the pioneers of Waipara winemaking. At Torlesse Wines they use grapes from several vineyards around Waipara and farther afield, and riesling is their biggest seller. Sauvignon blanc, gewürztraminer, chardonnay, pinot gris, pinot noir, and rosé are also produced, as are the Omihi Road reserve wines and Old Reserve port, made in the same barrels since 1992. While you're here you can also check out the local arts and crafts for sale.

This central square was named for Queen Victoria in her jubilee year and has recently been restored, keeping its character and heritage. A poupou, a tall, carved, wood column in the square, acknowledges the site's history as a significant trading point between Māori and the European settlers. It is home to Christchurch's oldest iron bridge, a floral clock, two fountains, and statues of Queen Victoria and Captain Cook.

The huge, cathedral-like European castle rock-and-timber building at Waipara Hills, although just more than 20 years old, looks somewhat medieval. The Waipara Hills riesling, pinot gris, rosé, and pinot noir are all worth trying. The label uses grapes from Marlborough, Otago, and Waipara so there's a lot happening in a bottle. The café in the Cloisters, the high ceiling–medieval style section of the building, is open for lunch and afternoon coffee. There's a cellar door across the entrance hall for tastings.

In addition to familiar farm animals and other zoo regulars, Willowbank has a section devoted to New Zealand's unique wildlife, from the national symbol, the kiwi, to the tuatara—the world's only living dinosaur. There's the cheeky mountain parrot, kea; the bush parrot, kaka; and the very rare but majestic takahe. To have all five of these iconic creatures in one place is a rarity. Willowbank is also home to Ko Tane, a fun, interactive Māori cultural experience followed by a traditional meal with a hāngi main course. You'll be greeted with a powhiri, a welcome ceremony, and you can try your hand at swinging the poi, flaxen balls on long strings used in traditional Māori dances (it's not as easy as it looks), or the famous haka (ceremonial dance).