Attractions in Wellington

Luckily the CityLife Wellington is not just close to the Art Gallery, but ideally placed to visit the Beehive (tours are free), Te Papa Tongawera, and the Wellington Museum of City and Sea at Queens Wharf. The iconic Wellington Cable Car is also nearby, which takes you up to the Wellington Botanic Gardens, or (a further two minute walk) the Carter Observatory which features a state-of-the-art full-dome digital theatre and a world-class interactive multimedia space experience. You can catch the cable car back down the hill, or walk down through the Botanic Gardens. Some would argue the best “culture” to come out of Wellington is the movies produced around the district, leading to the nickname “Wellywood” and a host of celebrity movie star sightings in the central city. If you enjoyed the Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit, then you will know that Wellington is the place to explore Middle Earth, with a tour, or a visit to the Weta Cave.

A short distance along the waterfront is Queens Wharf, with more activities on water and off. Ferg’s kayaks feature inline skate hire, kayak hire, a climbing wall for rainy or windy days, and  also provide coaching, the perfect opportunity to learn new skills and develop coordination while having fun as a family. 

The famous Wellington Cable Car departs from close by the CityLife Wellington Hotel, and at the top there’s either a playground, the Carter Observatory with its world-class interactive multimedia space experience to experience, or the Cable Car Museum. You can catch the cable car back down too, or walk down through the botanic gardens if there’s energy to burn.

Other must see experiences easily accessible from the handy Lambton Quay location include the Wellington Zoo –bus number 10 runs right past the hotel or our staff can organise transport; or Zelandia. Lonely Planet described Zealandia's night tour as a 'life-changing experience' in its Best in Travel Guide 2011, while in the day time it features an immersive exhibition including life size animatronic Moa, big screen movie, interactive exhibits and videos all set in 225 hectares of regenerating bush with a ground-breaking 8.6km pest-exclusion fence and a host of endangered species flourishing wild; and yet it is located only a ten minute free shuttle ride away from the waterfront.