If you’re on a tight budget, then Wellington in New Zealand has a lot of attractions for you at low or no cost to you.
If you are travelling around New Zealand, the best way is by car. Not only do you get to see more but you will find more hidden gems that the average traveller doesn’t see.
Public transport is available in Wellington if you don’t have a car. Just click on Metlink for times and services.
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Need a Car?
If you want to book a car, you can try using one of these car rental websites, EconomyBookings.com, DiscoverCars, Expedia or RentalCars.
Need Accommodation?
Try using these accommodation websites to find a comfortable place to sleep after your day exploring, Booking.com, Agoda and Expedia.
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All prices and times were correct when this was written or updated, but please check the websites when you wish to visit.
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Wellington Area Free Attractions
There are a lot of free activities in Wellington. From parks to memorials, parliament to churches there is something for everyone in Wellington. Having all these free attractions in Wellington, also lets you spend that bit extra on treats I have listed here. Hopefully, there is something that you will enjoy.
Ataturk Memorial
On the Miramar Peninsula, overlooking Cook Strait is the Memorial to the Commander of the Turkish soldiers at Gallipoli in WW1 and the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. This is a short walk, with stairs, up a hill chosen as the site to resemble the landscape of Gallipoli. You can loop around and back down to the car park. Great views are seen from the top of the harbour, heads and Cook Strait.
How To Get Here
Ataturk Memorial is at 166 Breaker Bay Road, Breaker Bay Wellington. A small walk up a track will take you up to the lookout. The best way to get here is to drive or public transport is available. Click here for Metlink services.
Wellington War Memorial
Only a 15-minute walk up Tory Street, you will find the Wellington War Memorial and Pukeahu National War Memorial Park. The National War Memorial Carillon and the Hall of Memories are in these buildings. In front of them is the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior (2004).
Inside the Hall of Memories is an eerie silence. There is a pictorial video of the history of three areas, plus the parkland outside, showing the passing years. The tomb of the Unknown Soldier lies in front of the entrance with a statue dedicated to the medics and stretcher-bearers off to the right-hand side.
How To Get Here
The Memorial Parklands are less than 2 km from Wellington Central off Buckle Street. Public transport is available for those who don’t want to walk.
Hours
Inside the Memorial is closed for renovations but the Parkland is always open.
Admission
Free
Walk Along the Waterfront
Take a walk along the waterfront from Queens Wharf all the way around to Oriental Bay Beach or beyond. This walk will take you past numerous great old architecture, restaurants, cafes and food stalls, Te Papa Museum, sculptures, marinas and play areas for young children.
Behind the Te Papa Museum is the sculpture “Solace in the Wind.”
Facing the Harbour, the sculpture represents man embracing the world’s elements and releasing negative thoughts.
There is also a place next to the Te Papa Museum, where the kids show off their diving skills from the 5 and 8-metre platforms. It can get crowded on a fine afternoon, especially on weekends.
If you’re here on the weekend, markets are held at the Underground Market on Saturday and between the Te Papa Museum and Chaffers Dock Apartments on Sunday.
Mt. Victoria Lookout
Whether you drive, catch a bus or walk up Mt. Victoria, you won’t be disappointed with the views at the top. 360° views await you looking out over the harbour, city, airport and the Miramar Peninsula. You may even be lucky to see Tui eating from the local vegetation.
Wellington Botanic Gardens and Wellington Cable Car
Whether you walk up or take the Cable Car up and walk down, there is plenty to see in this area of Wellington. There is more to see than the Botanic Gardens up here. With so much to see and do in the area, you could spend an afternoon walking the paths and tracks that line the hillside. Wander through the Bolton Street Cemetery dating from 1840 to see the historic headstones of the first settlers in Wellington. If your interest is flowers, there is the Lady Norwood Rose Garden with Begonia House, and if you’re lucky, food is provided to feed the ducks in the Duck Pond.
At the top of the gardens, where the Cable Car ends, is what I consider to be the best view in Wellington. Looking out over the harbour and city, you can take a shot with the Cable Car on its way up or down. There is also the Cable Car Museum up here with general free admission. Check out their website for seasonal opening hours.
How To Get Here
The Botanic Gardens can be accessed from the top of the Cable Car, or in the city Glenmore Street or Kinross Street. It’s an easy walk to the Lady Norwood Rose Garden although it is all uphill from there. The best way is to catch the Cable Car up and walk down the steep hill through the gardens.
The Cable Car can be accessed via a laneway off Lambton Quay. It’s well signposted.
Cable Car Hours
Monday – Thursday 7.30 am – 8 pm
Friday 7.30 am – 9 pm
Saturday 8.30 am – 9 pm
Sunday and Public Holidays 8.30 am – 7 pm
Cars run every 10 minutes. Please check their website as hours may change.
Cable Car Prices
- Adults $6 one way or a $11 return
- Child $3 one way and $5.50 return
- Under 5’s and Dogs Free
Please check their website for any price changes.
