At a Glance
- Visited – several times (last visit 2022)
- Location: Southern tip of the North Island – the ferry to the South Island leaves & arrives from / to here
- Best time to visit: November to April – Wellington’s famously windy winters are character-building. Having said that, we have managed a Winter visit and survived.
- How long to stay: 1-2 days to see the highlights. 2-3 days if doing a day trip or two
- Getting around: Very walkable city centre. A car is more useful for day trips.
- Best attraction: Te Papa Museum
- Family friendly rating: 8/10 – compact, walkable, great museum, other great activities
Quick Picks
This post contains affiliate links – full disclosure at the end
New Zealand’s compact capital city, of approx. 200,000 packs a punch.
A world-class museum, a stunning waterfront, beautiful hilly, mountainous scenery, plenty to Peter Jackson trails, and enough wind to mess up your hair for a lifetime.
We always enjoy a weekend trip from Auckland – it’s such an easy city to visit and well worth a stopover if you’re passing through to or from the South Island.
Because of its compact size, it’s a good destination for families as it’s easy to navigate, if a little tight turning some corners if travelling by car. There’s plenty to do in the city with kids but if you do have a car, there are many rewarding spots outside of the city that will keep them entertained.
This is our honest family guide to the windy city. Wellington.
In This Article:
- What is Wellington like for families?
- When to visit Wellington with kids
- Getting to Wellington
- Getting around Wellington with kids
- Where to stay in Wellington
- Things to do in Wellington with kids
- Day trips from Wellington
- Where to eat in Wellington with kids
- Costs and budget
- Tips for Wellington with kids
- Frequently asked questions
What is Wellington Like for Families?
Wellington is New Zealand’s capital city, but it doesn’t feel like one as it feels like a big town that has a coffee addiction. The city centre is compact and walkable and full of independent shops, excellent cafes and very creative energy.
For families it’s a great stop for a short break. Te Papa justifies the cost – a world-class museum that is kid-friendly whilst being very informative.
The cable car is a small adventure that will delight the kids without costing a fortune.
Cuba Street is a quirky street, great for a stroll – the kids will find something here. And the waterfront is one of the nicer urban waterfronts in the country.
Top tips: Yes it is true, Wellington is windy – at times very windy. The first time we took our kids, they were shocked but also found it funny, how they could hardly stand up as we arrived in a seriously heavy gale. It can also be wet. Worth investing in New Zealand’s best brand of umbrella, the Blunt – designed to withstand the Wellington. Tough and durable – against the weather at least – although maybe keep out of reach of young kids – our four year somehow destroyed two of them in a year.
When to Visit Wellington with Kids
Summer (December to March) – Best
Wellington summers are warm (20-25 degrees), longer days, and the city at its most vibrant. The harbour is beautiful, the outdoor waterfront activities are all running, and the wind is still present but usually more breeze than gale. Peak season for accommodation.
Autumn (April to May) – Cooler, wetter but still decent
Still mild, less busy, and the city has a lovely autumnal quality. A genuinely good time to visit. But it will be starting to get chillier, the rain starting and the wind picking up. Accommodation is easier to get and cheaper.
Winter (June to August) – Windy and Wet
Wellington winters have a reputation and it’s earned. Cold, frequently wet and genuinely very windy. That said, Te Papa doesn’t care what the weather is doing outside, and Wellington’s indoor culture – cafes, restaurants, theatres, the museum — is excellent. Fine for a city break, less good for outdoor adventures with kids.
Spring (September to November) – Variable
Wellington springs up and down – prepare for four seasons in one day. Can be beautiful, can be brutal. Worth considering if flexibility on days allows you to pivot between outdoor and indoor activities.
Getting to Wellington
By Air
Wellington Airport is compact, efficient and about 20 minutes from the city centre. Air New Zealand and Jetstar connect Wellington to Auckland, Christchurch and other main centres. Good value if booked in advance.
Book flights here
By Car and Interislander Ferry
If you’re doing a North Island to South Island road trip, Wellington is where you catch the Interislander or Bluebridge ferry to Picton. The Cook Strait crossing takes 3-3.5 hours through the Marlborough Sounds and is an experience in itself – awesome in good weather, pretty bleak in bad. Book in advance especially in summer – over the school holidays it gets fully booked months in advance.
By Train – Scenic Northern Explorer
The Northern Explorer train runs between Auckland and Wellington – a scenic but slow journey (about 12 hours) that is more of an experience than a practical transport option. I’ve done this trip but not with kids and to be honest, I wouldn’t recommend with young kids unless stopping off regularly. In part it really is stunning, but also a little tedious and I personally think the kids would get bored. Older kids who appreciate scenery would enjoy it more.
Getting Around Wellington with Kids
Walking – Best Option in the City
Wellington’s city centre is easily walkable. Most of the key attractions – Te Papa, the waterfront, Cuba Street, the cable car, the Botanic Garden – are within comfortable walking distance of each other. This is one of Wellington’s best points for families.
Bus
Wellington has a good bus network covering the city and surrounding suburbs. Useful for getting to Miramar, the eastern bays and further afield without needing a car.
