49 Best Sights in Christchurch and Canterbury, New Zealand

After major restoration, a large section of the historic Arts Centre, once a popular cultural venue, has reopened with galleries, theaters, boutique shopping, and dining. Further careful restoration and strengthening is still underway on this fine collection of 23 Gothic Revival stone buildings that were originally built as Canterbury's University.

With its distinctive black barn tasting room and restaurant on the warm, sunny slopes of the Omihi Hills, this family-run vineyard has become a local landmark. The award-winning architecture perfectly complements the acclaimed pinot noir, chardonnay, and riesling vintages hand-harvested and made on site. Add to this a delicious lunch and tasting menu, focusing on the best local produce and superb service to match the wine. While you dine and sip, enjoy a beautiful view overlooking the vineyards and west to the Main Divide.

When this museum was founded in 1867, its trading power with national and international museums was in moa bones (these Jurassic birds roamed the plains of Canterbury and are believed to have been hunted to extinction by early Māori). The museum still houses one of the largest collections of artifacts from the moa hunting period. You'll also find an interactive natural-history center, called Discovery, where kids can dig for fossils. The Hall of Antarctic Discovery charts the links between the city and Antarctica, from the days when Captain Cook skirted the continent in a small wooden ship. Among the 20th-century explorers celebrated here are the Norwegian Roald Amundsen, who was first to visit the South Pole, and Captain Robert Falcon Scott, who died returning from the continent. Fred & Myrtle's Paua Shell House tells the story of an iconic Kiwi couple and recreates their paua (abalone) shell--covered living room which was originally in Bluff. The café looks out over the Botanic Gardens.

The city's stunning art gallery wows visitors as much for its architecture as for its artwork. Its tall, wavy glass facade was inspired by Christchurch's Avon River and the shape of the native koru fern. The museum's Māori name refers to an artesian spring on site and means "the wellspring of star-reflecting waters." Free guided tours, entertaining events, and family activities make the gallery a must-see. Shop for a great selection of gifts, or relax at the brasserie and café. Check the website for updates on the gallery program.

For one of the best vantage points to view Christchurch, the Canterbury Plains, and Lyttelton Harbour head to Christchurch Gondola. At the top, you can journey through the Time Tunnel to experience the history and geological evolution of the Canterbury region. Afterward, sit with a glass of local wine at the Red Rock Café. Ride the gondola with your back to the Port Hills for the best views of the Southern Alps. The adventurous can walk or mountain-bike back down (your bike can be transported to the top); it's steep in parts so watch yourself. If you don't have a car, hop on a No. 28 bus from the city center or take a Gondola shuttle from the i-SITE next to the Canterbury Museum.

There's something nostalgic and reassuring about the ding-ding of these heritage trams. All-day tickets allow you to hop on and off and explore the inner city with fascinating commentary by the conductors. The Tramway Restaurant departs daily at 7 pm (bookings are essential). The Tramway ticket office is in Cathedral Junction, but you can buy tickets at other places en route and onboard. Tickets can also be bought in a combination pass that includes the Punting, Gondola, and the Botanic Gardens Tour.

After the famed Christchurch Cathedral was severely damaged from the 2010–11 earthquakes, the Anglican church's Transitional Cathedral opened to help fill a little of the enormous gap left by the loss. Locals call it the Cardboard Cathedral because it is built largely from 98 cardboard tubes, covered in plastic. It can seat 700 and is the largest "emergency structure" to be designed by award-winning Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, who gifted the design (right down to its unusual chairs) to Christchurch. The large triangular window at the front contains images from Christchurch Cathedral's original rose window. Built to last at least 50 years, it has been named by Architectural Digest magazine as one of the world's 10 daring buildings. The striking venue is also used for functions and community events outside of church hours.

Christchurch's leading contemporary art home was built in 1968 and has since been restored and remodeled as a modern and stylish gallery space. Formed in 1880 as the Canterbury Society of Arts, CoCA is a not-for-profit art gallery run by a trust whose members include several of New Zealand's leading contemporary artists. The gallery commissions, produces, and collaborates with top artists to present an ever-changing set of exhibitions.

Visit this beautifully restored Arts & Crafts movement home, enjoy tea or lunch in the Mona Vale Pantry, and stroll or punt along the Avon River and through the well-tended perennial gardens. Built in 1899, the house and 13½-acre gardens were almost lost to the city in the 1960s when the estate was in danger of being subdivided. A public campaign saw the homestead "sold" to individual Christchurch residents for NZ$10 per square foot. To get here, you can catch a 29 City--Airport via Fendalton bus and get off a short stroll from the entrance.

