By Boxing Day, everybody is ready for a summer holiday. But December and January are not always the best times to get away, for a variety of reasons. If you’re all peopled out and just want to cruise out at home, Wellington is quite a nice place to be. It’s usually very quiet as most people have left town. And if you want something to do, it’s great for that too.
First thing you might want to do is check out the Wellington Advent Calendar. Up to the end of January, they have some great specials available. You will need to register.
Do nothing
Always a valid option. Or maybe a necessity. Nap. Read. Get some sun. Listen to some music. Nap some more.
If the Wellington weather gods are good to us, find a sun filled corner of your garden, or a shady one if that’s what you prefer. Invest in some comfortable outdoor furniture:
- An awning can transform your space – we got ours made and fitted by Venluree – or some moveable umbrellas
- A lounger, hammock or swing chair
- A side table for your drink, snack, book or ipod
If you’re an introvert, spend some alone time and don’t feel guilty about it. Introverts need time alone to recharge their batteries. If you’re an extrovert, time with people is what charges your batteries. So chill out with friends, family, people who lift your spirits.
Image from Pixabay
Then when you’re ready, venture further afield.
Outdoor relaxation
We always say that there is nowhere better than Wellington on a nice day. And we’re spoiled for choice on where to spend those nice summer days.
Beaches
Check out all the Wellington beaches on the WCC website. A few of the favourites are:
- Oriental Bay – walk there from the city, sandy beaches, play area for the kids, and wide footpaths for running, walking, riding or hiring a four wheeler bike. Or just gawk at the beautiful multi million dollar houses lining Oriental Parade.
- Scorching Bay – sheltered from the northerly, has grassy areas and is safe for swimming. Visit Scorch-A-Rama for some refreshments after a long, hard afternoon of doing nothing.
- Lyall Bay – Wellington’s most popular surfing beach. Two surf life saving clubs, dog walking / playing areas and loads of nearby cafes, including Maranui, Spruce Goose and The Botanist.
Lyall Bay beach
If you want to get out of town, head across the harbour to Days Bay or Eastbourne. Or up the Kapiti Coast to one of their beaches.
Pools
Wellington has 5 indoor pools for year round enjoyment, but in summer, you might want to visit one of the two outdoor pools, that are only open in summer:
The Hutt Valley has 6 pools, including summer pools in Eastbourne, Wainuiomata (which looks way flasher than when I was a child there in the 60s and early 70s) and the McKenzie Baths in Petone.
Parks & Reserves
Here are all the Parks & Reserves in the Wellington area. Here are the Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt ones. There is an abundance of choice in the Porirua area. Options on the Kapiti Coast.
Gardens
- Botanical Gardens – over summer , there’s lots on, including music, light shows, art classes, and activities for the kids. See event schedule here and things to see and do here. Or just bliss out in a peaceful spot. If you don’t want to have to find a park, get there via the cable car, #2 bus, or on foot. More on how to get there here.
- Otari-Wilton’s Bush
- Truby King Park
Botanical Gardens
Play tourist
If you had family visiting, what would you recommend they do? Have you done those things yourself? Often we neglect the activities that are right on our doorstep. Some possibilities:
Day Trips
- Wellington Zoo – explore the zoo, book for a close encounter or group (20+) sleepover, or enrol the kids in a holiday programme.
- Zealandia Bird & Wildlife Sanctuary – the establishment of this ecosanctuary in the heart of the capital city has resulted in much more birdlife over the whole city
- Staglands – another wildlife reserve, this time take a trip out of the city
- Kapiti Island nature reserve – explore on your own, take a tour, or stay overnight
- Take the East by West ferry over to Days Bay or Eastbourne. Or it can also take you to Somes Island.
- Cable Car – Take it all the way to the top for the best views of the city. Check out the Weta Workshop display in the Kelburn terminal and visit the Cable Car Museum. Visit Space Place then wander from the top of the Botanical Gardens down to Glenmore St. Find a nook for a picnic on the way. Before you head home, check to see what events are on. If you’ve had enough walking by then, jump on a #2 bus up to Karori, or down to the city and through to the Eastern Suburbs. Or you can walk back to the city via Lady Norwood Rose Garden, the Begonia House and the Bolton Street Cemetery.
- Another outing for a Rose lover would be to start at Lady Norwood Rose Garden and the Bolton Street Cemetery. Then head up the coast to the 3 acre Trinity Farm Garden in Otaki . It surrounds an old homestead built in the 1890’s and features a great collection of heritage roses, perennials, shrubs, formal hedges and a pottager garden. Then visit the Nola Simpson Rose Garden surrounding the historic Levin Court House, and end up at the Dugald Mackenzie Rose Garden in Palmerston North.
Lady Norwood Rose Garden
Museums and exhibits
- Te Papa (Museum of New Zealand) – Free entry to the main displays for NZers. But also check to see if they have any special exhibitions, which may require booking. (Opening on the 17th Jan 2025 is Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery)
- Takina Events Centre often has exhibitions. Their current exhibition is The Art of Banksy, till 20th Jan 2025.
