What to do in Christchurch, based on your travel style
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.
The first time I went to Christchurch, I arrived, picked up a rental car, and immediately left.
The second time, I did the same thing. And the third. And the fourth. It wasn’t until my fifth visit that I actually stopped in the city for a week, and realised how lovely it is.
Christchurch is an unusual among New Zealand towns for a few reasons.
In 2011, an earthquake devastated the city, which meant entire neighbourhoods were abandoned as they sank into rising sludge.
The earthquake, while tragic, meant the city has been rebuilt with design and function in mind — it’s thoughtfully laid out, unlike most of our towns.
It’s flat.
These reasons, along with the other things that make New Zealand cities great — strong cafe culture, excellent food, proximity to scenery — make Christchurch a delight to visit.
I love the grit of Christchurch. There are still abandoned buildings scribbled with graffiti, and the cathedral has yet to rise from the dust.
I don’t necessarily love the strong English nostaligia seeping out of the town (there are red telephone boxes, the river in the centre is called the Avon, and you can punt down it propelled by a man in Edwardian clothing).
Yet, the centre of Christchurch is undeniably pretty. It’s not quite as cool as Wellington, or as high octane as Queenstown, but Christchurch has it’s own appeal.
While you’re in town, here are my top recommendations for things to do in Christchurch. As usual, this isn’t supposed to be the most comprehensive guide to the city, but a selection of the things I loved.
Where possible, I have tried to highlight local and independent businesses to support.
A heads up that this article contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission — at no extra cost to you! — should you make a purchase through these links. Thanks for your support.
Christchurch at a glance
WHY GO: As a major transport hub, you’ll probably pass through Christchurch at least once on your New Zealand trip. The quake history of the city is interesting, and it’s a beautiful place for simply strolling around and enjoying gardens and cafes.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED IN CHRISTCHURCH? Honestly, you could just spend an afternoon here if you fly into Christchurch and have a road trip planned (you can easily pick up a rental car at the airport, check Discover Cars for pricing). Kaikoura and Tekapo are both reachable the same day.
If you have time and like exploring urban environments as well as natural ones, stay for a night to see the centre of the city and some of the highlights.
Two nights will give you more time to go a little further afield, to Lyttleton or Akaroa.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
Stroll through the Botanic Gardens
CHRISTCHURCH ITINERARIES
Road trips that pass through the Garden City:
WHERE TO STAY
The centre of Christchurch is nice and flat, which makes it very walkable, but a rental car will make it easier to get to places like Lyttelton.
The Novotel is a great central option, right on Cathdral Square, next to the library — easy walking distance to all the central Christchurch attractions.
I did also like staying at the Bealey Quarter which was just outside the city centre, so I didn’t have to pay for parking or worry about my car during the day (I was there for a week, so that would have added up).
The Drifter is a new arrival in Christchurch, and a very cool addition to the city. Although it’s owned by an Australian accommodation group, it’s still a relatively small scale one. Their focus is on design-led accommodation, and The Drifter is certainly that. There are some very cool communal spaces, including an in-house tattoo studio.
FEATURED HOTEL
The Observatory Hotel
A boutique, design focused stay in the Christchurch Arts Centre.
For the whistle stop tourists: What to do in Christchurch if you just want the highlights
If you have time to visit only one spot in Christchurch city, visit New Regent Street.
This is not only one of the prettiest precincts in the city, it’s also home to some glorious bars, restaurants, and even a dessert cafe.
The pastel coloured buildings and colourful tiles give New Regent Street a unique flair. On top of that, the Christchurch tram trundles right down the middle of the street, making this a very photogenic strip.
For morning coffee, stop by funky little cafe and micro roastery, Belle.
in the evening, head upstairs to dine at locally owned Twenty Seven Steps, one of Christchurch’s best restaurants
Rollickin Dessert Cafe is the perfect after-dinner pitstop for gelato or something even more decadent. If you go for one of their hot desserts, I recommend sharing — I tackled one on my own and the sugar rush lasted for hours.
