Visas & entry
New Zealand requires most visitors to hold either a visa or an NZeTA before travel; Australian citizens and permanent residents have different entry arrangements. Check Immigration New Zealand for your passport’s current rule before booking, as airline boarding checks are strict.
Getting in
- Wellington Airport: The main gateway for the whole region, with domestic links across New Zealand and international flights, notably from Australia and the Pacific. It is close to Wellington City; hire a car only when leaving the city for Wairarapa, Cape Palliser, Castlepoint or rural Kāpiti.
- Wellington Ferry Terminal: Interislander and Bluebridge ferries from Picton make this the practical arrival point for South Island travellers bringing a car or camper. The terminal is beside the rail station and a short hop from the CBD, but ferry sailings are weather-sensitive across Cook Strait.
- Wellington Railway Station: Useful for arrivals from the lower North Island on services including the Capital Connection from Palmerston North, and for rail access from the Wairarapa towns. It is a city-centre transport hub rather than a realistic long-distance gateway for most international visitors.
Getting around
Wellington City is compact enough to walk, with buses, the cable car and rail making a car more nuisance than advantage. Metlink trains are a strong backbone for Petone, Hutt Valley, Porirua, Paekākāriki, Waikanae and Masterton, but they do not solve the last mile. Rent a car for Martinborough wineries, Cape Palliser, Castlepoint, rural Wairarapa and most trailheads; collect it when leaving the city, not on arrival.
Money
New Zealand uses the New Zealand dollar (NZD). Cards and contactless payment work almost everywhere in Wellington and larger towns, but carry some cash or a backup card for small rural businesses, markets and isolated coastal stops. Tipping is optional, not expected; round up or tip for notably good service if you wish.
Daily budget · NZD
- Value
- NZ$130–220
- Mid-range
- NZ$250–400
- High-end
- NZ$550+
- These are realistic per-person daily bands excluding international flights, assuming two people share a room and car costs where relevant.
- Wellington City can be done at the lower end with a hostel, supermarket breakfasts, buses and one paid attraction; accommodation is the main constraint in summer and during major events.
- For a comfortable city stay, allow roughly NZ$180–300 for a good double room per night, NZ$40–80 for meals and coffee, and NZ$25–60 a day for museums, tours or local transport.
- Wairarapa is not cheap once you add a rental car, petrol, winery tastings and rural accommodation. A car shared by two is the sensible way to reach Martinborough, Cape Palliser, Castlepoint and trailheads.
- Kāpiti Island, Zealandia by Night, Wētā Workshop and ferry trips are the budget-spiking add-ons; plan one substantial paid experience per day rather than stacking them.
- Book Wellington accommodation early for late December–January, CubaDupa, August food-and-beer festivals and WOW. Martinborough weekend stays command a premium year-round, especially in harvest season.
Eating well
- Reserve Martinborough dinner, cellar-door meals and rural accommodation on weekends; the village has limited dining depth compared with Wellington City.
- For a winery day, cycle or use a driver only when weather and fitness are suitable; do not plan Cape Palliser after drinking.
- August is not a quiet dining month: Visa Wellington On a Plate and Beervana make restaurants, ticketed events and central hotels busy. Book headline sessions early.
- During CubaDupa in March and WOW in spring, central Wellington restaurants and accommodation face real demand; book rather than winging it.
- Use Wellington City for variety and late meals; treat Wairarapa restaurants as part of a slower, pre-planned overnight rather than relying on spontaneous rural options.
Book before you land
- Treat Wellington wind as a practical issue, not a joke: carry a waterproof windproof layer year-round, and expect exposed harbour, south-coast and ferry plans to change.
- Use Wellington City as the base for a short first visit; make one substantial day trip at a time. Petone/Eastbourne, Kāpiti and Martinborough are not sensible additions to the same day.
- A Wairarapa train gets you to Featherston or Masterton, not to Martinborough wineries, Cape Palliser or Castlepoint. Without a car, book a transfer, cycle operator or tour in advance.
- Check Metlink shortly before travel, particularly over Christmas–late January, when rail replacement buses and engineering works can disrupt the Wairarapa line.
- Ferries to Days Bay, Mātiu/Somes and island destinations are weather-sensitive. Do not build a non-refundable onward plan around a harbour crossing.
- For Kāpiti Island, follow biosecurity rules closely: authorised operators inspect bags, private landings are not allowed, and seasonal track closures can apply.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this region.
Season by season
December–February (summer)
Longest, warmest days make beaches, harbour ferries, Kāpiti Island and Wairarapa weekends easiest, though Wellington can still be sharply windy with cool southerly evenings.
This is the priciest period for accommodation, rental cars and rural stays, especially from late December through January; reserve weather-dependent island trips well ahead.
March–May (autumn)
March stays pleasantly warm, while April and May bring cooler evenings, lighter crowds and Wairarapa grape-harvest atmosphere.
Outdoor days shorten through May, and CubaDupa can make central Wellington crowded and expensive in March.
June–August (winter)
Expect cool, damp, blustery weather and early darkness, with colder nights but occasional crisp clear days in Wairarapa.
It is poor weather for beach-focused travel, exposed walks and flexible ferry plans; August food-and-beer festivals reverse the usual winter quiet.
September–November (spring)
The region is green and bright but highly unsettled, with persistent wind and weather-sensitive ferry and island access; November begins the summer booking rush.
Do not choose spring for reliable beach weather, and book ahead for Kāpiti Island, Wētā tours and summer stays by November.
Events worth planning around
CubaDupa · Usually March · Central Wellington
This large free street arts and music weekend closes central streets and makes CBD accommodation scarce; book early or avoid it for a quieter city stay.
Visa Wellington On a Plate · Usually August · Wellington City and participating regional venues
Restaurants, special menus and ticketed food events become busy despite winter; reserve sought-after meals and central accommodation early.
Beervana · Usually August · Wellington City
This major craft-beer festival drives up demand for central hotels and its headline sessions sell out; book tickets and rooms early.
World of WearableArt (WOW) · Usually September or October · Wellington City
A flagship show that puts real pressure on city accommodation and dining; confirm dates before locking in a spring stay.
What to eat
Eat in Wellington City for serious coffee, craft beer and compact, high-quality casual dining; Te Aro/Cuba Street is the default, but Petone’s Jackson Street is the better change of scene. Cross the Remutaka for Martinborough’s small-scale cellar doors and food-friendly wines rather than trying to turn Wairarapa into a rushed lunch stop.
Wellington City (especially Te Aro and Cuba Street): Specialty coffee · Craft beer · Independent cafés, bars and restaurants
Petone (Jackson Street): Independent eateries · International food · A strong alternative to CBD brunch
Martinborough: Pinot noir · Aromatic whites · Bike-and-cellar-door wine tasting · Small-scale wine-country dining
Greytown and southern Wairarapa: Cafés and weekend food stops · Access to nearby wineries