Hamilton or Kirikiriroa in Maori, is a city on the North Island of New Zealand. Situated on the banks of Waikato river, it used to home to several Maori villages. Majority of the villages were abandoned during invasion of Waikato by the Britishers. Majority of the best places to visit in Hamilton city area pertain to colonial and post colonial period. These include gardens, museums, churches, art galleries and parks.
Though there are numerous things to see in Hamilton, only few places where you can find traces of the Maori culture. The art galleries of the city feature a mix exhibit of regional, tradition and European art. You can get a few insights into the Maori culture in the artworks featured at the galleries and museum. Some of the best Hamilton attractions to learn about Maori culture is the Waikato Museum and Te Parapara.
You can explore the city to your hearts content but some of the top things to do in Hamilton are outside the city. One of the most popular among them being the set of Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogy. The set of the Shire as shown in these films is frequented by all those who visit Hamilton. The set now serves as a theme park with lot of people co-splaying as characters from the franchise.
If you are looking for adventurous activities in Hamilton, you should head to any of the lakes or the forests around the city. You will find hiking trails, treks, campsites, bird-watching tours and more. The wilderness patches are among the most beautiful places to see in Hamilton. As for the lakes, people come here to enjoy swimming, boating, kayaking, paddle-boating and cruises. The Waikato river also runs through a network of caves which can be toured in boats as well. These natural habitats are as integral part of Hamilton sightseeing as the attractions in the city.
Top 15 Tourist Places to Visit in Hamilton, New Zealand
1. Hamilton Gardens
Also known as Paradise Gardens Collection, these gardens are spread for 58 hectres and contain garden themed after various cultures like Indian, Italian, Buddhist, Chinese, Japanese, British and so on. They are beautifully designed things to see in Hamilton. You would need about 2 hours to explore various themed gardens in the complex.
2. Hamilton Zoo
Among top things to do in Hamilton for families is this zoo. It has a collection of numerous animals brought in from several countries. You will need about an hour or so to spend here during Hamilton travel.
3. Waikato Museum (Te Whare Taonga o Waikato)
This museum is dedicated to the art and culture of the region. It is among the best places to visit in Hamilton to learn about the culture of New Zealand. You can see visual telling of Maori stories alongside artefacts pertaining to culture, history, politics, warfare, science and art. You will need an hour or two to explore this museum when you visit Hamilton.
4. Hamilton Lake (Lake Rotoroa)
This lake is among top Hamilton tourist attractions for outdoor activities and water-sports. People come here to enjoy various activities such as swimming, boating, kayaking, paddleboating and hiking. It is also greatly popular as a picnic and day tour spot with several cafes, restaurants and outdoor adventure venues surrounding the lake. You can easily spend 3 hours or so at this lake.
5. Hobbiton Movie Set
This set from the iconic Lord of the Rings films trilogy is most popular among Hamilton attractions. You can get day tour buses from Hamilton to reach the set. The set features Shire part of the LotR world. You will see hobbit houses, gardens and other parts of the Shire features in the film. You would need an entire day from Hamilton sightseeing to enjoy this place.
6. SkyCity
SkyCity is an entertainment venue with several attractions including casinos, bars, gaming hubs, bowling alleys, events, restaurants and bars. You can come here to blow off some steam after a day of exploring places to go in Hamilton. You can easily spend a couple of hours chilling here.
7. Taitua Arboretum
This forest park is close to the city and is great for outdoor activities in Hamilton like trekking, hiking and camping. The park has many lakes and also serves as a tree collection. You would need an hour to explore it.
8. Te Parapara
This Maori garden is the only one of its kind left in New Zealand. The plants here are grown under traditional structures. It is one of the most interesting place to see in Hamilton and will require an hours time to explore.
9. Classics Museum
This museum is dedicated to classic cars collected from several countries. It also features a 1950s style American diner. The museum has many other memorabilia items from pop culture and entertainment industry. You would need about 2 hours to explore it.
10. Cornerstone Alpacas Ltd.
This farm is among the best tourist places in Hamilton to see the wonderful Alpacas. You not only get to see Alpacas strolling around but can also interact with them by feeding and petting them. You can easily spend a couple of hours at this farm.
11. Tree Church and Gardens
This garden is well known for having creating church structures from trees and plants. You will see height of creativity with botany at this garden. It is among the best places to visit in Hamilton. The garden also has a nursery maze to enjoy. You would need about 1 hour for this garden.
12. St. Peters Cathedral
This church has been around for a century and is the cathedral for the bishop and diocese of Waikato. It designed by architect John Horbury Hunt with a blend of colonial, victorian and gothic design elements. You would need 20 to 30 minutes to explore this church when you visit Hamilton.
13. Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park
This natural heritage park consists of grasslands, wetlands, lake and forest. It among the most wonderful place for outdoor things to do in Hamilton like hiking, trekking and camping. You would need at least half a day to spend here.
14. Waitomo Glowworm Caves
These subterranean caves can be accessed by boats and have become quite popular for the population of glow-worms that reside here. You can see them light up in the light creating an atmosphere of night sky inside the cave. It is among the most mesmerizing activities in Hamilton. You would need about 2 hours of time for this ride.