- Wellington Museum (formerly the Museum of City & Sea) is a museum on Queens Wharf celebrating Wellington’s history. It occupies the 1892 Bond Store, and in 2013 it was voted as one of the world’s 50 best museums. Free admission (except larger groups).
- Nairn Street Cottage, 68 Nairn Street, at the top of Willis St – see how daily life in NZ changed between 1857 and the 1970’s, and visit the heritage garden. Tours daily at 12pm, 2pm and 3pm. Adults $8, Kids $4. Groups need to book.
- Petone Settlers Museum – occupies one of New Zealand’s most significant memorial buildings, the Wellington Provincial Centennial Memorial, and focuses on local and social history. The current special exhibition is about refugees to NZ.
- Cable Car Museum – at the Kelburn terminus. See some of the retro cable cars. Free admission. Larger groups need to book and charges may apply.
- Space Place – Space museum at Carter Observatory, top of the Cable Car. Planetarium shows, telescope viewings, interactive exhibits.
- Weta Workshop – Visit the Weta Cave shop for some collectibles, take a tour or join in with a creative workshop. Book here for tours or workshops.
- Take a guided tour of Parliament Buildings – self guided, with a guide, or online. Lots of different tours available on different topics.
Weta Workshop
Art Galleries
- The Dowse – Art history museum in Lower Hutt. Free entry.
- Three of the guided tours of Parliament Buildings cover the art they have on display
- The City Gallery in Civic Square is temporarily closed but have exhibitions housed at the Dowse and the National Library (which closed till 5 Jan)
- There are a number of dealer contemporary art galleries – see a list here.
Get Physical
Take the opportunity to try a new activity, that doesn’t fit into your usual routine. Or a favourite activity but a new destination.
Walking or Cycling
The Wellington City Council website has a directory of walks. Some of them are:
- The Eastern Walkway from Tarakena Bay, via Ataturk Memorial to Pass of Branda. The track is 2.5 km long and takes about 1.5 hours to complete.
- The Mount Albert loop goes behind Wellington Zoo, giving views of Cook Strait. A 2 kilometre walk, taking about 90 minutes to complete. It also includes Four Cross Track – a specialised mountain bike downhill race track, suitable for those at an intermediate level.
- Sanctuary to the Sea – From the bottom of Ngaio Gorge Road to Zealandia. Takes about 2 hours.
Mt Victoria
According to WellingtonNZ, the top walking and biking trails are:
- The Southern Walkway starts at Roseneath Park follows the Town Belt south through to Island Bay. The views are superb. The northern section of this trail is for walkers only, but the southern section is open to both walkers and bikers.
- The Skyline Walkway runs from Mākara Peak in the south to Mount Kaukau in the north. It’s about a 5 hour intermediate level walk, or a grade 4 mountain bike ride.
- The Mākara Peak Mountain Bike Park, near south Karori, offers mountain bikers a range of trails over 45km of varied terrain. Also used by walkers.
- Remutaka Cycle Trail. Runs from the Petone foreshore to Palliser Bay, and can be cycled or walked in either direction. For a cyclist, it can take from 1 to 3 days depending on how leisurely you want to be.
- The Escarpment Track runs from Paekākāriki to Pukerua Bay, taking in sweeping views of the spectacular Kāpiti Coastline and Kapiti Island. It’s considered a family trip, but you need a certain amount of fitness – you’ll scale around 1,200 steep steps, navigate narrow pathways across ridgelines, and traverse two swing bridges.
Discover some more of their recommended trails here.
Other activities
- Visit Fergs Kayaks – for kayak rental or to try out their rock climbing wall
- Kilbirnie Recreation Centre is designed to cater for wheel-based activities including skateboarding, scootering, and roller and inline skating. Skates can be hired. Check out their other activities which include Pickle Ball and World Chase Tag.
- Visit one of Wellington’s skateboard parks
- Nip up to Upper Hutt to Daytona Adventure Park for go karting, gelly ball or paint ball, ice skating, ten pin bowling and more
- StrikeNZ in Alicetown, Lower Hutt have ten pin bowling and laser strike
Some TLC
If the rest of the year is too hectic to allow time for self care, now is the time.
- Eat a lighter diet, maybe even do a liquid fast – yes, we know that our bodies are designed to detox all by themselves. But sometimes, in the hottest times of the year, it feels right to have a lighter diet. Maybe focus more on smoothies, summer soups, salads and seasonal fruits for a few days. But don’t go more than a few days with lower protein and good fats. As you return to higher levels of activity, you need your fats and protein.
- Have a spa day out or at home
- Try out a flotation tank
- Learn to meditate
- Start a gratitude journal – the more we focus on the abundance we already have, the better we feel
- Take some time to think about your life. What do you like, and what needs to be different? What are the changes you would like to see in 2025?
- Are there some new habits, classes or activities you’d like to bring into this year? (This is not about New Year resolutions. They are often about making ourselves wrong, and trying to be “better”. You are just fine as you are, but maybe you can be happier.)
- Are there some stresses that you can address with some of the techniques in our article on Defusing Stress?
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