Hire Car – For Day Trips
Not necessary within the city but useful for day trips to the Wairarapa (Greytown, Martinborough), the Miramar Peninsula and the eastern bays. Worth hiring for a day or two if those day trips are on the agenda.
Book car hire here
Useful Links
This post contains affiliate links. If you book through these links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you – which helps keep Roaming Wild running. Thank you!
Where to Stay in Wellington with Kids
Wellington’s accommodation is concentrated around the city centre, the waterfront and the Te Aro area. For families, self-contained apartments with kitchen facilities are worth considering given Wellington’s excellent supermarkets and the cost of eating out.
- City centre – most convenient for Te Papa, Cuba Street and the waterfront. Good range from budget to comfortable
- Waterfront area – premium location with harbour views. Higher prices but genuinely lovely
- Te Aro / Cuba Street area – more local feel, good cafes on the doorstep, slightly removed from Te Papa
Search and book family accommodation here
10 Things to Do in Wellington with Kids
1. Te Papa Museum – Allow several hours
Te Papa Tongarewa is New Zealand’s national museum and it is a really great experience for the whole family. If your kids can last it, you’ll need several hours – the Maori and Pacific peoples collections are great and the natural history exhibits are brilliant.
There are heaps of interactive hands-on exhibits throughout the museum with families in mind – which I why it’s so good for kids. The Awesome Forces exhibit covering New Zealand’s geological and tectonic history is particularly good for kids. Best try to get there early.
2. Wellington Waterfront Walk
The waterfront from Te Papa northward to the city is one of Wellington’s best free experiences – a well-designed promenade with public art, playgrounds, cafes, the Frank Kitts Park lagoon and continuous harbour views. Good for a morning walk, a post-Te Papa decompression, or just killing an afternoon in good weather.
The waterfront playground at Frank Kitts Park is excellent for younger children. The waterfront also has beach volleyball courts, a lagoon for paddling, and regular food trucks on weekends.
3. Kelburn Cable Car and Botanic Garden
The cable car from Lambton Quay up to Kelburn is NZD $9 return and takes about five minutes each way. Worth doing for the experience and the views over the harbour at the top. The Cable Car Museum at the top is free and small but interesting to kill a few more minutes.
Walk back down through the Wellington Botanic Garden rather than taking the cable car back – the garden is lovely and the walk takes about 20 minutes with good views. The Lady Norwood Rose Garden at the top is beautiful in summer.
4. Cuba Street
Wellington’s most famous street is a colourful pedestrian precinct of independent shops, quirky cafes, street art, and second-hand bookshops. The bucket fountain at the Cuba Street/Manners Street intersection is a Wellington institution.
Good for a browse, a coffee, and people watching. Kids will find something quirky to enjoy there. Loretta on Cuba Street is a massive place with light lunches for the whole family.
5. Zealandia Wildlife Sanctuary
A fenced urban wildlife sanctuary in the Karori Valley – a predator-free valley where kaka (native parrots), tuatara, little spotted kiwi and dozens of other native species live freely. During the day you can walk the tracks and encounter wildlife that you simply won’t see anywhere else outside of a zoo.
They do an evening kiwi tour which we didn’t make but if meant to be a great experience seeing wild kiwi in their natural habitat, not in a nocturnal house. Book in advance as it’s popular.
Book your Zealandia including Kiwi experience here
6. Weta Workshop Tour
The special effects company behind Lord of the Rings, Avatar, The Hobbit and many others offers tours of their Miramar workshop. A fascinating insight into how film magic is made – prosthetics, creature design, weapons, costumes. Brilliant for older kids and teenagers who are into film, less so for younger kids who have unlikely seen the movies.
The Weta Cave (the free shop/mini museum at the entrance) gives a taste without committing to the full tour. We spent about ten minutes there – there’s genuinely not a lot if you don’t do the paid tour. The tour itself is worth it for the right age group.
Note: The Weta Workshop tours are in Miramar, about 20 minutes from the city centre. Combine with the Miramar Peninsula drive and Scorching Bay.
Book Weta workshop tours here
7. Miramar Peninsula Drive
The drive from Island Bay all the way around the Miramar Peninsula is one of Wellington’s most enjoyable half-days if you’re into that remote, wild, escapism feeling – stunning coastal scenery, the dramatic Cook Strait in the distance, and the quiet residential streets of Miramar at the end.
Scorching Bay on the Miramar Peninsula is one of Wellington’s loveliest small beaches – sheltered, calm, with a cool waterfront cafe right on the sand. A genuinely lovely spot for lunch and a paddle. It was lovely with its beach and cool waterfront cafe.
8. Staglands Wildlife Reserve — Akatarawa
About 45 minutes north of Wellington in the Akatarawa Valley – a wildlife reserve and park where animals roam relatively freely in a bush setting. Good for a family half-day and a nice contrast to the city.
9. Victoria Peak Lookout
One of several good viewpoints over Wellington and the harbour. The view from up here gives you the full picture of the city – harbour, hills, the Hutt Valley and on a clear day, the South Island across Cook Strait. Worth the short drive or walk up for orientation and photos.