Sir Miles Warren is one of New Zealand's foremost architects with a pedigree as large as his garden. Ohinetahi, which is also the Māori name for the area, features not only his large, stone, colonial villa, but also his immaculate garden—considered one of the best formal gardens in the country. Blending Sir Miles's eye for detail and design with a stunning situation, this garden maximizes the use of "garden rooms"—the red room being particularly memorable—hedging, and color. Over 30 sculptures now complement the layout.

The Deans, a Scottish family, beat even the Canterbury Association settlers to this region. Riccarton Bush, their home, is now run by a trust. You can view the small wooden cottage (built 1843) that was their first house. The larger Victorian–Edwardian wooden house, built between 1856 and 1900, now houses a café called Local. Guided heritage tours are available; check the website for details. You can also amble through the last remnant of the original native floodplain forest still standing in Christchurch, with its 600-year-old kahikatea trees. The Christchurch Farmers' Market is held in the grounds of Riccarton House each Saturday morning from 9 to 1, and there are guided house tours at 11 am and 2 pm Sunday through Friday.

Starting in 1916, New Zealand pilots learned how to fly at Wigram Airfield. The Air Force's old hangars plus a state-of-the-art aircraft hall now hold exhibits on aviation history, including the Royal New Zealand Air Force, flight simulators, and 30 classic aircraft. Take the behind-the-scenes guided tour to see aircraft restoration projects in action in other hangars.

The focus of historic interest is the Akaroa Museum, which has a display of Māori pounamu (greenstone) as well as alternating exhibits on the area's multicultural past. The peninsula supported a significant Māori population, and the collections and displays tell some of the exciting stories of Kai Tahu, the people of the land. The building is currently being strengthened for earthquakes, but the museum is still open. The Old Courthouse, the old Custom House, and Langlois-Eteveneaux House, the two-room cottage of an early French settler, are also part of the museum.

Take the village walk, where you amble along the narrow streets past old-fashioned little cottages and historic buildings that reflect the area's multicultural background. If you are feeling more ambitious try the country walks on routes ranging from two hours to all day. For hikers, there are also 20 km (12½ miles) of well-mapped tracks from summit to sea level. Start at the Akaroa i-SITE Information Centre and choose from a range of free brochures and maps to enhance your experience.

Built for the Christchurch Boating Club in 1882, this green-and-white wooden structure is the last shed standing of a half dozen that once lined the Avon. On sunny days, punts, canoes, and paddleboats take to the river paddled by visitors and families alike. Join them by renting a boat and taking a champagne picnic into the Botanic Gardens or farther up into the woodlands of Hagley Park. After exploring the waterway you can rent a bike for more action or rest a while at the boat shed's licensed café (open for breakfast and lunch) with a deck overlooking the Avon.

This spectacular alpine region is a favorite hiking destination. Initially hacked through as a direct route to the West Coast gold fields in 1865, the road over Arthur's Pass was a tortuous, dangerous track. When the railway arrived, in 1923, the pass's skiing and hiking opportunities came to the fore, and the TranzAlpine train service now offers a supreme way to see this rugged area without getting your shoes dirty. On the way to the pass, along State Highway 73 from Christchurch, you'll pass the Castle Hill Conservation Area, which is filled with interesting rock formations. Nearby Craigieburn Conservation Park has wonderful beech and fern forests and some great mountain-biking trails—take the road leading to Broken River Ski Field. Above the tree line you'll find ski slopes and, between November and March, masses of wildflowers, including giant buttercups. Around the summit you'll also have a good chance of seeing kea, the South Island's particularly intelligent and curious mountain parrots. Arthur's Pass Village, at 2,395 feet, is a true alpine village, so pack a jacket even in summer. A couple of restaurants and a store provide basic food supplies, and there are several places to stay, including an excellent wilderness lodge near Bealey. There's also a Department of Conservation visitor center to help with enjoying the vast selection of mountains and rivers in the area. Both the Devil's Punchbowl and Bridal Veil Falls are worth the short walk. The tracks are in good condition, and, although they're a bit steep and rocky in places, no serious hiking experience is required.

Arching over Cashel Street, this Oamaru limestone memorial arch and Avon River bridge was built in memory of the soldiers who crossed the river here from King Edward Barracks on their way to the battlefields of Europe during World War I.

The captain known as Scott of the Antarctic (1868–1912), who stayed in Christchurch while preparing for his two Antarctic expeditions, is memorialized by this unfinished white marble statue sculpted by his widow, Kathleen. It's inscribed "Do not regret this journey, which shows that Englishmen can endure hardships, help one another and meet death with as great fortitude as ever in the past." Scott wrote these words in his diary as he and his party lay dying in a blizzard on their return journey from the South Pole—a story of endurance taught to all New Zealand schoolkids. Scott's marble statue was toppled and broken in the earthquakes, but has now been restored.

