What to do in Christchurch
The biggest city in the South Island of New Zealand is more than just an entry or exit point. Christchurch is a vibrant destination in its own right.
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New Zealand’s second largest city – and the largest in the South Island – Christchurch is one of the key entry points to the South Island. If you’re passing through, a night or two in the city can be a fun, urban counterpoint to the abundant nature in the South Island.
The earthquakes of 2010-2011 levelled the centre of the city, destroying around 80% of buildings. The aftermath meant building the city back better, with more cycle ways and green spaces, street art and gritty metropolitan appeal. There are still vestiges of English nostalgia in the tree lined avenues, spacious parks, rattling vintage tram, and gentle river Avon, but it feels like the city is forging its own distinct identity (and you’ll see and hear the Māori name, Ōtautahi, used alongside the very English Christchurch).
The food and coffee scene is the best in the South Island, there are some great galleries to explore, and not far from the city are coastal hikes with sweeping sea views. These are the best things to do in Christchurch, the garden city.
Christchurch at a glance
Planning your time
One night is typically enough in Christchurch. If you fly or drive into Christchurch in the morning, you can see a few key central sights of Christchurch in a single afternoon, followed by dinner in one of the city’s excellent restaurants.
Although you could stay for longer (and I absolutely have – I will happily spend a week at a time in Christchurch) I would recommend exploring Akaroa and Banks Peninsula, or Kaikoura, instead. Ultimately, I think destinations outside of Christchurch city have more to offer. Of course, I say this making the assumption that you’re trying to make the most of every precious day you have in New Zealand. If you have the luxury of time, the restaurants and bars in Christchurch are a lot of fun to explore, especially if you have been or plan on spending spending a lot of time outside.
The highlights
Where to stay
The Observatory Hotel is the most interesting place to stay; located in the Arts Centre it has all the intrigue of a historic building, but with funky, colourful decor.
The George has free parking and laundry — both welcome amenities in Christchurch city. Rooms are spacious and comfortable, and the turn down service includes your own little teddy bear to take away.
Hotel Give is a socially responsible stay; booking a room helps support charitable initiatives. It’sin a prime location by the park. My queen room even had a balcony. The shared kitchen and bathroom facilities were immaculate. An excellent budget option.
Things to do in Christchurch city
Quake City
This exhibition on the devastating 2011 earthquake provides insight into the causes and aftermath of the disaster that reshaped Christchurch. There’s footage from when the quake struck (caught on security camera), and poignant stories of survivors who recount being trapped in the rubble, as well as stories from the rescuers pulling people both dead and alive from the ruins. There’s a great explanation of liquefaction, describing how the ground dissolved beneath buildings, and also a fascinating section devoted to the archeological treasures unearthed by the quakes, like the fascinating time capsules from the early 1900s.
One detail I loved is that on the back of the toilet door is a display of long drops (pit toilets) residents set up in their back yards in the wake of the earthquake, after plumbing systems had been destroyed. Allow 1-1.5 hours to wander through the exhibit.
The details
$25 for an adult — you can get tickets at the door
Ride the historic trams
I was surprised by how much I loved the trams, one of Christchurch’s more classic attractions.
Hopping on the historic trams is a fun way to see the city and get a bit of history at the same time.
The heritage trams trundle around the city sights, and a hop-on hop-off ticket lets you see the sights at a leisurely pace all day. They don’t cover a huge area, but it’s still helpful in getting around, and the commentary from the drivers is nice too.
I also really enjoyed the trams themselves, which have original signage and warm wooden interiors. This would be a great activity for children, or anyone who doesn’t want to do a huge amount of walking.
You can buy tickets online, from the tram drivers, or at the Tram Shop at stop 1.
Tickets cost $40 per adult, and you can hop on and off as much as you like.
Related
Road trips that pass through the Garden City:
Punting on the Avon
The green and white striped Antigua Boat Sheds are a picturesque sight on the shore of the Avon River. From the sheds, classically-attired guides punt wide, wooden craft through the Botanic Gardens. The Avon River is pretty, despite the number of noisy and invasive Canadian geese who seem to have become permanent residents, and the odd pieces of rubbish floating beneath the surface. The punt guides reel off a few facts and anecdotes about Christchurch and the botanic gardens, but this isn’t necessarily the best way to learn about the city; it’s just a lovely, calm way to spend half an hour. I went in winter, and the blankets provided were a cosy touch.
The details
$45 for 30 minutes
Booking ahead is a good idea — you can book online with Viator
Hagley Park, Cuningham House and the Botanic Gardens
Hagley Park is Christchurch’s vast inner city green space which has been at the heart of the city since the 1850s. The sprawling 165 hectare (407 acre) park covers woodlands, open spaces, and the botanic gardens, the most striking feature of which is Cuningham House, a neo-classical tropical conservatory surrounded by a rose garden. In spring, the park is famous for daffodils carpeting the grass beneath soaring trees, and avenues of cherry blossoms bursting into life. The rose garden is at its best in summer, and in autumn, the many trees of the park become burnished in gold. There are endless options for walks in the park; I often end up just strolling alongside the Avon River.
Christchurch library, Tūranga
The central Christchurch library, Tūranga, is a light, airy building and one of my favourite spots to hunker down for an hour or two with my laptop.
It’s well worth a visit to check out the view from the fourth floor terrace. The outdoor area looks out over Cathedral Square, so you get a great view of the cathedral under construction, and a panorama of Christchurch city.
And if you need to plug into the wifi to plan the next stage of your travels there are plenty of quiet corners.
Explore the coffee culture in Lyttleton
Lyttelton is Christchurch’s harbour ‘over the hill’ — or more accurately under it, as you arrive into the town via a tunnel straight through the hill.
