Things to do · Christchurch · New Zealand
18 best things to do in Christchurch
18 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Greg O'Beirne, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Christchurch are Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Punting on the Avon and Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū. Of the 18 picks below, 10 are free, 5 work on a rainy day and 12 suit children. Allow about 3 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Christchurch Botanic Gardens
- Free sights
- 10
- Good on a rainy day
- Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū
- Time to see the highlights
- 3 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christchurch Botanic Gardens | Central City | 1.5–2 hours | Free |
| Punting on the Avon | Central City | 30 minutes | Mid-priced |
| Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū | Central City | 1.5 hours | Free |
| Transitional Cathedral | Central City | 30 minutes | Free |
| Christchurch Gondola | Port Hills | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| International Antarctic Centre | Christchurch Airport | 2–3 hours | Expensive |
| Orana Wildlife Park | McLeans Island | Half a day | Expensive |
| Willowbank Wildlife Reserve | Northwood | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Riverside Market | Central City | 1 hour | Low cost |
| New Regent Street and the heritage tram | Central City | 30–60 minutes | Free |
| Tūranga central library | Central City | 45 minutes | Free |
| Margaret Mahy Family Playground | Central City | 1–2 hours | Free |
| New Brighton Pier and He Puna Taimoana | New Brighton | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Sumner Beach and Cave Rock | Sumner | 2 hours | Free |
| Riccarton House and Bush | Riccarton | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Air Force Museum of New Zealand | Wigram | 1.5–2 hours | Free |
| Port Hills walks and the Bridle Path | Port Hills | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Lyttelton | Lyttelton | Half a day | Low cost |
The 18 best things to do
Garden · Central City
1.Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Founded in 1863 inside a loop of the Avon River, the 21-hectare gardens include a heritage rose garden, a New Zealand plants section, glasshouses and some of the country's largest exotic trees. They open onto the wider lawns and paths of Hagley Park.
Visit in spring for the daffodils and blossom in Hagley Park, or in April for autumn colour.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Kids
Experience · Central City
2.Punting on the Avon
Punters in boaters and striped jackets pole flat-bottomed boats along the Avon (Ōtākaro) beneath willows and past the Botanic Gardens. Trips leave from the historic Antigua Boat Sheds, which date from 1882, where you can also hire canoes and paddleboats.
Choose a late-afternoon trip on a calm, sunny day; blankets are provided on cooler days.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Couples
- Kids
- Outdoors
Gallery · Central City
3.Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū
The city's public art gallery, behind a curving glass facade completed in 2003, holds New Zealand art from colonial painting to contemporary Māori and Pacific work, alongside changing exhibitions. General entry is free.
Look for the large outdoor works around the building and nearby streets, part of the gallery's public art programme.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
.jpg){kind=link}
Religious site · Central City
4.Transitional Cathedral
Designed by the Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and opened in 2013, the 'Cardboard Cathedral' replaced the earthquake-damaged Christ Church Cathedral as the city's Anglican cathedral. Its A-frame is made of large cardboard tubes under a polycarbonate roof, with a triangular stained-glass window at the front.
Visit when the sun is behind the coloured glass window in the afternoon.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Free
- Off the beaten path
Viewpoint · Port Hills
5.Christchurch Gondola
Cabins climb Mount Cavendish on the Port Hills to a summit station with a café and views over Lyttelton Harbour, the Canterbury Plains and, on clear days, the Southern Alps. Walking tracks lead along the crater rim from the top.
Go on a clear morning for the best chance of seeing the Alps, and walk part of the Crater Rim track.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
- Outdoors
Museum · Christchurch Airport
6.International Antarctic Centre
Next to the airport, where Antarctic programmes have flown south for decades, this centre has a storm room with sub-zero wind chill, a colony of rescued little blue penguins, a 4D theatre and rides in an all-terrain Hägglund vehicle.
Schedule it on your arrival or departure day, as it is a few minutes from the terminal.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Zoo · McLeans Island
7.Orana Wildlife Park
New Zealand's open-range zoo, on the city's north-western edge, keeps lions, giraffes, rhinos and gorillas in large enclosures, as well as native kiwi, tuatara and birds. Guided encounters and feeding sessions run through the day.
Plan your visit around the scheduled animal feeds and talks listed at the entrance.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Zoo · Northwood
8.Willowbank Wildlife Reserve
This wildlife reserve in the northern suburbs focuses on native species such as kiwi, kea, kākā and tuatara, plus farm animals children can feed. Evening guided tours give a good chance of seeing kiwi active in a natural setting.
Book an evening kiwi tour; the nocturnal birds are much easier to see then.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- After dark
Market · Central City
1.Riverside Market
Opened in 2019 beside the Avon, this covered market has greengrocers, butchers, bakers and cheese stalls downstairs and food counters, bars and restaurants on several levels, from dumplings to Canterbury produce.