10. Eastern Bays – Days Bay and Chocolate Days Cafe
The eastern bays across the harbour from Wellington are accessible by ferry from the waterfront – a lovely short crossing to Days Bay, a quiet bay with a beach, a park and the excellent Chocolate Days cafe right on the water. A nice quirky cafe on a nice village beach – good spot, nice staff and a good hot chocolate.
The ferry trip itself is part of the experience – good views of Wellington from the water. Check the Eastbywest ferry schedule for times.
Day Trips from Wellington
Greytown and the Wairarapa
About 70 minutes east of Wellington over the Rimutaka Range, Greytown is one of New Zealand’s most charming small towns – a long main street of Victorian wooden buildings housing excellent cafes, boutique shops, art galleries and homely independent stores. A lovely day out that feels very different to the city.
The main street is perfect for a browse and a long lunch. The town has a relaxed, prosperous feel and the cafes are consistently good. Worth combining with Martinborough – another lovely old town with great cafes and souvenir shops, and surrounded by vineyards.
Paraparaumu and Kapiti Coast
The Kapiti Coast runs north of Wellington along State Highway 1 – a string of beach towns of which Paraparaumu is the main one. The beach is huge but not particularly amazing – better for a long walk than a family beach day although we were there in Autumn and it was cold and wet, so maybe in the sun, it has a better vibe. Waikanae Beach further north is similar – big and good for walking but wet and windy when we visited.
Kapiti Island, visible offshore, is a significant predator-free wildlife sanctuary with guided tours available. Worth considering for older kids interested in wildlife.
Where to Eat in Wellington with Kids
Wellington’s cafe and restaurant scene is excellent – arguably the best in New Zealand. The city takes food and coffee seriously.
Our Recommendations
- Loretta on Cuba Street – massive place, decent sandwiches and a good pot of tea. Family-friendly and reliably good
- Maranui Cafe – cool quirky cafe on the water’s edge with sea views. Very busy but worth it. Good service. More for a drink or snack for the kids than a full meal
- The Larder in Miramar – can recommended the very good service. Worth stopping if heading to the Miramar Peninsula
- Chocolate Days at Days Bay – nice quirky cafe in a nice beach village. Good hot chocolate. A reason in itself to take the ferry across, or drive
- The Wairarapa cafes – the French cafe in Greytown is a nice spot with good cakes. Martinborough also has great cafe options
Costs and Budget for Wellington with Kids
- Accommodation (family room, city centre): NZD $150-300 per night
- Te Papa Museum: NZD $35 per adult, Free for kids
- Cable Car return: NZD $9 per adult, $4 per child
- Zealandia daytime entry: NZD $21 adult, $10 child
- Zealandia evening kiwi tour: NZD $75-95 adult, $40-50 child
- Weta Workshop tour: approximately NZD $35 adult, $20 child
- Overall daily budget (family of 4 excluding accommodation): NZD $100-200
Tips for Wellington with Kids
- Pack layers regardless of season = Wellington wind is real and temperature drops quickly. Bring that umbrella. Rain jackets too.
- Te Papa is a great day out – try to stretch as long as you can with the kids
- Book the Zealandia evening kiwi tour in advance if it’s on your list and the kids can stay awake
- The cable car is worth doing – one way up, walk down through the Botanic Garden
- Combine Weta Workshop with the Miramar Peninsula drive and Scorching Bay for a good half-day
- Cuba Street is best explored on foot at a leisurely pace
- If doing the Wairarapa day trip, go early to make the most of it
Useful Links
This post contains affiliate links. If you book through these links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you – which helps keep Roaming Wild running. Thank you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wellington good for families with young children?
Yes – Wellington is excellent for young families. Te Papa is engaging for all ages, the waterfront playgrounds are good, the cable car delights young kids, and the city is compact and walkable. Just beware the wind.
How many days do you need in Wellington with kids?
2-3 days covers the city highlights well. Te Papa alone needs several hours if you can make it. Add a day for the cable car, waterfront and Cuba Street, and another for a day trip to the Wairarapa or the Miramar Peninsula. Four to five days if you want to do everything at a relaxed pace.
Is Wellington worth visiting as part of a New Zealand road trip?
Absolutely – particularly if you’re crossing between the North and South Island by ferry. Wellington is the embarkation point for the Interislander and Bluebridge ferries to Picton. Build in two to three days here rather than treating it purely as a transit stop.
What is Wellington like in winter with kids?
Cold and often windy, but not impossible. Te Papa is excellent year-round. The cafes, indoor attractions and general city culture are all operating. The evenings are cold and the wind can be significant. If outdoor activities are the priority, aim for summer or autumn.
How do you get from Wellington to the South Island?
By ferry = the Interislander and Bluebridge both run from Wellington’s Interislander terminal to Picton in the Marlborough Sounds. The 3-3.5 hour crossing through the sounds is beautiful and an experience worth doing. Book in advance especially in summer.
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