Must-Visit Places and Attractions in Wellington, New Zealand 2026

Q: What is Wellington best known for?

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, is best known for its offbeat atmosphere. A stroll downtown and you're immediately welcomed by friendly residents, stunning new architecture, and cafes and restaurants with delicious cuisine. Check off some of the things from your Wellington stay by visiting the Te Papa Museum, riding a cable car and strolling around the ZEALANDIA Ecosanctuary.

Q: When is the best time to visit Wellington?

Famous for being the windy city of New Zealand, Wellington is ultimately a breezy place year-round. However, the busiest months run from December to April during the warmer days, and is typically less crowded during the rainy season from May to November.

Q: Where is the best location for tourists to stay in Wellington?

The best place to stay in Wellington is either the Te Aro district or the Wellington CBD, where most popular tourist attractions can be found. It's the lively area of the city, where quaint cafes, shops and city museums are located. For a quieter and more beach-like setting, you can choose Mount Victoria for stunning city views or Oriental Bay for some sea-view accommodation.

Wellington serves as the capital and food capital of New Zealand. From brunch to after-dinner cocktails, you'll never run out of dining options here! Find your flavor in Wellington: visit Martinborough's sprawling vineyards and get a taste of New Zealand's best or why not feast on the city's expansive selection of seafood fresh from the harbor?

On top of gastronomic adventures, Wellington is the famous filming site for the iconic Lord of the Rings trilogy! Journey to Weta Workshop and walk through the fantastical set as a mythical being of your choice. If communing with nature is what you're after, then the 225-hectare urban ecosanctuary called Zealandia is a must-visit haven for you!

Explore Wellington

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Top things to do in Wellington

See 25 things to do in Wellington

Attraction passes • Paraparaumu

Klook Pass New Zealand

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.5 (186) • 6K+ booked

From ¥ 25,083

¥ 34,478

Klook's choice

Tours • Wellington

Weta Workshop Tours

Small group

Free cancellation

Book now for today

Instant confirmation

★ 4.8 (75) • 2K+ booked

From ¥ 5,017

Klook's choice

Tours • Wellington

Te Papa Museum in Wellington

Free cancellation

Book now for today

Instant confirmation

★ 4.7 (36) • 1K+ booked

From ¥ 3,192

Cruises • From Te Anau

Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise

Afternoon departure

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.8 (5) • 500+ booked

From ¥ 70,506

Tours • Wellington

Lord Of The Rings with Lunch Full Day tour

Book now for tomorrow

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.8 (9) • 50+ booked

¥ 29,643

Tours • From Wellington

Coastal Wildlife Adventure with Fur Seal Observation Tour

English guided

Free cancellation

Book now for today

Instant confirmation

★ 4.9 (8) • 50+ booked

¥ 17,786

Tours • Wellington

Wellington City with Mt Victoria and Cable Car Highlights Tour

Small group

Book now for tomorrow

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

¥ 13,682

Tours • Wellington

Lord Of The Rings with Weta Workshop Half Day Tour

English guided

Free cancellation

Book now for today

Instant confirmation

★ 5.0 (4) • 50+ booked

¥ 15,962

Tours • Wellington

From Cave to Coast Wellington Highlights Tour

Small group

Book now for tomorrow

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 5.0 (6) • 50+ booked

¥ 17,786

Tours • From Wellington

Martinborough Half Day Winery Tour

Book now for tomorrow

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.9 (7) • 50+ booked

¥ 16,418

Tours • From Wellington

Remutaka Rail Trail Electric Bicycle Explorer

Small group

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

¥ 20,066

Cruises • Wellington

90 Minute Commentated Harbour Tour in Wellington

English guided

Up to 3 hrs

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

¥ 6,294

Hotels in Wellington

See 90 hotels in Wellington

Hotels • Wellington

Rydges Wellington Airport

Instant confirmation

★ 4.5 (912)

From ¥ 13,823

Hotels • Wellington

Haka House Wellington

Instant confirmation

★ 4.3 (402)

From ¥ 7,591

Hotels • Wellington

West Plaza Hotel

Instant confirmation

★ 4.1 (966)

From ¥ 11,997

Hotels • Wellington

Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers

Instant confirmation

★ 3.7 (963)

