Explore Wellington like a local

Surrounded by nature and fuelled by creative energy, Wellington is a compact city with a powerful mix of culture, history, nature and cuisine. Just a three-hour flight away from Sydney, it’s the perfect spot for an easy weekend getaway this winter.

Wellington boasts more than 55 galleries, with exhibitions from local and international artists. It’s also home to the innovative and captivating Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, and you can go behind the scenes of movie-making magic at Weta Studio Tours. 

Wellingtonians are blessed with the region’s brilliant food and drink scene – the city is said to have more eateries per capita than New York City, so expect to stumble across plenty of excellent restaurants and cafés, craft brewers, coffee roasters, food trucks, wine makers, produce markets and cocktail bars.

There's also plenty on the events calendar – plan your trip around Beervana (NZ’s very own craft beer festival on Friday August 11) or the Boomrock Lodge Winter Game Shoot (clay pigeon shooting), which is a part of the Wellington On a Plate food festival, taking place on Saturday August 12. 

More one for nature? Hop on board the famed red Cable Car – loved by locals and visitors – to the Kelburn lookout, followed by a wander through the idyllic Botanic Garden, or meet some of Wellington’s rare native wildlife a Zealandia eco-sanctuary.