The best things to do in Wellington with kids

Nature walks and parks for kids Wellington

Getting some fresh air with the family is a great way to enjoy Wellington with kids! Luckily, there are tons of options for nature walks, wildlife reserves, and parks where you can enjoy the outdoors.

Here is a (fairly exhaustive) list of some great outdoor activities you can do with kids in Wellington.

Get into nature!

There are plenty of places where you can go out for a nice walk or hike with the kids, check out some nature and wildlife, or take in a panoramic view of Wellington!

• Zealandia
• Staglands Wildlife Reserve
• Mount Kaukau
• Matiu / Somes Island
• Pinnacles Track
• Red Rocks Reserve
• Orongorongo Track
• Rimutaka Rail Trail
• Queen Elizabeth Park
• Wellington Wind Turbine
• Mount Victoria
• Kaitoke Regional Park
• Belmont Regional Park
• Maitarangi Nature Trail
• Tresslick Park
• Waihinahina Park

Other parks

There are plenty of other green spaces and city parks to enjoy with the family in Wellington! Here are just a few options to check out:

• Central Park
• Frank Kitts Park
• Charles Plimmer Park
• Grasslees Reserve
• Khandallah Park
• Kilbirnie Park
• Northland Park

Go coastal! Beaches & bays

Wellington has a wealth of beaches and coastline. This can make for a wonderful family outing! The following are some beaches, bays, and coastal trails for you to visit and enjoy the oceanside with the kids.

• Scorching Bay
• Oriental Bay
• Lyall Bay
• Island Bay
• Days Bay
• Maraka Beach
• Eastbourne Beach
• Petone Foreshore
• Pencarrow Coastal Trail
• Oruaiti Reserve
• Aotea Lagoon

Gardens

Wellington is home to some gorgeous gardens! You can take the kids on a garden walk in one of the following places:

• Lady Norwood Rose Garden
• Katherine Mansfield House and Garden
• Gillies Garden
• Wellington Botanical Garden
• Government House Garden Wellington
• Matuku Gardens
• Pepped Warbeck
• Otari-wilton’s Bush Native Botanic Garden

Arts, Musea, and Science

Wellington is also a hub for art, science, and more, which makes it a perfect place to visit museums and galleries for a fun and educational outing with the family! Here are some great fun and educational things to do with the kids in Wellington:

• Wellington Museum
• Te Papa
• Southward Car Museum
• The Dowse Art Museum
• City Gallery Wellington
• Carter Observatory
• Petone Settlers Museum
• Capital E
• Cable Car Museum
• NZ Portrait Gallery
• Pataka Art + Museum
• Weta Workshop
• City to Sea Bridge
• Free Guided Tours of Parliament Buildings
• The Heritage Centre
• NZ Police Museum

Other kid friendly Wellington attractions

There are even more Wellington specific places and activities that are great for kids. For example, you can:

• Grab some tasty treats at the Harbourside Market
• Stroll along the Wellington Waterfront
• Visit the Wellington Chocolate Factory
• Take a ride on a Cable Car
• Check out the Bucket fountain

Kids Activity Inspiration inside and outside Wellington

Having fun with the family in Wellington doesn’t necessarily mean you have to visit a specific museum or place. There are plenty of other activities that you can do with kids to enjoy all that Wellington has to offer.

Here are some more of our favourite ideas:

• Go bowling
• See a movie
• Go swimming
• Visit a trampoline park
• Biking
• Treetop, zipline and climbing parks
• Canoe/kayak
• Mini golf
• Indoor playground
• Indoor climbing

Hopefully this helps give you some inspiration for family activities to do in Wellington with the kids. Did we miss out on one of your favourite activities? Let us know and we may add it to the list!