Wellington New Zealand is a great place to stay for a few nights before or after taking the South Island ferry. A lot in Wellington is extremely family and budget-friendly as there are heaps of cheap and free things to do in Wellington!

No matter what our travel budget is, you’ll love that so many of the top Wellington Must-Do’s won’t break the bank. Read on and find out what to see in Wellington for free (or at least cheap).

Wellington Cable Car and Cable Car Museum

Step back in time to the early 1900s when this little inner-city cable car started its operation. The original thought behind the funicular was to make commuting into the city easier. Nowadays, the Wellington Cable Car is mostly used by tourists and a must-do in Wellington.

At the top of the cable car, right next to Kelburn Station, visit the charming little Cable Car Museum to see two of the original cable cars as well as the original winding machine that has meanwhile been replaced with more modern technology.

Don’t miss out on taking an iconic picture of Wellington. From the viewing platform at Kelburn Station, you get the most impressive view over Wellington New Zealand and the bay. Just wait a few minutes until you have a cable car in your view, and snap! 

The Wellington Cable Car runs daily every 10 minutes. While the ticket for the cable car costs a small amount ($9 return), the entrance to the Cable Car Museum is free and so is the view over the city!

Wellington Botanic Garden

Another of the free things to do in Wellington on top of the cable car is Wellington Garden. There are several self-guided walks through the park, the brochures can be picked up at the garden’s Treehouse Visitor Centre.

Visit the Begonia House for all sorts of tropical plants and Lady Norwood’s Rose Garden for more classical flowers. No matter if you’re a flower-enthusiast or just like to go for walk, Wellington Botanic Gardens won’t disappoint.

Beehive Parliament Tours

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand mainly thanks to a logical consideration. After long discussions which place should be the new capital, Wellington won for being smack-bang in the middle of New Zealand (putting both islands together).

Since the iconic Wellington Parliament building looks like a giant beehive, its nickname became exactly this... Beehive. 

The Beehive Wellington and the rest of the parliament can be visited. On a free Parliament tour, you’ll learn a lot about New Zealand politics and who knows, maybe you’ll even see Jacinda Ardern walking about.

Te Papa Museum

Yet another Wellington attraction that’s completely free of charge! Te Papa is New Zealand’s National Museum and well worth a visit, not just on a rainy day in Wellington (they can be quite frequent, though). 

The giant squid is just one of many attractions and a lot of the exhibits are interactive, it’s definitely not one of these boring museums where you’re only allowed to “see with your eyes, not your hands”.

If the size of the museum overwhelms you or you want to see the best of the museum in an hour, you can book one of their tours. One tour focuses on the Maori history while the other is broader and a general introduction to the museum’s many attractions.

Book a Te Papa tour here:

Walk Around The Miramar Peninsula

You might’ve heard of “Wellywood” before. It’s one of the many nicknames for Wellington and a very accurate one. Sir Peter Jackson calls Wellington New Zealand home, namely the Miramar Peninsula. 

If you’re a movie buff, don’t miss out on walking around the Miramar suburb. You’ll not only find a heap of movie locations (ie a scene of King Kong was shot there) but also the famous Wellington Roxy Cinema where Peter Jackson occasionally watches the newest flick. There’s a giant outdoor greenscreen that has been used a lot for the LOTR and The Hobbit trilogies.

Weta Cave And Weta Workshop Tour

In the midst of the Miramar Peninsula are the Weta Digital Studios, where CGI comes to life. As well as the Weta Workshop, the place where they create the amazingly real-looking props and turn normal humans into dwarfs.

The Weta Cave is probably the most famous souvenir shop in Wellington, if not all of New Zealand. Next to posing with trolls and Gollum, there are all sorts of bits and bobs to buy, from Lord of the Rings books and figurines to souvenirs from other movies. And of course, an assortment of “the one ring”.

Even if you’re not a huge fantasy movie fan, you should still do a Weta Workshop tour. You get to learn how the incredible talents behind the scenes turn lightweight material into heavy-looking chainmail and how a bit of silicone can change what your face looks like.

The only part that disappointed me a little was that it wasn’t a tour through the actual workshop. It was more like a museum tour where you get to touch really awesome exhibits. Even though I couldn’t see anyone actually working, it was a really interesting tour.

Mt Victoria Walks And Movie Locations

Even more Lord Of The Rings movie locations can be found on Wellingtons recreational local mountain, Mount Victoria. Some early scenes of the first LOTR movie have been shot on Mt Victoria. A lot of LOTR tours include this in their tours.

But the mountain is also a great spot if you’re not into movies and just into walking. A great network of walking and biking trails is just waiting for you to go exploring! 

People watching on Cuba Street

Cuba Street is one of the best streets in Wellington for shopping in chain retail and little bohemian shops, pubs, hidden bars and restaurants. The walking street is perfect for people-watching over a cup of Mocha while listening to the buskers nearby.

The bucket fountain in Cuba Street is a really cool piece of art in itself. It became even more famous when Elijah Woods (Frodo of Lord Of The Rings) peed into it on a night out, leaving numerous imitators doing exactly the same.

Taste The Wairarapa Wine

The Wairarapa is really a great destination in itself to spend a few days. Hop on the commuter train and travel through the Rimutaka Ranges to Featherston, a charming little town and the gateway to Wellington’s wine area. 

After exploring Featherston for a bit, catch a bus to Martinborough where most of the wineries are. The best way to see the Martinborough wineries is by renting a bike. The area is mostly flat and makes for a great mix of being active and taste the local Pinot Noir.

If you have time to spend the night, a lovely place to stay is the Martinborough Hotel. It’s smack-bang in the town centre and has its own restaurant and gastropub, so you won’t have far to get back to your room. 

If you prefer the comfort of a tour and a guide, join a Martinborough wine tour for the day.

Take the train to Kapiti Coast

Head up the Kapiti Coast for a day on the beach. The commuter train goes all the way up to Waikanae and Paraparaumu, the gateway to Kapiti Island. The Kapiti coastline is about 40 kilometres long, enough for an extensive beach walk. 

Kapiti Island is a bird sanctuary and if you stay overnight, there is a chance you can see a kiwi bird in the wild. 

The Kapiti Coast is also a great spot for a break when you’re on a road trip, coming from Tongariro or Taupo.

See the Seal Colony and look for Paua shells

On the wild and rocky shoreline of the southern tip of the North Island, only accessible with a proper 4WD car lies a cute surprise: A seal colony.

For non-locals, this spot is too well hidden to find on your own. The tour first takes you through a wind farm and you learn how these giant wind turbines work. Then your driver switches on the 4x4 and descents to the beach via a narrow and steep path. Many vehicles of non-experienced drivers have gotten stuck on this beach before and got swallowed by the tides.

A bit further down the beach, the seals are lazing on the rocks of the windy shore. Watch them chill out or play in the waves as you enjoy tea and cookies. 

This is also a great spot to walk around searching for paua. Often, the fishermen here are only interested in the edible part, leaving the colourful paua shell behind. Pick one up to take home as a souvenir!

What are your favourite things to do in Wellington? Let me know in the messages or the comments below!