15. Hot Air Balloon Tour
You have explored things to see in Hamilton on land, now it’s time to take a view from above. Hot Air Balloon rides are great fun and you can breathtaking views of the city and its surroundings. You would need 2 hours for this experience.
If you are looking for more tourist places in Hamilton, check out the sections below. We have prepared an exhaustive list of all places you can explore and activities you can enjoy when you visit Hamilton.
Things to do in Hamilton, New Zealand
Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Hamilton, New Zealand
- Waikato Museum te Whare Taonga o Waikato
- Classics Museum
- Artspost Galleries
- Tree Church
- Hamilton Temple
- Te Parapara
- Indian Char Bagh Garden
- Inspirit Studio
- Mathew Cowley Pacific Church History Center
- Italian Renaissance Garden
- St. Peters Cathedral
- Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Hamilton, New Zealand
- Hamilton Lake
- Lake Ngaroto
- Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park
- Lake Rotopiko
- Lake Serpentine
- Lake Kainui
- Mangakara Nature Park
- Hakarimata Summit
- National Wetland Center
- Lake Rotomanuka
- Rotokauri Lake
- Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve
- Yandleys Bush
- Mount Taupiri
- Lake Kaituna
- Lake Mangakaware
- Pukete Farm Park
- AJ Seelay Gully Reserve
- Waikato River
- Lake Cameron
- Lake Maratoto
- Waitomo Caves
Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Hamilton, New Zealand
- Hamilton Gardens
- Hamilton Zoo
- Taitua Arboretum
- Parana Park
- Waterworld
- Sky City
- Cornerstone Alpacas Ltd.
- Lavender Backyard Garden
- Mahons Amusement
- Japanese Garden of Contemplation
- Moondance Manor Gardens
- Claudelands Park
- Blueberry Country
- Tauhara Park
- Shaw’s Bird Park
- Bucking Boar Cornfield Maze
- Chinese Scholars Garden
- Hillcrest Stadium
- Memorial Park
- Hammond Park
- Hayes Paddok
Shopping in Hamilton, New Zealand
- Ward Street
- Centre Place
- Frankton Market
- Victoria Street
- Chartwell Shopping Center
- Barton Street
- Downton District
Beaches & Island in Hamilton, New Zealand
- Wellington Street Beach
Offbeat Places & Adventure Activities in Hamilton, New Zealand
- Hiking
- Trekking
- Swimming
- Cycle Treks
- Mountain Biking
- Lake Surfing
- River Cruise
- Kayaking
- Windsurfing
- Paddleboating
- Hot Air Balloon
- Wildlife Tour
Sightseeing in Hamilton, New Zealand
- Perry Cycle Bridge
- Riff Raff Statue
- Victoria Bridge
- Pukete Bridge
Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Hamilto, New Zealand
- Mezcal
- Rocket Coffee
- Born and Raised
- River Kitchen
- The Ship
- Jack and Lois
- Hambrgr
- Palate
- Pokeh
- Gothenburg
- Toast
- Mattson & Co
- The French
- Scotts Epicurean
- The Burnt Tongue
- The Coop
- Smith and Mckenzie Steakhouse
- The Mule
- Sugar Bowl Cafe
- Nique
- Foundation Bar Kitchen
- Satlik Smokehouse
How to Reach Hamilton, New Zealand?
By Air
Hamilton Airport is a domestic airport receiving direct flights from Christchurch, Wellington, Napier, Nelson, Palmerston, Claris, Gisborne and Whangrei. You can get cabs and buses from the airport to reach any of the places to visit in Hamilton. Auckland international airport is the best option as it receives flights from several cities across the world. You can get trains, buses and cabs from Auckland to visit Hamilton.
By Road
Intercity buses connect Hamilton with several cities in New Zealand. The train network is limited, but you can still get direct trains from major cities on the island.
If you are planning to embark on Hamilton travel by car you should head for route 1, 21, 23 or 39.
By Water
Being a landlocked city, there are no direct water routes to reach Hamilton.
Image Reference
- Hamilton Gardens – Andrey Terekhov / Flickr
- Hamilton Zoo – Chris Gilson / Flickr
- Waikato Museum (Te Whare Taonga o Waikato) – Nzwj / Wikimedia Commons
- Hamilton Lake (Lake Rotoroa) – epitree / Flickr
- Hobbiton Movie Set – Ricardo Helass / PixaBay
- SkyCity –
- Taitua Arboretum – Jeanie Tseng / Flickr
- Te Parapara – russellstreet / Flickr
- Classics Museum – GPS 56 / Flickr
- Cornerstone Alpacas Ltd. – VirtualWolf / Flickr
- Tree Church and Gardens –
- St. Peter’s Cathedral – Coekon / Wikimedia Commons
- Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park – Paul Martin / Flickr
- Waitomo Glowworm Caves – Jan Helebrant / Flickr
- Hot Air Balloon Tour – “Taylor Connell” / Wikimedia Commons
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