Attractions Nearby Wellington, Day Trips and Excursions

(Wellington, North Island, New Zealand NZ)

Wellington is near to an enormous variety of top tourist attractions, heritage sites, stunning scenery, coastal regions, walking / tramping trails and areas of extreme natural beauty, all within easy reach of Wellington city centre. Popular attractions nearby Wellington include the regions, towns and cities of Hutt Valley, Days Bay, the Kapiti Coast, Otaki, Paraparaumu, Paekakariki, Waikanae, and Wairarapa Coast, which stretches from Palliser Bay to Castlepoint, with spectacular views across to New Zealand's nearby South Island on fine days.

There is always a wealth of inviting attractions and things to see and do nearby Wellington and day excursions around Wellington and other nearby areas of New Zealand's North Island have become extremely popular.

Hutt Valley

Located close to Wellington, the Hutt Valley is home to the small cities of Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, the scenic Hutt River and a host of things to explore. The Hutt Valley is within easy reach of central Wellington and attractions around the Hutt Valley area include:

• Visitors' Information Centres - useful tourist information offices, situated in both Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt
• Petone Settlers Museum - located in Lower Hutt, full of interesting immigration stories
• Dowse Art Museum - on Laings Road in Lower Hutt, specialising in native New Zealand art works in various mediums
• Maori Treasures - on Guthrie Street in Lower Hutt, housing many important Maori arts and crafts, with regular guided tours
• Staglands Wildlife Reserve - covering around 10 hectares / 25 acres in Upper Hutt, with a number of rare species and wildfowl
• Days Bay - situated to the south of the Hutt Valley, with scenic walking and cycle trails and local attractions
• Pencarrow Lighthouse - in nearby Eastbourne, the first lighthouse built in the whole of New Zealand
• Rimutaka Forest Park - located around 45 minutes drive from Wellington, including Catchpool Valley

Kapiti Coast

Kapiti Coast is within easy reach of Wellington and is home to a number of peaceful beaches, large expanses of coastline and many other attractions. A popular excursion from Wellington, attractions around Kapiti Coast include:

• Kapiti Island - a small island nearby, containing an important bird and marine sanctuary
• Tararua Forest Park - full of excellent walking / tramping trails and spectacular views
• Paraparaumu - a small town with stunning beaches, good local facilities, and a population of around 20,000
• Paekakariki - a charming seaside village with many local attractions, including quiet black sandy beaches and the popular Tramway Museum
• Waikanae - featuring the large Nga Manu Nature Reserves, which contain a wealth of local flora and fauna, picnic spots, bushwalks and a nocturnal house with kiwi
• Otaki - a gateway to the Tararua Range, with many impressive Maori artefacts

Wairarapa

The Wairarapa area can be found to the east and north-east of Wellington and is named after the region's enormous Wairarapa Lake. Mainly a sheep-raising district containing over three million sheep, attractions around the Wairarapa area include:

• Masterton - the largest town in the Wairarapa area, with a good visitors' centre, many seasonal events and a population of around 20,000
• Mount Bruce - home to the highly regarded Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre, which contains large aviaries, outdoor reserves and a nocturnal house with kiwi
• Greytown - an attractive rural community with stylish architecture, lively cafés and excellent restaurants in central Greytown
• Martinborough - a small town featuring a host of vineyards and wineries
• Wairarapa Coast - stretching from Palliser Bay to Castlepoint, with natural attractions, beauty spots and views across to New Zealand's nearby South Island