Or make your way to The Last Word, a cosy whiskey and cocktail bar — the best seating is upstairs.
Things to do in Christchurch if you love classic sightseeing
TOP PICK: Get the Christchurch Pass (tram, punt ride, and gondola) to tick off the top attractions in Christchurch, while covering a lot of the city.
The classic attractions in Christchurch are the trams, which you’ll see tootling around the city, and the punts swishing up and down the river.
The Christchurch Trams are 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.
You can buy tickets online, from the tram drivers, or at the Tram Shop at stop 1.
Tickets cost $40 per adult for 30 minutes.
Another key attraction in Christchurch are the boat sheds and punting boats.
Nostalgia for England is embedded in Christchurch — the river through town is called the Avon, it’s lined by chestnut trees, and to top it off, you can go for a punt ride along the river.
This is a lovely way to see the city — you can choose to glide past the botanic gardens or see the central city.
Head to the iconic green-and-white striped Antigua Boat Sheds, where you can depart for your punt ride, or rent kayaks and paddle boats for exploring the river.
The other classic activity is to ride the Christchurch Gondola up into the Port Hills. There are lots of walking trails up into the hills, but the Gondola lets you cheat a bit, so you can get all the views without the effort.
A TIP: If you want a cheaper alternative to the Gondola, and don’t mind a walk, you can walk up to the Christchurch Adventure Park, admire the view and then catch the chairlift down to the bottom again for free.
Where to go in Christchurch if you love architecture and design
If you want to wander through some nice buildings.
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.
Cuningham House
Another beautiful building to check out is Cuningham House in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens in Hagley Park. It’s a 20 minute walk from Cathedral Square and Turanga to the park, so you can easily link up the two places.
The park is Christchurch’s vast inner city green space. It’s a gorgeous place for a walk and looping around the entire park — around 6 kilometres — takes around 90 minutes.
You can go for a much shorter walk to the rose gardens and Cuningham House, the largest and oldest display house in the gardens. The grand old dame of a building is home to a jungle tropical plants.
With its symmetrical facade, Tuscan columns and Italianate balusters, Cuningham House looks like a neoclassical glasshouse.
In winter, when other parts of the gardens might be dormant in the cold, Cuningham House is a great spot to see orchids, pawpaw, cycads, and more.
Places to go in Christchurch if you love good food and great coffee
Start by checking out Christchurch’s many great cafes
I found Christchurch city to be very quiet after 8pm — there are great restaurants around, but Christchurch feels like it’s at its best during the day.
Like other cities in New Zealand, coffee culture is a big part of life in Christchurch.
Cantabrians take their coffee seriously, so there is a delightful range of cafes and roasters in Christchurch.
C1 Espresso — Photo credit Miles Holden
Whether you’re looking for a coffee to go or a hearty brunch to kick start a day of exploring, check out these awesome cafes in Christchurch:
Grater Goods, a vegan cafe and deli in an old glass factory on an industrial street.
C1 Espresso, an institution in the city centre.
Little Poms is famous for its brunch options
Addington Coffee Co-op is one of the coolest brunch spots
Grizzly Baked Goods is an epic little bakery with two locations
Dune Cafe is a great spot if you want to be close to the beach
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.
Photo via Longo
Another restaurant in Christchurch offering a chef’s table style experience is Longo, 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
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.
Things to do in Christchurch if you love museums, exhibitions, and galleries
Christchurch is a great place to spend some time learning,
One of the most popular museums is the International Antarctic Centre.
Christchurch is one of five cities in the world known as a ‘gateway to Antarctica’ — the city is one of the last stopping points for crew and scientists headed to Scott Base in Antarctica.
The International Antarctic Centre is located next to the airport on the edge of Christchurch city.
At the centre, you can learn about life at Scott Base and see what it takes to work on the ice.
You’ll hang out with little blue penguins and get close up to a husky. There’s also the exciting Hägglund Field Trip, an awesome 4D Theatre, a massive HD screen.
Although a little on the expensive side, it’s a good place to spend a few hours on wet weather days.
