Cultural Capital: Why Wellington Is The Best Spot For A City Break This Winter

Head to Wellington for your next getaway, where you can indulge in the best eats, treats, culture and unforgettable entertainment this winter.

Wellington is full of surprises and hidden gems making it the perfect destination for your next winter trip. Visitors are spoiled for choice with exceptional eats, diverse street art, and world-class fashion, theatre, music, sports events, and beautiful nature walks, all on offer in Wellington’s vibrant downtown area.

It makes for a compact, walkable city break. There’s something for everyone, and with an easy drive or flight time, Wellington is well within striking distance wherever you live in Aotearoa.

Whether you’re visiting family and friends, taking a trip with your besties, or finally treating yourself to that long-overdue weekend escape, Wellington has lots to discover and explore, letting you pack plenty into a short getaway.

The nation’s capital is a food lover’s paradise, and you can indulge by eating your way around the city during Visa Wellington On a Plate — New Zealand’s biggest food festival. Be quick to enjoy the first serving from May 5-21, or plan your visit for August 11-27 when festival favourites, Burger Wellington presented by Garage Project, and Aotearoa’s largest celebration of craft beer, Beervana, return.

The city is bursting with culture, with the trail-blazing biennial Kia Mau Festival running June 2-17, celebrating contemporary Māori, Pasifika, and international indigenous live and digital performance. Matariki Ki Pōneke Festival celebrations will be in full swing in July, a special occasion marking the start of the Māori New Year. Celebrate Matariki — and just the second Te Rā Aro ki a Matariki national public holiday on July 14 — at one of the many events and exhibitions taking place throughout the Wellington region. The city’s waterfront will offer plenty of whānau fun with large-scale projections, performances, fires, installations, and exhibitions.

Renowned for its creative streak, Wellington is home to international film production houses, art galleries, exhibits, and flamboyant events that highlight the cutting edge of New Zealand theatre, fashion, and design.

The World of Wearable Art (WOW) Show, Aotearoa’s single largest theatrical production, runs September 20 to October 8 at TSB Arena — a must-see annual event attracting an audience of over 60,000 people. Take in the incredible works of wearable art, dancers, aerialists, and music, all revolving around the world’s leading wearable art competition for designers from around the globe working in radical and innovative ways.

If lively stage productions are more your thing, get along to Kinky Boots, the award-winning musical extravaganza scored by pop icon, Cyndi Lauper. Audiences will be dancing in the aisles from June 28 - July 15, at the beautiful St James Theatre, in the heart of the city’s entertainment district on Courtenay Place.

The St James will also host one of Broadway’s biggest blockbusters, with Wicked, the untold true story of the witches of Oz, launching its Wellington premiere season from August 17 to September 3.

Wicked tells the story of what happened in the Land of Oz but from a different angle — so catch it while you can. With a thrilling score that includes the hits ‘Defying Gravity’, ‘Popular’, and ‘For Good’, Wicked has been hailed by The New York Times as “the defining musical of the decade” and Time magazine as “a magical Broadway musical with brains, heart, and courage.”

For big kids that grew up building LEGO sets and watching 90s blockbuster science fiction films, head to Jurassic World by Brickman from June 3 to October 16 — the first exhibition to be held in Tākina, Wellington’s brand-new Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Take a trip back in time to Jurassic World, as Ryan (the Brickman) McNaught reimagines the iconic film franchise in the largest LEGO brick exhibition in New Zealand. The exhibition will feature large-scale dinosaurs, props, scenes, and activities made from over six million LEGO bricks.

Round out your visit with delicious bites and tipples from a cosy Wellington bar or restaurant. Pop into 22-seater Graze Wine Bar in Kelburn for handpicked organic wines and tasty tapas, or seek out old-fashioned cocktails at hidden speakeasy-style bars, Night Flower and Hawthorn Lounge. And what’s cosier than a crumpet with butter? A cocktail bar called Crumpet that serves crumpets with butter (and cocktails, of course).

Set in a charming cottage just outside of the city centre, Rita serves up a delicious set menu that changes by day, mood, and weather. Be sure to book ahead – Rita isn’t a drop-in kind of a place; you need to book in for one of the two staggered sittings each night. If European soul food is more your style, head to Field & Green where the service is always warm and welcoming, and the menu is filled with classy comfort food like smoked fish kedgeree, fish finger sandwiches, and house-churned ice cream.

What are you waiting for?

Plan your winter visit at WellingtonNZ.com.