From ¥ 7,144

Hotels • Wellington

Microtel by Wyndham Wellington

Instant confirmation

★ 3.9 (552)

From ¥ 7,181

Hotels • Wellington

ibis Wellington

Instant confirmation

★ 4.2 (937)

From ¥ 7,941

Hotels • Wellington

Liberty Apartment Hotel

Instant confirmation

★ 4.4 (63)

From ¥ 12,993

Hotels • Wellington

Quest 256 Lambton

Instant confirmation

★ 4.8 (441)

From ¥ 13,019

Hotels • Wellington

Courtenay Village

Instant confirmation

★ 4.1 (244)

From ¥ 18,058

Hotels • Wellington

Novotel Wellington

Instant confirmation

★ 4.2 (971)

From ¥ 13,607

Hotels • Wellington

Mercure Wellington Abel Tasman

Instant confirmation

★ 3.8 (969)

From ¥ 9,863

Hotels • Wellington

Ramada by Wyndham Wellington Taranaki Street

Instant confirmation

★ 4.4 (357)

From ¥ 11,071

[UPDATED] Don’t Know Where to Go? Here’s a List of Countries Open for Travel Now!

Travel essentials

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JIA ***************

2025-12-07 11:43:16

Fantastic 5.0

highly recommend tour! very insightful and great behind the scenes into the film productions. enjoyed it thoroughly even though I didn’t watch the major productions like LOTR.

Weta Workshop Tours

Utilisateur Klook

2025-10-13 18:15:18

Fantastic 5.0

This was an amazing experience, a small tour of eight people and a great guide and driver. The visit of all the locations for the shootings of the Lord of the Rings movies was fantastic, close and personal. The Weta workshop is a wonderful place, full of mysteries and amazing things to see (an touch!), with a nice staff. The lunch experience, a buffet at the Aston Norwood café in a pretty venue was the cherry on the top of the cake. I completely recommend this tour with WTG!

Lord Of The Rings with Lunch Full Day tour

Virginie ******

2025-07-21 04:58:32

Fantastic 5.0

Great experience! After the tour, I stayed two more hours visiting the museum. It's an incredible place with so much information. If you come to Wellington, it has to be on your list.

Te Papa Museum in Wellington

Anastasiia *******

2025-08-07 21:09:07

Fantastic 5.0

We are thrilled! Top-notch! 10 out of 10! Our guide Mark is a real elf! And an incredibly cool guy. The seals are adorable.

Coastal Wildlife Adventure with Fur Seal Observation Tour

Violet *******

2025-10-07 01:11:00

Fantastic 5.0

Michael who is our guide for the day delivered great service, great knowledge of Wellington, enterained us throughout the trip and the tour was with great ease. Hightly recommended the tour when you visit Welilngton.

From Cave to Coast Wellington Highlights Tour

SHYH ********

2025-10-31 06:34:08

Fantastic 5.0

Value for money if you select from their menu of activities, which covers a lot.

Klook Pass New Zealand

Violet *******

2025-10-04 04:02:30

Fantastic 5.0

Mike, our tour guide, provided great customer service and had excellent communication with his customers. The location was perfect for a "kaiaki" brunch, and the tour was excellent, filled with his great humor, stories, and most of all, his knowledgeable storytelling about Wellington. Definitely recommended.

Martinborough Half Day Winery Tour

Local weather

℉℃

DEC - FEB
21°13°
MAR - MAY
20°10°
JUN - AUG
13°7°
SEP - NOV
17°9°

General info

Time zone
GMT +12:00
No time difference
Currency
New Zealand Dollar
1JPY = 0.01NZD
Official languages
English
Best time to visit
FEB
Waitangi Day
JUN
Wellington Jazz Festival
APR - JUN
Pleasant temperatures, fewer tourists.
Recommended trip duration
3 days
Flight time
1 hours
When departing from Auckland

Wellington

Top things to do in Wellington

Hotels in Wellington

Wellington travel guide

Reviews of Wellington activities

Quick facts about Wellington

Local weather

Time zone

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Official languages

Best time to visit

Recommended trip duration

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FAQs about Wellington

What is Wellington best known for?

When is the best time to visit Wellington?

Where is the best location for tourists to stay in Wellington?

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