What to do in Christchurch if you love a bit of a post apocalyptic vibe
One of the more alternative things to do in Christchurch is visit part of the Red Zone.
If you’ve ever wondered what a city would look like after an apocalyse drove people away, you might like a walk through the Red Zone.
Red Zoned areas were those deemed unliveable after the earthquakes. Mostly, these suburbs lined the edges of the Avon River, and liquefaction flooded streets and homes.
Residents of these neighbourhoods left behind their houses, which were eventually removed.
No one knew what to do with the land left behind, so large areas were just left to return to the wild. Some parts have been turned into parks, where locals walk their dogs.
There’s really not a lot there these days — the houses and buildings were all removed completely, but the streets and street signs are still there.
You can also see the outlines of people’s gardens, and apparently there is good foraging in there, from all the fruit trees left behind. I did find a few apples.
It made for an eerie walk. Without buildings it is very empty, but if you are interested in the quake history, it’s kind of cool to see.
WHERE TO GO: I went in here, where there is a bridge across into the Red Zone and the former ‘munted’ foot bridge, which has been left there as a monument to the destruction.
AN ALTERNATIVE: If you don’t feel like hiking around creepy, abandoned neighbourhoods, you can also learn about the earthquakes at Quake City.
What to do if you’re looking for a day trip from Christchurch
TOP PICK: It’s a long day, but you can take the epic TranzAlpine train all the way to the West Coast and back, or get off in Arthur’s Pass and check out some short walks before riding the train back
Photo credit Miles Holden
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 is the promontory of land that extends from Christchurch into the Pacific — the elbow of the South Island.
The Peninsula is most famous for the French-influenced Akaroa, where you can see French street names.
Visit the Giants House and the Akaroa Lighthouse and stroll up and down the wharf before stopping for coffee and food at the Peninsula General Store.
The drive from Christchurch to Akaroa takes around one and a half hours, but allow plenty of time to account for the narrow, winding roads on the peninsula.
Beyond Akaroa you can find remote bays and walks across ridges with trees gnarled into stunted submission by the wind that sweeps across the peninsula.
My favourite thing to do on Banks Peninsula was follow the tiny roads and see where they ended up. Drive over to Okains Bay, and then across to Little Akaloa.
It can be a hair raising drive if you’re not used to rural roads like these, but it’s exceptionally scenic.
In Pigeon Bay, there’s a walk you can do out to the headland. It’s mostly flat, crossing sheep grazing land, but it’s a nice view at the end and a good way to brush off the cobwebs.
What to do in Christchurch if you love walks and hikes
Taylor’s Mistake is a beautiful bay and one of Christchurch’s best surf beaches.
The loop walk around Godley Head is 9.3 kilometres and takes around 3 hours.
Climbing above the sea, the track offers spectacular views of Lyttelton Harbour, golden hills, and the small baches (holiday houses) tucked into the bottom of the cliffs.
If you’re lucky, you might see dolphins or whales out at sea (I didn’t have any luck, but keeping an eye out just means spending more time looking at the view).
The Christchurch Gondola is a top attraction thanks to the stunning panoramic views it offers of the city, Lyttelton Harbour, the Canterbury Plains and the Southern Alps beyond.
The gondola whisks you from Heathcote Valley, about halfway between Christchurch and Lyttelton, to the summit of Mt Cavendish in around 10 minutes.
At the top, you’ll find a cafe and gift shop.
If you’re on a budget or the gondola doesn’t appeal to you, you can also walk up the short but steep Bridle Path Track to Summit Road. The short hike offers great views, and you can even walk all the way across to Lyttelton.
Ōtamahua/Quail Island is only a short ferry ride from Lyttelton.
It makes a great day trip destination from Christchurch. There are a number of gentle walking trails, including a 4.5 kilometre loop trail around the outskirts of the island.
If the weather is warm enough, you can even go for a swim at one of the peaceful bays fringing the island.
For a more adventurous trip, stay overnight in the historic Ōtamahua Hut — just make sure to book your spot online before you go.
Thanks for reading this far! I hope you’ve found some Christchurch attractions that have piqued your interest.
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