It’s no secret that Wellington is one of NZ’s top places to stay and live. You don’t need to look far to find an amazing bar or restaurant, or experience one of the Capital’s top attractions. But what if we told you that you are missing out on some? You’d like to know right? Well, being Wellingtonians ourselves, we thought it was only fair to share with you some of Wellington’s best kept secrets so you could enjoy and experience them too!
Spilling the Beans on Wellington’s Best Kept Secrets
One of the best things about Wellington is that there is always something to do. While lots of visitors or residents spend time checking out bars and restaurants over the weekend, or take a couple of hours to ride the cable car and visit the Botanical Gardens, there are many other things to experience too. Secret things in fact. Here are just some of our favourite examples of Wellington’s best kept secrets:
Hiakai – make a reservation for dinner at Hiakai and enjoy both the atmosphere and food, of menus inspired by the tangata, moana and whenua of Aotearoa.
Wellington Museum – smaller than Te Papa and completely focused on the Wellington region, the Wellington Museum can be found at the corner of Jervois Quay on Queens Wharf. Free to visit, here you’ll find fantastic exhibits featuring local maritime history, the Wellington Harbour Board, the Bond Store and stories of te hītori o Pōneke.
Fragrifert Victorian Perfumery – at the top of the Cable Car in Kelburn, be prepared to step into a shop from years gone by. A bespoke perfumery store, you can sample the range of premade fragrances or attend one of the perfumery courses which are run here.
Government House Wellington – join one of the regular public guided tours of Government House and feast your eyes on the ballroom, Liverpool Room, Norrie Room, and the exquisite gardens found here. Built between 1908 to 1910, there is plenty of historical and heritage features to fascinate you.
Puffin – located on Ghuznee Street, Puffin is certainly one of Wellington’s best kept secrets! Opened in 2019, Puffin is a wine bar which specialises in organic and minimal intervention wines. Keep your eyes peeled out for the little wine bottle sign or you’ll walk right on by.
Matiu Island – hidden in plain site in the middle of the harbour is Matiu Island, once a quarantine station. Catch the Days Bay or Queens Wharf ferry over and spend a day walking the tracks of this pest free island and learn more about what happened here many years ago, including the internees and German POW’s.
Meow – there’s always something happening at Meow, a regular venue for new musicians and artists to perform. You will need to book your tickets beforehand through their website, as most of the events held here book out quickly.
And for accommodation while you are in Wellington, our top quality fully furnished apartments, flats and houses are available to rent both short and long term. Many are in the CBD, making it super easy for you to get our and explore what Wellington has to offer!