8 Best Performing Arts Venues in Wellington, Wellington and the Wairarapa

Wellington's long-standing source for experimental, sometimes off-the-wall theater hosts a range of performances throughout the year, including theater, stand-up, and dance. There are three performance spaces and a small bar on-site.

Catch contemporary New Zealand pieces along with established masterworks from playwrights including Harold Pinter and Oscar Wilde. The theater is on the wharf next to the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

Named after a former long-standing mayor, this venue regularly hosts shows ranging from the New Zealand Ballet to orchestral and pop concerts.

Wellington's century-old Opera House has plush carpets and tiered seating. It's the capital's main mid-size venue, with a lineup of stage performances, musicals, and international comedy.

The ornate, turn-of-the-20th-century St. James Theatre hosts dance performances, musicals, and opera. This is the official home of the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the New Zealand Opera.

Buy tickets for local performances at this spot between the Michael Fowler Center and the Town Hall.

Headlining tours head to this large indoor venue on the waterfront, which also hosts sporting events.

Wellington's annual food festival hosts over 100 events, with local and visiting chefs creating special menus and experiences. New Zealand's largest beer festival, Beervana, kicks off the two-week festival in early August. A major component of the festival is Burger Wellington, which sees more than 200 eateries competing to be ruled the Best Burger.