The Best Free Things to do in Wellington New Zealand

Free Things to do in Wellington

Hike Up Mount Victoria:

Mount Victoria is to the east of Wellington central and the beginning of the hiking track is an easy walk from town. There’re a number of different walking & mountain bike trails you can take to get to the top of Mount Victoria, we did the ‘Lookout Walkway’. This trail starts from the end of Majoribanks street, and from here it took about 40 minutes to get to the top. All the trails are marked with different colors so as long as we followed the purple signs, there was no way we could get lost. This was a pretty easy walk so you definitely don’t need to be an experienced hiker. 

The views of the city from the peak were amazing, especially at sunset. Then we hiked back down in the opposite direction and ended up in Oriental bay.

Free Tour of New Zealand Parliament Buildings:

The most notable building out of them all is the ‘Beehive’, this unique building is the executive wing of New Zealand’s parliament, so even just seeing it from the outside is pretty cool.

As Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand it’s no surprise that one of the free things to do in wellington is to join a tour of parliament & learn about politics! The tours run daily from 10 am – 4 pm and you’ll learn about the NZ voting system & how the public can have a say. And, you’ll need to go through security before you enter and no surprise, no cameras or phones allowed. I’m not massively into politics but did really enjoy this tour. 

Wrights Hill Fortress:

Located on top of a hill this is one of the many awesome locations in Wellington that offers views of the city. But it’s also an extremely interesting place to visit to learn about New Zealand enrollment in world war II. You’re able to see the World War II gun emplacements, which are only a short (but steep) walk from the car park. And, there’s also a completed underground tunnel system. The tunnels can only be seen if you book a guided tour (so this part isn’t free). I highly recommend doing this, I found it all so interesting and there’s a lot to see inside and many stories to be shared. Check to be taken to their website for more information.

Windy Wellington Sign: 

If you love a cheesy tourist photo opportunity, you need to pull over on Miramar Avenue and get a photo in front of the Wellington sign. Hollywood-inspired but with a windy Wellington touch.

Te Papa Museum:

This museum is beautiful so it’s hard to believe it’s one of the free things to do in Wellington. Te Papa is right on the waterfront in the city center. The exhibitions change throughout the year and the main one we visited was Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War. Which was absolutely amazing! Brought on so many emotions with the exhibits looking so life-like.
Entry to the museum is free but charges apply if you visit any of the short-term exhibits.

City Gallery Wellington:

The City Gallery is a contemporary art museum in the heart of Wellington and is filled with pieces that will make you think. And, if you’re not a very artsy person (like me) a lot of them may not even make sense. 😬

Entry is free and the museum is open 7 days a week. 

Wellington Wind Turbine Generator:

There are a number of wind turbines around Wellington but if you drive up Hawkins Hill Road there is one all on its lonesome. The views from this one are particularly amazing. You can see so much of the city and it’s one of the best views looking back over the CBD and out to sea. The Wind Turbine is very impressive as well!

Check Out Cuba Street:

Known for its hipster vibes, Cuba street has some really cool shops, including op shops, great restaurants & bars, and a few pieces are art.
We stayed just near Cuba Street so were regularly wandering around and there was always somewhere to stop along the way. It’s a fun area to experience the Wellington culture. 

Wellington Waterfront:

There’s so much going on down here, follow the Harbourside trail and along the way, they’ll be markets, waterfront restaurants, kid’s playgrounds, and even swimming spots with diving boards. Also, there’s a lot of places to grab a takeaway lunch & eat with a view.

And, for all the early birds this is one of the best spots to watch the sunrise! So pretty over the water and it was nice wandering around the waterfront when it was so quiet. 

Wellingtons Beaches:

Is it just me or are you as surprised as me that the beaches around Wellington are incredible!!! Even in the middle of summer, the water is freezing but it’s so clean and crystal clear. If you’re lucky enough to visit in the summer months it’ll also be day-light-savings, meaning the sun won’t set until around 9 pm. So from 4 o’clock onwards was the perfect time to go to the beach. I felt like this was the hottest part of the day and the beach had such a cool vibe. 

Beaches worth visiting in Wellington; Oriental Bay, Scorching Bay, Lyall Bay & Plimmerton Beach. My personal favorite was Scorching Bay, it was busy but plenty of parking, public toilets & change rooms and a couple of cafes nearby.

Taputeranga Marine Reserve:

This is an awesome day trip from Wellington, it’s possible to get there on a public bus but hiring a car is much easier. The Taputeranga Marine Reserve is just under 9km from the CBD and is popular not only for how beautiful it is but for the amount of wildlife that can be seen. As it’s a legally protected area and there is an abundance of food, throughout different times of the year it’s possible to see New Zealand Fur Seals, Humpback whales, Dolphins, and Orcas. I wasn’t lucky enough to see any of these animals 😔. But, most of them are more present in the winter months. 

So we parked at Te Kopahou Visitor Centre (free parking) and from there we walked along the coastline to red rocks, which is 3km away. There’s a road all the way along but it’s only suitable for 4WD. 

If you’re visiting between May and October keep walking another Kilometer and you’ll be at the New Zealand Fur Seals colony. 

This rugged coastline is absolutely stunning, at times it seriously looked like Hawaii. The water was crystal clear too and there are heaps of good snorkeling & diving spots.