It is also from here that the free shuttle to Zealandia departs from or just down from the iSite on Wakefield Street. Check their website for times.
Free Tours of The Beehive and Parliamentary Buildings
The Beehive is the name given to New Zealand’s executive building because of its shape looking like a beehive. Free tours are provided throughout the day detailing the history and how the New Zealand Parliament works. You also get to go down into the basement and see the engineering marvel that is The Base Isolators. This is how the Parliamentary Buildings are protected against earthquakes up to 7.5 on the Richter Scale. Unfortunately, no photos can be taken at the time I was there, and all bags must be checked into the cloakroom. There are to be no belongings taken on the tour.
How To Get Here
Parliament Buildings are at 1 Museum Street, Pipitea, less than a kilometre from Central Wellington.
Tours and Times
- INTRODUCTION TO PARLIAMENT TOUR – 60 minutes. Tours leave on the hour between 10 am and 4 pm daily.
- KIDS IN THE HOUSE TOUR (5- 12 years old) – 45 minutes during school holidays.
- ART TOUR – 90 minutes Fridays 10.30 am.
- See their website for more tours and times.
These tours are free but book ahead on the website as places are limited.
Old St. Paul’s Cathedral
Saved from demolition in the 1960s, the beautiful old cathedral of Old St. Paul’s is made of native timbers, and it’s not only the sight but the smell of the timber which hits you as you enter. Surrounded by stained glass windows, this cathedral is still used for the occasional wedding and funeral, even though a new St. Paul’s Cathedral is around the corner. With one corner dedicated to history and the other a gift shop, this is certainly a great place to come and reflect whether you’re religious or not.
How To Get Here
St. Paul’s is located at 34 Mulgrave Street, Pipitea, Wellington, just a 14-minute or 1 km walk from Wellington Central.
Hours
Daily 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day and on Anzac Day (25 April) until 1.00 pm.
Admission
Donation
Te Papa Museum
One of the best museums in the world, Te Papa Museum, stands on the Wellington waterfront. Free to enter, it has six floors of exhibitions of which the only one you had to pay for at the time I’m writing this, is the Terracotta Warriors. This exhibit was on until 22 April 2019. You can also wander through the bushwalk on the side of the building.
Tours can be taken although you have to pay for those but the most impressive and moving exhibition is Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War. Working with the Weta Workshop, they have not only brought to life the events that took place over 100 years ago, but the models of the men and women who served are so life-like you’d think they would move any second. Their enormous size makes you realise how special and important this exhibition is.
At the moment, this exhibition is open until 25 April 2025.
For more on this exhibit, visit my blog on it here.
How To Get Here
The Te Papa Museum is on Wellington’s waterfront at 55 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington.
Hours
10 am – 6 pm daily except Christmas Day.
Admission
Free except for special exhibitions.
Affordable Wildlife Attractions in Wellington
Zealandia
If you want to see some New Zealand birdlife, Zealandia is the place for you. This 500+ acre area has been fenced off from pests helping to protect the wildlife that lives here.
There are many ways to see and do this world-first ecological parkland, from wandering around yourself to doing day or night tours. You can find the link to the tours here.
With many tracks to explore, you could easily spend all day trying to find New Zealand’s wildlife, including Tuatara, Takahe and many more bird species, including Kiwi, on the night tour in their natural habitat.
How To Get Here
Zealandia is located at 53 Waiapu Road, Karori, driving is always an option, although there isn’t a large car park. They do have 10 electric car charging stations that you can use to recharge your vehicle. Additional car parks are 500m away at the Birdwood Road car park.
The easiest way is by free shuttle from either the City iSite, at 111 Wakefield Street, or the top of the Cable Car. You can check the times here.
Another option is by bus with only a 2-minute walk from the bus stop. You can find timetables here.
Hours
9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
The last entry to the sanctuary is at 4:00 pm.
Admission
Check their website for prices depending on whether you are self-guided or take a tour.
Tours
- ZEALANDIA BY DAY 2 hours 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm daily, 12 people per tour.
- TWILIGHT TOURS 2.5 hours that leave before dusk, October-March 12 people per tour min. age 5 years.
- ZEALANDIA BY NIGHT 2.5 hours that leave before dusk daily, 12 people per tour min. age 12 years.
- KIDS’ NIGHT WALK 1.5 hours after dusk April-September 12 people per tour min. age 12 years.
- DAWN WALKS 2.5 hours between 6.15 am, and 6.45 am May-August weekends 12 people per tour min. age 12 years.
There are also private and photo tours, with the photo tours selling out early.
Wellington Zoo
Nothing beats a day at the zoo, and Wellingtons‘ is no exception.
Even though it’s over 100 years old, improvements are continuously made with the animals’ well-being top priority.
Want to have an encounter with your favourite animal? For an extra cost you can, but be warned that they do book out early, so be quick. You can find more information about Close Encounters and Behind the Scenes Experience by clicking the links. You can also find the Talk Times and availability of Close Encounters and Behind the Scenes here.