The maritime history of this small port town give it a whimsical air, heightened by the independent cafes, bars, and stores which line the main street.
It’s well worth spending a day, or even an afternoon in Lyttelton.
Lyttelton Coffee Co roasts their own coffee, so they serve up a pretty decent cuppa.
Stroll down London Street to enjoy the artsy vibe of the town, and peruse the eclectic mix of bookshops and record stores.
I loved dropping in to Spooky Boogie, a colourful, quirky little spot.
For something a little more special, try some of Christchurch’s smallest — and most unique — food experiences
Photo via Butter
Christchurch seems to be undergoing some kind of food evolution, where things are being pared back to the simplest forms of pleasure. In some cases, that means being stripped back to the vision of just one person.
One of Christchurch’s best dining experiences has no men, no hours, not even a sign to indicate the restaurant.
Mapu is secreted away down a small lane near Lyttelton harbour, the hipster town just a short drive from Christchurch. Mapu is a test kitchen — an experimental and intimate project by Chilean chef Giulio Sturla.
This restaurant seats only six people. You’ll be in a cosy, dimly lit room, watching Sturla as he creates each of the eight dishes in the menu.
This is truly an exceptional experience, one you won’t find anywhere else in New Zealand.
Another restaurant in Christchurch offering a chef’s table style experience is Londo, run by chef Robert Fairs, who used to be the head chef at Giulio Sturla’s (of MAPU) former Lyttelton restaurant, Roots (now closed).
It’s New Zealand, so the connection isn’t surprising.
Their ethos is clearly somewhat similar, and Longo is a tiny, intimate restaurant where Robert cooks behind the bar, in full view of his guests.
The dishes he sends out from that postage-stamp sized kitchen are all based on the produce available at any given time of the year, so the menu changes frequently — but you can be confident it’s going to be good.
Photo via Butter
Then there’s Butter, the decadent pastry project of Corentin Esquenet.
Corentin makes French inspired sweet treats to order a few days a week, then on Saturdays, for two hours, he opens up a window and sells to the eager Christchurch public.
If you’re lucky enough to get to Corentin’s window, you can score yourself delights like caramel tarts with almond a caramelised white chocolate crunch, caramel ganache, and caramel cream.
What to do in Christchurch if you just want to chill
Go for a beachside sauna at He Puna Taimoana Hot Pools
New Brighton is Christchurch’s beachside suburb. The best thing to do there is hang out in the He Puna Taimoana Hot Pools.
The pools only cost $18 per adult off peak, and are located a 15 minute drive from the city centre
I spent a cold and moody March morning dipping in and out of this seafront hot pool, and it was one of my favourite things in Christchurch.
He Puna Taimoana is a council run hot pool facility. Visit off peak and it’s pretty cheap for a visit that includes a sauna overlooking New Brighton beach and pier, a cold plunge pool, and several salt water hot pools.
It feels very local, with lots of people chatting enthusiastically, and others handing out in the pools reading books.
Book a time slot online and make sure you take a towel for the sauna.
After your soak, head down to Dune Cafe for a beachy lunch.
Ride the TranzAlpine Train
New Zealand only has a handful of trains, and one of the most epic journeys departs from Christchurch. If you’re up for a scenic train trip, you can ride the TranzAlpine over to Greymouth and back.
Or, stop in Arthur’s Pass for a short walk, before returning on the train in the afternoon.
Although it’s a lot of time spent in the train, the journey is a whole experience in itself, with stunning scenery.
Visit Banks Peninsula
Banks Peninsula looks to me like the elbow of the South Island, jutting out into the Pacific Ocean just south of Christchurch city. The peninsula was formed by two volcanoes long ago; all that’s left of them now is the harbours of Akaroa and Lyttelton, and the distinct finger-like ridgelines that fringe the landform and create calm bays between their knuckles.
Akaroa sells itself as having French influence, but the reality is that was largely a tourism scheme cooked up in the 70s and 80s, when the fishing industry started to fail and the town needed to save itself by attracting visitors instead. The French history is limited to a short-lived attempt by a French Captain to claim territory around Akaroa, but enterprising locals have built on that with French street names and various other references to French culture. Oddly enough, there does seem to be a healthy population of French expats in town; the bakery, La Baguette, is indeed run by a Frenchman.
The water around Banks Peninsula is a striking turquoise blue, a colour so distinct the little blue penguins living around the peninsula have adapted to have paler feathers and white flippers. The colour comes from sediment carried out to sea by rivers and swirled around by tides and currents flowing along the coast. Set against tall sea cliffs and golden hills grazed by sheep and cattle, the peninsula is a picturesque place to escape to for a night. The penguins are one of the key attractions on the peninsula, along with the pint sized Hector’s dolphins which bop around the bays.
Little penguins at Pohatu Penguins
A penguin house at Pohatu Penguins
The details
Although possible to visit on a day trip from Christchurch, I think Banks Peninsula is better served as an overnight destination.
See Hector’s Dolphins on a cruise with Akaroa Dolpins
Visit the Pohatu Penguin colony, or go for the full experience and stay overnight, so you can go sea kayaking in the morning (I highly recommend the 24 hour package if you don’t mind simple accommodation)
Stop by Birdlings Flat beach to look for agate stones, then visit the Gemstone and Fossil Museum
Author bio
I’m a freelance travel writer from New Zealand with bylines in National Geographic Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and more. These days, most of my writing is for this website — I’m making it my mission to be the most trustworthy source of information for your trip to New Zealand. I don’t accept sponsorships, I pay for almost everything myself, and I spend months travelling New Zealand each year, all to deliver the best insider travel intel on this country.
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