One of the largest city parks in the world, these superb gardens are known for the magnificent trees planted here in the 19th century. Pick up the Historic Tree Walk brochure from the information center for a self-guided Who's Who tour of the tree world. Spend time in the conservatories and the award-winning Visitor Centre and Ilex Cafe to discover tropical plants, cacti, and ferns on days when you'd rather not be outside. Go to the New Zealand plants area at any time of the year; the modern and heritage rose gardens are also quite lovely.

When all else has closed, make your way to the Christchurch Casino for blackjack, American roulette, baccarat, and gaming machines; it's open until 2 am over the weekend and until midnight Monday to Thursday. There are four restaurant and bar areas in the casino including The Cafe, Valley Bar, and the Monza Sports Bar. The latter has TV monitors at every vantage point plus one huge screen for watching live sports. The casino is strict on its dress code; if you're unsure of what to wear, check their website for details.

Free shuttles go to and from some local hotels and motels daily from 6 pm to 2 am—book through the casino reception.

Diamond Harbour is the largest township on the far side of Lyttelton Harbour. You can drive to Diamond Harbour (around 40 minutes from Christchurch) or take a 10-minute journey on the Black Diamond ferry from Jetty B at Norwich Quay. Sailings are frequent. There's a small farmers' market once every two weeks over summer, excellent cafés and restaurants, some great walks, and the beautiful Charteris Bay Golf Club.

Ferrymead is the site of the country's first railway (built in 1863) and is now home to a replica Edwardian township and museum area. While exploring the shops and cottages, you can taste homemade scones or an old-fashioned lamington (chocolate-covered sponge cake dipped in coconut). You can watch an old-time movie at the Arcadia; see some knees-up dancing; or check out displays of fire engines, farming tools, and printing equipment. The park is home to 19 societies, particularly train and tram enthusiasts, who maintain their collections here, so trams and trains run on weekends and public holidays. A steam train operates on the second Sunday of each month.

At the Geraldine Vintage Car and Machinery Museum, there's some good rural stuff with more than 100 tractors (some dating back to 1912) and other farm machinery sharing space with vintage cars.

Hagley Park was developed by European settlers in the mid-1800s with imported plants given trial runs in what would become the Botanic Gardens. Now the 407-acre park includes a golf course, sports fields, world-class cricket oval, netball and tennis courts, cycling paths, walking and jogging tracks, and a 17-station fitness circuit. In spring, you'll be treated to a magnificent blossom display from the flowering cherry trees and a host of golden daffodils. You can access the park from most of its perimeter. The Botanic Gardens are near the middle, closest to the city center. Every Saturday morning at 8 am, hundreds join in the Hagley Parkrun, a free timed 5,000-meter (3-mile) run.

The Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa consists of 22 outdoor thermal pools of varying temperatures, including a heated freshwater pool with lazy river, a family activity pool, and three waterslides. There are also six private mineral-rich thermal pools, as well as adults-only aquatherapy pools, private sauna, and steam rooms. Massage and beauty treatments are available at the on-site spa. The Tea Kiosk Cafe and Grill, a beautifully renovated 1904 building, has bar facilities, and there's a picnic area, too. The heated changing rooms are a real treat.

Built from limestone blocks, the Hurunui Hotel, New Zealand's oldest continually licensed hotel (since 1860), refreshed weary drovers bringing sheep down from Marlborough; it's still a great place to rest yourself with a beverage. There are seven quaint rooms in this stagecoach-style hotel, and the restaurant with its old-fashioned pub serves à la carte dinners including a succulent fillet steak. You can dine in the pub, where there is a roaring fire in winter, or outside in the tree-lined beer garden.

Ever since Captain Robert Falcon Scott wintered his dogs at nearby Quail Island in preparation for his ill-fated South Pole expedition of 1912, Christchurch has maintained a close connection with the frozen continent. You can experience a small taste of the modern polar experience here. Bundle up in extra clothing and brave a simulated storm with temperatures of minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit for a few minutes. Or take a ride on the Hägglund vehicle used to get around the ice. The 4D extreme theater show of life at New Zealand's Scott Base is superb, and the Penguin Encounter lets you get up close with some blue penguins, the smallest penguin species.

The scenic gravel drive along Jacks Pass, to the north of the village, crosses the lower slopes of Mt. Isobel before dropping into the upper Clarence River valley, an alpine area 15 minutes from Hanmer Springs. This is the beginning of some serious backcountry. The tiny stream trickling past the road at the end of the pass eventually reaches the coast north of Kaikoura at the rough and rumbling Clarence River—a favorite for rafters and kayakers. This is also the southern end of the Acheron Road through the Molesworth Station and the 4WD Rainbow Road through to St. Arnaud and the Nelson Lakes. There's restricted access at certain times of the year, and the roads can be impassable during winter, so before you go, check with the Hanmer Springs i-SITE Visitor Centre.