Talks and feeding times happen throughout the day, where you can learn more about the animals and have a better chance of seeing them as they could be hiding in the large enclosures. You can find the times and a map of the zoo here.
How To Get Here
I did walk from the YHA on Wakefield Street and Cambridge Terrace, but the best way is public transport if you don’t have a car. It’s located at 200 Daniell Street, Newtown, Wellington, 5 km from Wellington Central.
Hours
9.30 am – 5 pm except for Christmas Day
Admission
- Adult $24
- Child $14
- Under 3 Free
- Concession $20
For more, check out their website here.
There are more attractions you can do without spending a lot of money in Wellington. More walks and beaches can be found along the waterfront, including the Meridian Energy Wind Sculpture Walk along Cobham Drive. Also, Somes Island in Wellington Harbour is a predator-free historic reserve you’re free to explore with easy walking tracks.
Masterton
Masterton is an hour and a half out of Wellington. You may have passed through on your way north or south to or from Wellington.
Pukaha Mount Bruce
If you come into Wellington via Masterton, you should stop at the Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre.
30km north of Masterton is the Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre. If you want to see native birds and lizards, this is the place for you. With an interactive history of the area and a café, there is plenty to see and do, as well as walking through the parkland. You can see New Zealand birds HiHi (Stitchbird), Kaka, Tui, Kakariki, Takahe and Kiwi. Geckos and Tuatara also call this place home.
Opened in 1962 for conservation, it didn’t open its doors to the public until 1982. In 2001 the grounds were extended from 55 to 942 hectares with plenty of walking tracks to explore.
Manukura, the white Kiwi, lives here. She’s not an albino but has a recessive gene making her white instead of the usual brown colouring. There is also a Redwood forest growing here.
There is also the only Kokako in captivity. Kahurangi, the Kokako, has been hand-reared and is so used to humans that she thinks she is one. A male Kokako was tried with Kahurangi for
The Kaka and Eels have public feedings daily, where you can get up close with these locals. You can spend 3-5 hours here seeing the animals and walking the tracks and it is an excellent stop on your drive down to Wellington.
How To Get Here
On State Highway 2, driving is the only option with this stop. It’s 30 km north of Masterton, an hour south of Palmerston North, 10km south of Eketahuna and 2 hours northeast of Wellington.
Hours
| Summer Hours | Winter Hours |
| 9:00 am – 6:00 pm During daylight savings Last Sunday in September – first Sunday in April | 9:00 am – 5:00 pm First Sunday in April – last Sunday in September |
Our café closes at 5 pm in Summer and 4 pm in Winter.
Admission
For prices and tours, please click here.
Where I Stayed
Wellington’s YHA (now Haka House) is conveniently located on the edge of the city near the waterfront. It’s an easy walk to downtown Wellington and its many attractions.
Just a 5-minute stroll and you’ll find yourself at Te Papa Museum and the waterfront.
They have dorms with ensuites as well as private rooms, and views across the harbour.
Facilities
- 5 GB Free Wifi per day
- Solar Powered
- Fully equipped kitchen (with food storage area), Communal Dining and Lounges on Floors
- Recycling Stations
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Laundry Facilities
- 24 Guest Access
- Games, Communal TV, Reading Room and Free Movies
- A Lift (and Stairs for the Energetic)
- After-Hours Check-in on Request
- Luggage Storage Options
- Bicycle Storage
- Hair Dryers
- Towel Hire
How To Get Here
Haka House is at 292 Wakefield Street near the waterfront.
Conclusion
I hope you have plenty of inspiration on what to do in Wellington on a budget and take advantage of the many attractions here.
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Links
If you’d like to read more of my blogs on Australia, you can find them on the following links; Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Camping and Silo Art, or if you’re after New Zealand, the United Kingdom or Photography, you can click on their links.
Travel Resources
- Flights, Accommodation & Car Hire – You can search for the cheapest flights and accommodation using Booking.com, Skyscanner, Hopper and WayAway, which has 5% cashback.
- Car Hire – Take to the open road with great deals from EconomyBookings.com, RentalCars.com and DiscoverCars.
- Train & Bus Tickets UK & Europe – Use Trainline to plan and book your rail and train travel in the UK and Europe.
- Travel Insurance – is your number one thing to pack when you’re travelling. Cover-More Australia, Cover-More New Zealand, EKTA, Travel Insurance Master and Insubuy are invaluable in keeping you insured during your travels.
- Attractions – buy before you leave home with these great sites, Big Bus Tour, Get Your Guide, GoCity and Viator.
- House Sitting – is a great way to save on accommodation and Trusted Housesitters has house sits all around the world for you to try.
- Photo Editing – is a great way to bring your photos to life and you can try Luminar Neo, which I use.
- Visa Applications – apply online for your visa requirements with iVisa.
- Sim cards – Try Airalo is the world’s first eSIM store that solves the pain of high roaming bills by giving travellers access to eSIMs (digital SIM cards).
If you want more tips, try my Travel Links and Resource page.
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