Christchurch
Nearby
Akaroa Kaikoura Hanmer Springs Arthurs Pass Lake Tekapo Twizel Mt CookChristchurch: Understand
Population ~ 350,000
With over 10 years living here (combined) in “the garden city”, there is a lot we love about Christchurch – the proximity to the hills, the ocean and the mountains. Post-earthquake, the restaurant and café scene has also taken off!
Christchurch: Getting In & Out
By plane:
The Christchurch Airport is an international gateway to Christchurch and the South Island for national and international travelers.
There are frequent, daily flights to and from most New Zealand airports. We have two domestic airlines: Air New Zealand and Jetstar. Jetstar is frequently cheaper, but less reliable and more strict with luggage weight and size. We love everything about Air New Zealand (enjoy the ride if you fly with them!).
There are international services to Australia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Singapore, Thailand and United Arab.
Getting between the airport and city centre…
Christchurch Airport is located about 12 kilometers north west of the city centre.
Taking a bus from the airport to the city (and vice versa) costs $8 per adult one way, and you can buy tickets from the driver. The journey is approximately 30 minutes. You could take the purple line, or bus 29 to get between the airport and the bus interchange in the city center. At the airport, buses depart outside the far end of the international arrivals terminal. To see all options and plan your bus journey, take a look at the Metro Bus Journey Planner.
Another option would be a shuttle, which is approximately $25 per person and $4 per subsequent person. This is a door-to-door service and shuttles are typically shared with other passengers, so there may be multiple drop-off points. Super Shuttle is the most prominent shuttle company operating at the Christchurch airport.
A taxi would cost between $45-65 for a 15-20 minute journey between the airport and the city center.
Renting a car or campervan is a very popular way to see New Zealand. It allows for a lot of freedom, and there’s definitely a novelty factor! Major rental car companies have an office in the Christchurch Airport terminal. It is recommended that you book before arriving. Check out our handy guides Travel New Zealand by Campervan or Travel New Zealand by Car.
If you’re planning to park your own vehicle at the Christchurch airport, here is a handy link to pay and reserve your parking spot.
By car:
State Highway 1 (the main north-south arterial road in New Zealand) passes around the Western edge of Christchurch city and goes past the airport.
State Highway 73 leaves Christchurch heading West, linking to Arthur’s Pass and the West Coast. From State Highway 73 you can also access Mt Hutt and other regional ski fields.
By bus:
There are daily bus services between Christchurch and the North (ie. Picton), South (ie. Dunedin) and West (ie. Queenstown, West Coast and Mount Cook) stopping at other places in between. Take a look at the InterCity website to plan your bus journey.
There are also smaller shuttle operators, including Atomic Shuttles and ‘West Coast Shuttle‘ with routes to and from Christchurch and the West Coast / Arthurs Pass.
By train:
There are not many inter-city trains for passengers in New Zealand, but there is one between Greymouth (West Coast) and Christchurch which you can make a day out of (stunning scenery to enjoy en route!). The TranzAlpine train departs Christchurch daily at 8:15 am, arriving in Greymouth at 1:05 pm. The same train then departs Greymouth daily at 2:05 pm, arriving in Christchurch at 6:31 pm. You can also jump on the train in Arthurs Pass or a few other stops.
There is also a daily train operating from Picton to Christchurch, departing at 2:15 pm arriving at 8:30 pm daily. Or jump on the same train in Kaikōura at 5:20 pm. In reverse, you’d depart Christchurch at 7:00 am, departing Kaikōura at 10:16 am and arriving at 1:15 pm in Picton.
The Christchurch railway station is in Addington, behind the Tower Junction shopping center.
For full schedules and to book, take a look.
Christchurch: See & Do
The Christchurch Cathedral is worth a walk by. You can no longer go inside (you’ll see why once you arrive), but it’s pretty fascinating to see the result of the earthquake! A few blocks away, you’ll find the Cardboard Cathedral which is a fun building that popped up post-Earthquake.
The Margaret Mahy playground was finished just a year ago, and while it is designed for kids, teenagers also have a lot of fun there when the kids go home to bed!
New Regent Street is a cute wee pastel-building-lined street with great eating options, and an incredible ice-cream place called Rollickin Gelato.
