44 Best Sights in Wellington and the Wairarapa, New Zealand

A 15-minute drive north of Wellington on State Highway 2—with magnificent harbor views all the way—leads you to the Hutt Valley and its namesake river. The Petone Esplanade, on the eastern side of the town's harbor, has good fishing from the wharf and is overlooked by houses clinging to steep, bush-clad hills. On the waterfront, visit the small but interesting Petone Settlers Museum. Housed in the historic Wellington Provincial Centennial Memorial building, the free museum stands near the 1840 landing site of New Zealand's first organized European settlement. Nearby, Jackson Street is home to many boutique shops and eateries.

Wine lovers flock to Poppies for the stunning wines, picturesque views, and relaxed ambience. The wines, crafted by old-world techniques, celebrate the beauty of simplicity and tradition. Visiting the tasting room, you can expect to sip delectable wines paired with excellent platters, all while admiring the vineyard vista. Bookings are essential.

This appropriately monumental space around the National War Memorial is the base for remembrance of New Zealand's experience in war. At the foot of the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior towers the carillon, whose bells ring across this city and echo in the memorial's Hall of Memories. Beyond the steps of the memorial is a wide plaza with artworks and historical information.

The spectacular rocks at this reserve have been formed over the last 120,000 years as rains have washed away an ancient gravel deposit, and pinnacles and towers now soar hundreds of feet into the air on both sides of a stony riverbank. An hour-long loop walk from the parking area takes you along the riverbank to the base of the pinnacles. If you're feeling adventurous, a three- to four-hour bushwalk involves some steep climbs and magnificent vistas of the coast—as far off as the South Island on a clear day. Sturdy footwear and warm clothing are essential. The Pinnacles are an hour's drive from Martinborough. Just before Lake Ferry, turn left (coming from Martinborough) at the sign for Cape Palliser and drive another 15 km (9 miles) around Palliser Bay to Te Kopi, where the reserve is protected from the hordes by its relative isolation. 

Paekākāriki's draw is the shore, but it's also the main entry point for popular Queen Elizabeth Park, which covers more than 1,600 acres and is edged by sand dunes and swimmable beaches. Walking, horseback riding, and cycling are popular activities here. Of special interest is the World War II U.S. Marines memorial and display.

The Reid brothers curate craft gins and vermouth from the unique flavors of New Zealand botanicals. Taste the distillery's range at their G&T garden bar, and enjoy the sunshine and snack menu.   

Lie back and watch an almost limitless range of virtual space journeys in the planetarium, or, on a clear night, view the heavens through the observatory telescope. Such experiences—plus state-of-the-art displays and a remarkable collection of artifacts that includes the oldest working telescope of its kind in the country—make this a popular stop. The observatory is only a two-minute walk from the top of the Kelburn Cable Car, and you can also wander up from the botanical gardens.

For enjoyable bushwalks in gorgeous forests laced with streams, come to Tararua Forest Park. The Mount Holdsworth area at the east end of the park is popular for tramping. If you're in the mood for an alfresco lunch, the park also has picnic facilities. To get here, turn off State Highway 2 onto Norfolk Road 2 km (1¼ miles) south of Masterton. Follow Norfolk Road for 16 km (10 miles) to the Mount Holdsworth Campsite.

Devoted to gathering and preserving indigenous plants, Ōtari's collection is the largest of its kind. With clearly marked bushwalks and landscape demonstration gardens, the 100-hectare (247-acre) preserve aims to educate the public and ensure the survival of New Zealand's native plant life. While in the garden, you'll learn to identify forest plants, from the various blechnum ferns underfoot to the tallest trees overhead. An aerial walkway crosses high above the bush, giving an unusual vantage point over the gardens. Look and listen for the native birds that flock to this haven: the bellbird (korimako), New Zealand wood pigeon (kereru), and parson bird (tūī), among others. Take the No. 14 Wilton bus from downtown (20 minutes) and ask the driver to let you off at the gardens.

The lack of suitable local stone, combined with the collapse of most of Wellington's brick buildings in the earthquake of 1848, ensured the almost-exclusive use of timber for building here in the second half of the 19th century. Most carpenters of the period had learned their skills as cabinetmakers and shipwrights in Europe, and the sturdy houses on this street are a tribute to their craftsmanship. A few notables are the tall and narrow No. 304, Premier House, and the little doll-like cottages along the adjoining Ascot Street.

Sitting across the road from Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Tākina is home to the largest exhibition space in New Zealand and hosts a rotation of international exhibits, including family-friendly ones, on widely varying subjects. Locally developed and curated exhibitions are also premiered here before touring offshore. Check the website to see what's on. 

In the hills overlooking downtown is a concentration of splendidly varied terrain and forest. Native woodlands fill the garden's valleys, water-loving plants line its mountain streams, and the lawns brightly flourish with seasonal and annual blooms. At night, the gardens come alive with artistic light installations and glowworm tours. The lovely Lady Norwood Rose Garden, the most popular area, is in the northeast part of the garden. On a fine summer day, you couldn't find a better place to enjoy the fragrance of magnificent flowers. Situated on a plateau, the formal circular layout consists of 110 rose beds, each planted with a single variety of modern and traditional shrubs. Climbing roses cover a brick-and-timber colonnade on the perimeter. Adjacent to the rose beds, the Begonia House conservatory is filled with delicate plants. If you don't want to walk up the hill, the Kelburn Cable Car can take you. Or catch the No. 2 bus (direction: Karori) from Lambton Quay to the main (Glenmore Street) entrance. The parking lot is on Tinakori Road.

The Swiss-built funicular railway makes a short-but-sharp climb from among the shops on Lambton Quay to the highest point in the Wellington Botanic Garden, the Kelburn Terminal. Once up there, you get great views across parks and city buildings to Port Nicholson. Sit on the left side during the six-minute journey for the best scenery. At the top, a small Cable Car Museum in the old winding house has a free display of restored cable cars and a splendid gift shop.

Smell the burlap sacks, hear the gulls, and see the (mechanical) rats scuttling around in this refurbished 1892 bond store, now a museum that portrays the history of the original Māori tribes and the European settlers who arrived around 1840. The displays cover work, leisure, crime, and education in Wellington. A steampunk-theme fourth-floor attic with weird and wonderful exhibits is not to be missed.