Best Places To Visit in Wellington

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

Things to do

Transport

Hotels

Top things to do in Wellington

See 25 things to do in Wellington

Klook's choice

Tours • Wellington

Weta Workshop Tours

Small group

Book now for today

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.8 (73) • 2K+ booked

From AUD 47.89

Attraction passes • Paraparaumu

Klook Pass New Zealand

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.5 (186) • 5K+ booked

From AUD 239.49

AUD 329.19

Klook's choice

Tours • Wellington

Te Papa Museum in Wellington

Book now for today

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.7 (33) • 1K+ booked

From AUD 30.49

Cruises • From Te Anau

Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise

English guided

Afternoon departure

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.8 (5) • 500+ booked

From AUD 673.19

Tours • Wellington

Lord Of The Rings with Lunch Full Day tour

Book now for today

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.8 (9) • 50+ booked

AUD 283.05

Tours • From Wellington

Martinborough Half Day Winery Tour

Book now for tomorrow

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.9 (7) • 50+ booked

AUD 156.79

Tours • Wellington

Lord Of The Rings with Weta Workshop Half Day Tour

Book now for today

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 5.0 (4) • 50+ booked

AUD 152.40

Tours • Wellington

From Cave to Coast Wellington Highlights Tour

Small group

Book now for today

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 5.0 (6) • 50+ booked

AUD 169.85

Tours • From Wellington

Coastal Wildlife Adventure with Fur Seal Observation Tour

Book now for today

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.9 (8) • 50+ booked

AUD 169.85

Tours • Wellington

Martinborough Foodie Half Day Tour

Small group

Book now for today

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

AUD 152.40

Tours • From Wellington

Remutaka Rail Trail Electric Bicycle Explorer

Small group

Book now for tomorrow

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

AUD 191.59

Tours • Wellington

Wellington City with Mt Victoria and Cable Car Highlights Tour

Small group

Book now for today

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

AUD 126.29

Transport in Wellington

See 4 transport options in Wellington

Ferries • From Wellington, Picton

Ferry Ticket between Wellington and Picton by Bluebridge

★ 4.4 (106) • 8K+ booked

AUD 62.89

AUD 63.55

Rail passes • From Auckland

Northern Explorer Train Ticket between Auckland and Wellington

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.6 (50) • 1K+ booked

From AUD 76.75

AUD 77.50

Wellington car rentals | Choose from multiple car models

Year End Sale

Car rentals • Wellington

Wellington car rentals | Choose from multiple car models

Instant confirmation

1K+ booked

From AUD 38

Private airport transfers • Wellington

Shared and Private Wellington Airport (WLG) Transfers for Wellington CBD

Book now for tomorrow

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.7 (25) • 200+ booked

From AUD 15.69

Hotels in Wellington

See 90 hotels in Wellington

Hotels • Wellington

Rydges Wellington Airport

Instant confirmation

★ 4.5 (912)

From AUD 129.68

Hotels • Wellington

Microtel by Wyndham Wellington

Instant confirmation

★ 3.9 (552)

From AUD 67.59

Hotels • Wellington

ibis Wellington

Instant confirmation

★ 4.2 (937)

From AUD 78.69

Hotels • Wellington

Novotel Wellington

Instant confirmation

★ 4.2 (971)

From AUD 122.65

Hotels • Wellington

Adelaide Motel

Instant confirmation

★ 3.6 (220)

From AUD 111.99

Hotels • Wellington

Ramada by Wyndham Wellington Taranaki Street

Instant confirmation

★ 4.4 (357)

From AUD 108.64

Hotels • Wellington

88 Wallace Court Motel

Instant confirmation

★ 3.9 (181)

From AUD 156.26

Hotels • Wellington

Rydges Wellington

Instant confirmation

★ 4.1 (917)

From AUD 165.05

Hotels • Wellington

Adina CityLife Wellington

Instant confirmation

★ 4.4 (947)

From AUD 104.37

Hotels • Wellington

Travelodge Hotel Wellington

Instant confirmation

★ 4.2 (942)

From AUD 111.11

Hotels • Wellington

Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers

Instant confirmation

★ 3.7 (963)

From AUD 65.44

Hotels • Wellington

Willis Wellington Hotel

Instant confirmation

★ 3.6 (970)

From AUD 122.50

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

Travel essentials

Matt Olivares

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

Klook User

2025-10-31 12:53:00

Fantastic 5.0

Got a whole new appreciation for the effort the folks at weta put into their art work. Our guide was also a veteran in the art and worked on multiple films. You can sense the passion in what he does from just how he talks about the movies, his works, weta in general. There were like 2-3 babies in my group who started to make some noise along the way but weren't too much a distraction.

Weta Workshop Tours

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

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

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

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

Thomas ****

2025-07-06 10:20:40

Fantastic 5.0

What an awesome experience, way more than we bargained for. Our guide Natalie was awesome, keeping us informed and entertained throughout. Seeing the seals (there would have been more than a 100) in their natural setting of rugged coast was such a treat. We also had other highlights such as the short walk through the native Otari Wilton , the spectacular scenery (we could even see the South Island). Thanks this was a most memorable experience.

Coastal Wildlife Adventure with Fur Seal Observation Tour

Wei ********

2025-07-14 13:11:19

Fantastic 5.0

Very nice experience going to different breweries and trying out the local beer! Our favourite was the Kereru Brewery!

Wellington Craft Brewery Half Day Tour

Juvy **********

2025-07-03 11:32:26

Fantastic 5.0

The place is highly recommended, very accessible and has a great view from the room

Travelodge Hotel Wellington

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
1AUD = 1.15NZD
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
13 hours
When departing from Los Angeles

Wellington

Top things to do in Wellington

Transport in Wellington

Hotels in Wellington

Wellington travel guide

Reviews of Wellington activities

Quick facts about Wellington

Local weather

Time zone

Currency

Official languages

Best time to visit

Recommended trip duration

Flight time

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?

Explore more on Klook

Everything you need for your Wellington visit

Top destinations in New Zealand