Aerial view of Wellington Waterfront
Wellington is the world’s coolest little capital city. It’s an awesome place to visit with its bohemian atmosphere, stunning waterfront and a lively food and drink scene. There is certainly no shortage of things to do in Wellington but you may be surprised by all the things you can see and do in Wellington that are absolutely free, gratis and for nothing.
Check out our top 5 FREE things to do in Wellington:
Visit Te Papa Museum
Colossal squid, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Robson, 1925, collected 2008, Ross Sea, Antarctica. CC BY-NC-ND licence. Te Papa (M.277964)
We’ve already written a pretty in-depth piece about all the fun and awesome things there are to do at Te Papa but did you know that many of the exhibits are completely free? From Maori stories to interactive exhibitions to fun activities for the whole family, there are loads of free activities to enjoy at Te Papa and it makes for a great day out, especially at this time of year.
Mount Victoria Lookout
View from the top of Mount Victoria in Wellington
Of course many cities in the world can claim to have free walks and hikes – that’s part of what makes this world so great! A trek up Mount Victoria however is a great way to spend a few hours, especially on a nice sunny day. If you’re new to Wellington, Mount Victoria is a great place to head to get your bearing – the Mount offer superb panoramic views across the city and is a great place to take a picnic and sit back and enjoy the views.
Visit the Beehive
The Beehive building – Parliament of New Zealand in Wellington city.
The Behive is New Zealand’s Parliament building and is one of the most unique anywhere in the world. Located in the historic suburbs of Thorndon, the complex is made up of three distinct building – Parliament House, the Gothic Parliamentary Library and the Beehive. Take a tour and learn more about these unique buildings where all of New Zealand’s big decisions are made on a daily basis.
Weta Workshop
The Weta Workshop is responsible for some of the world’s most famous movie sets, props, vehicles, models and more and what’s better, it’s right on your doorstep in Wellington on the Miramar Peninsula. This place is a film lover’s heaven whether you’re a Lord of the Rings fan or Tracy Island is more your thing. Take a free tour of the Weta Cave where you can shop for collectibles, film replicas and more. There’s also a great museum and a short documentary about film making all for FREE. Amazing.
Wellington Museum
Whilst often overshadowed by Te Papa, New Zealand’s National Museum, the Wellington Museum offers up lots of its own fantastic exhibits and was ranked by The Times UK as one of the 50 best museums in the world. Situated on the stunning waterfront in a beautiful heritage building, the museum offers a fascinating insight into the rich social and cultural history of Wellington with interactive and exciting exhibitions for visitors of all ages. With free admission, this is another great way to spend a few hours in Wellington.
Wellington has an abundance of great things to do for FREE making it a great place for a weekend visit. With great deals on rooms at the Willis Wellington, there has never been a better time to plan your next visit to Wellington.