Three Best & Budget-Friendly Attractions For Under 5 USD In Wellington

Three Best & Budget-Friendly Attractions For Under 5 USD In Wellington
Mady
Mady 
Updated
| 3 min read

Wellington is New Zealand’s capital city and with that comes a range of tourist attractions you must visit! The following recommended sites are within walking distance of one another so it is possible to do all three in a single day! Here are the top three attractions to check out on your holiday for under 5 USD!

Grab your walking shoes and learn something new in Wellington!

Make a beeline for this iconic building

Grab your camera and snap a few photos of the iconic Beehive building!

Opened in 1977, the Beehive building is an architectural feature of Wellington and is part of the parliament buildings. This iconic world renowned building is where the Prime Minister’s office is located, and if you’re lucky enough, you may even catch a glimpse of him! Located on Molesworth Street in the heart of Wellington, it is easy to access on foot or by bus. Tours are available and can be booked online or at the visitors centre onsite.

You can also walk around the exterior of the building, through manicured gardens and visit the other buildings on site. This is totally free of charge so make sure you take your camera and get a few good snaps of the iconic buildings and its gardens. This is a great way to get an idea of the historic style buildings that are found everywhere in Wellington.

Experience a bit of history at Te Papa Museum

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Ulrich Lange, Boc... used under CC BY 3.0

Te Papa Museum or the Museum of New Zealand is a great way to experience New Zealand’s history and culture. There is a range of ever changing exhibitions and it has something for everyone to enjoy. There are some excellent permanent exhibitions dedicated to Maori culture and pre-European New Zealand that are worth looking at, as well as a good selection of exhibitions for children and families. The best time to visit is first thing in the morning, although be prepared to wait in line for some of the popular exhibitions such as the director Peter Jackson’s exhibit on World War 1 (director of the Lord of the Rings!).

Entry is free with the option of a donation. There are usually 1-2 exhibits that cost extra to visit, but you can view these on the website and read reviews before making a decision. Tours can also be arranged at the main reception for an extra cost. Te Papa is located on the waterfront and can be accessed via Queen’s Wharf or by car with plenty of parking available. On the ground floor, there is a cafe and excellent gift shop with a range of souvenirs and exhibit specific gifts, as well as a coat room for a small fee.

You can allocate most of a day here or if you are pressed for time, a couple of hours should suffice.

Hitch a ride on the Wellington Cable Car

The historic Cable car is a unique tourist attraction only avaliable in Wellington!

The Wellington Cable Car is a unique attraction that is popular with both locals and tourists alike. The Cable Car, which is from the late 1800s has been kept in its original condition with a wooden interior and the original paint colors. The Cable Car takes you from the main street, Lambton Quay, to a lookout point above the city in the suburb of Kelburn. You climb aboard the Cable Car from a dark underground platform actually built into the side of the hill. You then climb the side of the hill through colourfully lit tunnels until you reach the top with look outs both indoors and outdoors. It is a great way to see Wellington from above and get a bird’s-eye view over the spectacular scenery below. Allocate a good few hours here as there is plenty to do at the scenic viewpoint at the top. The Cable Car has a set timetable and runs every 10 minutes during the peak summer season.

Once at the top, there is a small museum about the Cable Car that is easily missed. Just head toward the old buildings by the road just a few meters from the viewpoint and you will find it! As well as the museum, the Wellington Botanic Gardens and observatory are located here with walkways to both areas that are well signposted from the viewpoint.

Weekdays are the best time to visit this attraction and try to get in before the midday rush. Tickets can be purchased from the booth onsite or online. A return adult ticket is very reasonable at only 7.50 NZD (3 USD). You can choose to go one way and find your own way back to the city by walking or bus.

Budget friendly and time friendly tourist attractions in Wellington!

While there is plenty to do in Wellington, the best part about these three attractions is that at each one there so much to see and they will please all ages. You get to experience a piece of unique New Zealand history and culture for cheaper than the price of dinner! It’s highly recommended to take good walking shoes with you and make the most of being able to walk to all three. Walking will let you feel and see what the cities all about.

Now that you have saved yourself some money, make sure you grab some of the amazing food available here too!

Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Mady is lucky enough to live in the beautiful beach side suburb of Papamoa New Zealand. She enjoys the beautiful outdoors, crafts, interior design and of course travelling! She has been lucky...Read more

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