The Arts Centre is made up of a few beautiful, old buildings, and 200 meters down the road is the (almost opposite, glass-walled) Art Gallery. Both free. Also nearby is the Canterbury Museum, which is open year-round with free entry.
Also right in the Centre of town is Hagley Park, and the Botanic Gardens in Hagley are worth a wander. For a hoot, you can go Punting on the Avon River (which runs through Hagley). Or hire a kayak, that’s fun too.
The Riccarton Farmers Markets are run every Saturday and always have a lovely, local vibe. Here you can pick up some organic veges, find a delicious lunch or grab a coffee and piece of cake and sit on the river bank listening to the live music.
The brand new Christchurch Central Library, Tūranga, opened on October 12th, 2018. 5 stories high with excellent wifi, and the perfect place to change pace for an hour or so.
The Antarctic Centre is near the airport, and they dress you up in a big jacket and you see some penguins!
If you’re interested in learning more about the Earthquake, you can check out Quake City for an exhibition, some of the stories and updates on current projects. There is also the 185 Empty White Chair Memorial, representing each person taken by the earthquake – it’s incredibly moving. And since then, an official Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial has been built along the river.
1-Day Trips Near Christchurch
The Port Hills are the closest range behind Christchurch, and have the best local views! They’re laden with tracks to explore by foot, bike, or you can drive up Dyers Pass Road to get the views with minimal effort. Our favourite tracks are Rapaki Track and Harry Ell Walkway in Victoria Park. Bridle Path is a goodie if you’re wanting a challenge..short, but super steep! Also in the Port Hills is the Christchurch Adventure Park – a mountain bike park complete with chair lifts, beginner to advanced trails and a cafe/bar with a view.
Biking in Christchurch
There are also a heap of biking tracks in Christchurch, many in the Port Hills, but there are also some other really neat tracks in and around the city. We find this site super easy to choose your track and route based on how much time you have, difficulty and location: check it out here.
Quail Island adventures – Take a half-day tour exploring Quail Island, home to many native birds and sea birds including the rare white-flippered little blue penguins. Check out the Black Cat Tours site for more info.
New Brighton pier juts out from a very long beach – great for a run or walk, flying a kite or snuggling up in the cafe and watching.
Sumner beach (20 minutes drive) is lovely, with good fish and chip options around! Utopia Ice is a very popular (for good reason) icecream spot in Sumner, with fun, adventures flavours being added all the time! And just over the hill from Sumner is Taylors Mistake (30 minutes drive) – a more isolated beach that’s also stunning, and is the starting point for the Godley Heads walkway (just a few minutes and you get glorious views, and can turn around at any point).
Lyttleton (25 minute drive) is a cute little Port Town, with a Saturday market (10am-1pm), superb cafes and fun opshops (second-hand clothing stores).
Diamond Harbour is a special wee village on the Banks Peninsula. There are plenty of Air Bnb options out here, or take the ferry across from Lyttelton for a picnic, a walk and an icecream! If you like chocolate, stop at She Chocolate on the way. Diamond Harbour is also the starting point for the Mt Herbert hike (approximately 5 hours return).
Weka Pass Historic Reserve is an hour drive out of Christchurch and it’s a really neat display of Māori art. It’s a 40-minute walk each way to get to the art site, and the walkway goes across private farmland. Because it’s across farmland, the track is closed during lambing season (1 August – 1 October). Getting there, the car park is just off state highway 7 heading towards Culverden.
Multi-Day Trips Near Christchurch
Akaroa (1.5 hour drive) is a gorgeous wee village with a French vibe. There are some nice walks from the village, and some great boat tours there are boat tours heading out into the harbour for whale watching (and other marine animals).
Little River is a potential stop, 30 minutes before Akaroa. There you’ll find a cafe, an art gallery, and a rail trail that follows all the way along the river (almost to Christchurch). There are some funky silos which have been repurposed for accommodation, and there’s also the stunning Pure Pods nestled in nature and almost completely glass for that natural immersion-factor.
Castle Hill (1 hour 20 drive) is pretty fun, with a scattering of giant boulders and a rocky outcrop. Fun fact: the Dalai Lama named Castle Hill the “Spiritual Centre of the Universe.” This is on the route to Arthurs Pass if you are heading through there.