Come at lunchtime and pick from several stalls, then eat by the river on the Terrace.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Street · Central City
2.New Regent Street and the heritage tram
Built in the early 1930s, this short pedestrian street of pastel Spanish Mission-style shopfronts survived the earthquakes and is now lined with cafés and small shops. The restored heritage trams run through it on a central-city loop past Cathedral Square and the Art Gallery.
A tram ticket is a hop-on, hop-off pass for the day and comes with a driver's commentary.
- Time needed
- 30–60 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Free
- Kids
- Photo spot
Architecture · Central City
3.Tūranga central library
Opened in 2018 on Cathedral Square, the five-floor library has a striking facade of fins inspired by Ngāi Tahu stories, a large children's area, digital and maker spaces, and views over the square from the upper floors. It is free and open to visitors.
Head to the upper levels for a view over Cathedral Square and the rebuilding cathedral.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Architecture
Park · Central City
4.Margaret Mahy Family Playground
Opened in 2015 on the Avon riverbank and named after the Christchurch children's author, this is one of the largest playgrounds in the Southern Hemisphere, with a giant slide tower, water play, climbing nets and flying fox. It is free.
Bring a change of clothes for the water-play area in summer.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Free
- Outdoors
Beach · New Brighton
5.New Brighton Pier and He Puna Taimoana
New Brighton's long surf beach has a 300-metre concrete pier with a library at its base, and next to it He Puna Taimoana, a set of hot saltwater pools opened in 2021 with views of the sea. It is about 20 minutes east of the centre.
Book a hot-pool session at sunset, then walk to the end of the pier.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Couples
Beach · Sumner
6.Sumner Beach and Cave Rock
Sumner's sandy beach is the city's favourite for swimming and surfing in summer, with Cave Rock, a volcanic outcrop with a sea cave, at one end and a seafront of cafés and ice-cream shops. The cliff walk to Taylors Mistake starts nearby.
Swim between the lifeguard flags in summer and climb Cave Rock at low tide.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
.jpg){kind=link}
Historic site · Riccarton
7.Riccarton House and Bush
Riccarton House, built in 1856, stands next to Riccarton Bush, a fenced remnant of native kahikatea forest with trees several hundred years old. A popular farmers' market sets up in the grounds on Saturday mornings.
Visit on a Saturday morning for the farmers' market, then walk the short forest loop.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Nature
- Food
- Free
Museum · Wigram
8.Air Force Museum of New Zealand
At the former Wigram air base, where New Zealand military aviation began, the museum displays restored aircraft from early biplanes to Skyhawks and helicopters. General entry is free.
Combine it with a rainy-day afternoon; it is about 15 minutes by car from the centre.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Free
- History
Nature · Port Hills
9.Port Hills walks and the Bridle Path
The volcanic Port Hills separate the city from Lyttelton Harbour and are crossed by many walking and mountain-bike tracks. The Bridle Path, used by early settlers to carry goods over from the port, climbs steeply from Heathcote to the crater rim with views over the harbour.
Walk up the Bridle Path and down to Lyttelton for lunch, then catch the bus back through the tunnel.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
- Free
Neighbourhood · Lyttelton
10.Lyttelton
The port town through the tunnel has steep streets of wooden houses, independent bars and cafés, and a farmers' market on Saturday mornings. A small ferry crosses the harbour to Diamond Harbour, giving a cheap harbour cruise.
Go on a Saturday morning for the market, then take the ferry to Diamond Harbour and back.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Views
- Off the beaten path
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, International Antarctic Centre and Air Force Museum of New Zealand |
| History | Riccarton House and Bush and Air Force Museum of New Zealand |
| Views | Christchurch Gondola, Port Hills walks and the Bridle Path and Lyttelton |
| Outdoors and nature | Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Punting on the Avon, Christchurch Gondola and International Antarctic Centre |
| Food and markets | Riverside Market, Riccarton House and Bush and Lyttelton |
| After dark | Willowbank Wildlife Reserve |
| With children | Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Punting on the Avon, Christchurch Gondola and International Antarctic Centre |
| On a rainy day | Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, International Antarctic Centre, Riverside Market and Tūranga central library |
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Christchurch?
Christchurch Botanic Gardens. Founded in 1863 inside a loop of the Avon River, the 21-hectare gardens include a heritage rose garden, a New Zealand plants section, glasshouses and some of the country's largest exotic trees.
+What can you do for free in Christchurch?
Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Transitional Cathedral, New Regent Street and the heritage tram and Tūranga central library. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Christchurch when it rains?
Head indoors to Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, International Antarctic Centre, Riverside Market and Tūranga central library.
+What is there to do in Christchurch at night?
Willowbank Wildlife Reserve are best after dark.