-
Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti
Scattered across lush paddocks around 33km from Springfield, these limestone formations are so odd they were named ‘treasure from a distant land’ by early Māori. A car park (with toilets) provides easy access on foot into the strange rock garden, favoured by rock climbers and photo
-
Whanganui Regional Museum
One of NZ’s better natural-history museums. Māori exhibits include the carved Te Mata o Houroa war canoe and some vicious-looking mere (greenstone clubs). The colonial and wildlife installations are first rate, and there’s plenty of button-pushing and drawer-opening to keep the kid
-
Tahuna Beach
Nelsons primo playground takes the form of an epic sandy beach (with lifeguards in summer) backed by dunes, and a large grassy parkland with a playground, an espresso cart, a hydroslide, bumper boats, a roller-skating rink, a model railway, and an adjacent restaurant strip. Weekend
-
Hokitika Museum
Housed in the imposing Carnegie Building (1908), this is an exemplary provincial museum, with intelligently curated exhibitions presented in a clear, modern style. Highlights include the fascinating Whitebait! exhibition, and the Pounamu room – the ideal primer before you hit the g
-
City Gallery Wellington
Housed in the monumental old library in Civic Sq, Wellington’s much-loved City Gallery does a cracking job of securing acclaimed contemporary international exhibitions, as well as unearthing up-and-comers and supporting those at the forefront of the NZ scene. Charges may apply for
-
Pegasus Bay
Its fitting that Waipara Valleys premier winery should have the loveliest setting and one of Canterburys best restaurants (mains $36 to $44, serving noon to 4pm Thursday to Monday). Beautiful gardens set the scene but its the contemporary NZ menu and luscious wines that steal the s
-
Puke Ariki
Translating as ‘Hill of Chiefs’, Puke Ariki is home to the i-SITE , a museum, a library, a cafe and the fabulous Arborio restaurant. The excellent museum has an extensive collection of Māori artefacts, plus colonial, mountain geology and wildlife exhibits (…we hope the shark suspen
-
Martinborough Brewery
Its hard to go anywhere in NZ these days and not find a craft brewery bubbling away in the corner. Martinborough is no exception; the brewery counters the towns prevailing wine vibe with its range of meaty brews (dark beers a speciality). Sip a tasting paddle or a pint on the sunny
-
Aigantighe Art Gallery
One of the South Island’s largest public galleries, this 1908 mansion houses a notable collection of NZ and European art across various eras, alongside changing exhibitions staged by the gallerys ardent supporters. The Gaelic name means ‘at home’ and is pronounced ‘egg-and-tie’. Sh
-
Te Manawa
Te Manawa merges a museum and art gallery into one experience, with vast collections joining the dots between art, science and history. The museum has a strong Māori focus, while the gallery’s exhibits change frequently. Kids will get a kick out of the hands-on exhibits and interac
-
Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park Visitor Centre
Arguably the best DOC visitor centre in New Zealand. It not only dispatches all necessary information and advice on tramping routes and weather conditions, it also houses excellent displays on the parks natural and human history. Its a fabulous place to commune with the wilderness,
-
New Zealand Rugby Museum
Fans of the oval ball holler about the New Zealand Rugby Museum, an amazing space overflowing with rugby paraphernalia, from a 1905 All Blacks jumper to a scrum machine and the actual whistle used to start the first game of every Rugby World Cup. Of course, NZ won back-to-back Rugb
-
Whakatane District Museum
This impressive museum/gallery in the library building has artfully presented displays on early Māori and European settlement in the area: Māori taonga (treasures) trace a lineage back to the Mataatua canoe. Other displays focus on Whakaari (White Island) and Moutuhora (Whale Islan
-
Tauranga Art Gallery
The Tauranga Art Gallery presents historic and contemporary art, and houses a permanent collection along with frequently changing local and visiting exhibitions. The building itself is a former bank, although you’d hardly know it − it’s an altogether excellent space with no obvious
-
Te Awamutu Museum
Te Awamutu Museum has a superb collection of Māori taonga (treasures) and an excellent display on the Waikato War. The highlight is the revered Te Uenuku (‘The Rainbow’), an ancient Māori carving estimated to be up to 600 years old. If you’re a fan of the Finn brothers from Crowded
-
Queen Elizabeth Park
One of the last relatively unchanged areas of dune and wetland along the Kapiti Coast, this undulating 650-hectare beachside park offers swimming, walking, cycling and picnicking opportunities, as well as a tram museum and horse riding outfit. There are three entrances: off Welling
-
Sarjeant on the Quay
The elegant old neoclassical Sarjeant Gallery building in Queens Park is closed for earthquake proofing. Until that work is finished, this estimable art collection is housed on Taupo Quay. Theres not as much room here as up on the hill, so exhibits are limited (but revolving). Ther
-
Waikato Museum
The excellent Waikato Museum has five main areas: an art gallery; interactive science galleries; Tainui galleries housing Māori treasures, including the magnificently carved waka taua (war canoe), Te Winikawaka; a WWI exhibition entitled ‘For Us They Fell’; and a Waikato River exhi
-
KDs Elvis Presley Museum
Elvis lives! At least he does at Kevin D Wasleys astonishing museum, which houses over 10,000 of the King’s records and a mind-blowing collection of Elvis memorabilia collected over 50 years. Passion is an understatement, says KD. Just dont ask him about the chubby Vegas-era Elvis:
-
Mt Victoria Lookout
The citys most accessible viewpoint is atop 196m-high Mt Victoria, east of the city centre. You can take the No 20 bus most of the way up, but the rite of passage is to sweat it out on the walk (ask a local for directions or just follow your nose). If you’ve got wheels, take Orient
Total
840 -travel
FirstPage PreviousPage NextPage LastPage CurrentPage:
40/42 20-travel/Page GoTo Page:
