The city of Hamilton is situated on the banks of New Zealand’s Waikato River and is famous for its thriving culinary scene, award-winning gardens, and vibrant nightlife. It’s a city best enjoyed at a slow pace, taking in its beautiful riverside and enjoying its many manicured gardens.
Explore Waikato River
The Waikato River is loved by locals and visitors alike. It’s the ultimate way to experience the city, offering a unique perspective and a genuine sense of tranquillity. Jump on the Waikato River Explorer to enjoy a relaxing scenic cruise, with the added option of a wine tasting trip, and even lunch at a number of fantastic country cafes around the region. There is a range of fantastic cruise options to choose from. Scenic cruises depart from the Hamilton Gardens jetty all year round and operate on a winter and summer schedule. Be sure to check availability and book ahead.
Hamilton Zoo
Hamilton Zoo is home to an impressive array of animals, with over 600 native and exotic species, including the only tapirs in New Zealand. The zoo is also home to New Zealand’s largest free-flight aviary, which is dedicated to native birds and plants. The zoo also offers visitors the opportunity to see exotic species, such as giraffes, zebras, chimpanzees, red pandas, lemurs and Sumatran tigers. If you’re travelling with kids, they’ll love the daily Meet the Keeper talks where you’ll get to know the animals a bit more.
See Hamilton’s Famous Gardens
No visit to Hamilton would be complete without a visit to its mesmerising gardens. Here you can explore a world of award-winning gardens, each of which tells its own unique story. The gardens are not like typical botanical gardens. Instead, they focus on cultures from different regions of the world. As you wander through all of the different sections, you’ll be greeted with vastly different spaces, each thematically different, relating to different civilisations, traditions, cultures, and lifestyles. One of the best ways to experience the gardens is on a guided tour, where expert knowledge gives you the inside scoop on how the gardens were originally transformed from a rubbish dump into the world-renowned, award-winning gardens that they are today.
Waikato Museum
Waikato Museum is an excellent way to spend an afternoon, with exhibitions offering regional and global perspectives on art, history, and much more. Situated on the banks of the Waikato River, in the heart of Hamilton's cultural precinct, Waikato Museum's 13 galleries feature more than 25 new exhibitions and 100 public events annually. Head here and enjoy and lazy afternoon exploring the collection.
Hobbiton
Just under an hour’s drive from Hamilton is Hobbiton, the movie set featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Hobbiton Movie Set is the only set that remains intact from the trilogy. A tour here allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in the wonders of The Shire, wandering through the beautiful landscape, seeing the most famous locations from the movies.
