Wellington 3-Day Arts & Adventure Itinerary
Coffee Capital + Middle-Earth Pilgrimage βοΈ π Transport Tips Snapper Card (for buses/ferries, available at convenience stores) Free City Cable Car (starts at Lambton Quay) π Day 1: Cultural Exploration Route: Te Papa Museum β Cuba Street β Parliament β Oriental Bay π Morning 9:00 Te Papa Museum (Free! Must-see: giant squid specimen + earthquake house) 11:00 Old St Paul's Cathedral (Wooden Gothic architecture, stunning light effects) βοΈ Lunch: Fidel's CafΓ© (Cuba St legend) π 234 Cuba St β Must-try: Cuban sandwich + ginger lemonade ($18) ποΈ Afternoon 13:30 Parliament (Free guided tours, see the "Beehive" building) 15:00 Cable Car β Botanic Garden (Best during April-Oct for rhododendron blooms) 17:00 Oriental Bay (Tide pools & sunset stroll) π Dinner: Logan Brown (Local favorite for celebrations) π Try Wellington steak with dark beer sauce (Student special: $45) π Day 2: Nature Adventure Route: Mt. Victoria β Zealandia β Red Rocks Coast π Morning 8:00 Mt. Victoria Hike (Lord of the Rings filming location) π 360Β° city & strait views 10:00 Zealandia Sanctuary ($20 student ticket, book ahead for kiwi bird spotting) π΄ Lunch: The Hangar (Aviation-themed cafΓ©) π Try eggs Benedict ($16) among plane parts decor π Afternoon 13:30 Red Rocks Coast (Bus #1, spot seals at low tide) 16:00 Wellington Zoo ($17 student ticket, see red pandas!) π£ Dinner: Nishimu Sushi Train (Best conveyor-belt sushi) π *Salmon sushi $3.5/plate, Wed student discount: 20% off* π Day 3: Movie Magic & Stargazing Route: Weta Workshop β Carter Observatory β Waterfront Market π¬ Morning 9:00 Weta Workshop (Avatar & LOTR effects studio) π $45 tour β touch real Gollum models! 11:00 Miramar Peninsula (LOTR filming locations) π Afternoon 13:00 Carter Observatory ($12 student ticket, Southern Hemisphere star show) 15:00 Waterfront Market (Weekend-only! Handmade wool goods) π΄ Dinner: Dragonfly (Asian fusion) π *Soft-shell crab bao + lychee cocktail ($25)* βοΈ Coffee Loverβs Bonus L'affare (Industrial-chic pioneer) π Latte + fresh croissant Midnight Espresso (24/7 artsy hangout) π Cuba Street β οΈ Local Pro Tips 1οΈβ£ Pack a windproof jacket! (Avg. 27km/h winds are no joke π¨) 2οΈβ£ Cookie Time cookies (Supermarket > airport β half price!) 3οΈβ£ Snapper Card saves 30% vs. cash fares 4οΈβ£ All museums closed Mondays π° Total Budget: $350β500 (Hostels $30/night + transport $30) Like & Save β€οΈβοΈ for South Island glacier guides next! #MiddleEarth #Wellington #NewZealand #StudyAbroadTravel