Hanmer Springs (1.5 hour drive) is a popular destination, particularly in winter. Soak in the divine hot pools, maybe get a massage in the spa, find a wood-fire cooked pizza and nestle up in front of a fire back at your rented house. Hanmer also has some excellent mountain biking trails (all levels) and some fun hiking. In winter, the closest ski-field to Hanmer is Mt Lyford.
Christchurch: Eat & Drink
There is no shortage of good cafés in Christchurch … our favourites include:
Addington Coffee Co-op. – smoothies and coffee are primo, and the food won’t disappoint!
Unknown Chapter is an excellent brunch option, and while you wait for your meal sip away at a cup of well-made coffee.
C1 – be sure to order sliders or fries, and they’ll be delivered via the vacuum tube system in the roof! You can watch it happen…
Sign of the Kiwi cafe (top of Dyers Pass Road on the Port Hills) – walk up the Harry Ell track (or drive up) and enjoy some views as well as good food and drink options
For dinner or lunch, an awesome experience is Little High Eatery (a ‘fancy’ food court with great food options for $10-20 per meal).
27 Steps is a brilliant dinner option. At the more classy end, main meals start at the $33 mark, and each plate is a piece of art.
A great cheap option is Dmitri’s Souvlakis (Greek kebabs).
Fish and Chips is pretty much our national food. Red Snapper is a great choice to live the “fush ‘n’ chups” dream where you can eat your feast on Sumner beach!
A little bit out of town over the other side of the Port Hills you’ll find She Universe (25 minutes) which is quite the experience with views of Governors Bay and an entire menu of chocolate options … drinks, food, sweets.
The nightlife scene has been re-emerging in Christchurch, with no shortage of ‘nice drink’ options.
One area that recently opened and has been buzzing, is The Terrace. All neighbours, you could easily visit a few of these: Original Sin, Kong, Fat Eddies, Terrace Tavern, Craft Embassy, Botanic Christchurch and The Bangalore Polo Club Christchurch.
Another establishment with a few fun options is Dux Central – there’s the main restaurant area, plus the Emerald Room (a nice bar area), and the Poplar Social Club (through even another door!).
Poplar Lane is also quite fun, with a few choices for food and drink.
On New Regent Street is The Last Word, known in particular for their selection of Whisky, and The Happening also has a range of drink options plus good lunch & dinner menus. Also on New Regent Street you’ll find The Institution with a good selection of craft beers and a bartender who will whip up any cocktail requested, and Casa Publica on the corner is known for their Mexican-flair food, selection of alcoholic drinks, and sometimes salsa dancing!
Christchurch: Sleep
The best area to stay in Christchurch would be the city center near to Hagley Park. Or, if you have a rental car you can be a bit more flexible – perhaps get an Airbnb in Sumner and wake up to ocean views!
In the city…
A very cozy, homely option is Foley Towers BBH ($). The perfect place to chill out with gardens, a big kitchen, and lovely staff. They’ve got free off-street parking, which would be a win if you’ve got a rental car.
Urbanz ($) is well-located, clean and spacious.
There’s YHA Christchurch ($) and YHA Rolleston ($), both cheap options, well located with all the basics covered.
The YMCA Christchurch ($) is a Charitable Trust, using profits to support Youth Development. As well as the hostel, they also have a gym (and a rock climbing wall!) plus a small cafe.
Or for a real treat, check out The Classic Villa ($$$). This bed & breakfast is an Italian-style historic home, which has been renovated and refurbished with elegant touches. It is one of the finest boutique hotels in Christchurch.
Other excellent options
Just the other side of Hagley Park in Addington (20-minute walk), you can sleep in a historic former jail! Jailhouse Accommodation ($) has super friendly staff, you’re close to excellent eating and drinking options, and the hostel is set back off the main road so is nice and quiet! Want write home to say you spent a couple nights in prison?
If you want to stay close to the airport (when close = 10 minutes walking), there is the option to stay at JUCY Snooze ($). There are some awesome shared spaces (hammocks included), and you can sleep in a pod! Super clean and modern.
Where to next?
Nearby in Canterbury:
Akaroa Kaikoura Hanmer Springs Arthurs Pass Lake Tekapo Twizel Mt Cook
Nearby Regions:
Nelson-Marlborough West Coast OtagoLargest South Island city