Month guide · Wellington · New Zealand
Wellington in May
What May is really like in Wellington: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
_(53532605708).jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
May is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 15°C (59°F), lows of 9°C (48°F), about 11 rainy days and roughly 9.8 hours of daylight. Cool and increasingly wet; a good month for museums, galleries and cafés.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 15°C (59°F) / 9°C (48°F)
- Rainy days
- About 11
- Daylight
- About 9.8 hours
- Sea temperature
- 14°C (57°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in May
May is the 7th-warmest month in Wellington: days average 15°C (59°F) against a yearly average high of 16°C (61°F), and nights fall to about 9°C (48°F). Rain falls on roughly 11 of its 31 days. Compared with April (17°C (63°F)), May is cooler; by June highs drop to around 13°C (55°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 07:22
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 17:12
- Daylight
- About 9.8 hours
- Sea
- 14°C (57°F)
Winter (June–August). Cool and wet with occasional clear, still days; seals on the south coast and the August food festival.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 2 for crowds (the peak is January at 4) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in January). That makes May one of the better-value months to book.
Events in May
May has no major recurring festival in Wellington, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in May
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Experience · Miramar
Wētā Cave and Wētā Workshop tours
Book a workshop tour if you are interested in film-making; the free Wētā Cave alone takes only about 20 minutes.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours with a tour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Art
Architecture · Lambton Quay and CBD
Parliament and the Beehive
New Zealand's Parliament buildings include the Edwardian Parliament House, the Gothic Parliamentary Library and the circular Beehive, the executive wing designed by Basil Spence and completed in the late 1970s.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Lambton Quay and CBD
Wellington Museum
Combine it with a ferry trip from Queens Wharf to Matiu/Somes Island or Days Bay.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
Gallery · Te Aro
City Gallery Wellington
On Civic Square, the city's public art gallery shows changing exhibitions of contemporary New Zealand and international art in a converted 1940s library building.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
What to pack
For highs near 15°C, lows near 9°C and 11 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Wellington?
A quieter month with trade-offs. If your dates are flexible, December–March are better overall. Compare every month.
Wellington in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Wellington?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cool and increasingly wet; a good month for museums, galleries and cafés.
+How warm is Wellington in May?
Average highs are around 15°C (59°F) and lows around 9°C (48°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Wellington in May?
Expect rain on about 11 days of the month.