Things to Do in Christchurch – Canterbury

Things to Do in Christchurch – Canterbury: It is not surprising that visitors to Christchurch see little glimpses of England in this beautiful garden city. Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens are an absolute must, with brightly coloured daffodils in spring and rich red and gold leaves in autumn. Christchurch Cathedral, the Arts Centre with its neo-Gothic architecture and the vintage tram blend easily with the new contemporary art gallery and the inner-city cafés and bars nestled below the Port Hills.

Experience Christchurch – Canterbury Region

• The Garden City
• Daffodils and spring blossom
• The historic Bridge of Remembrance
• Banks Peninsula and Akaroa
• Christchurch Cathedral

You´ll ❤️ these great things to see & do…

• Punting on the Avon River
• Buy authentic Kiwi gifts from the Arts Centre
• Enjoy a picnic in the Botanic Gardens
• Walk through Hagley Park, especially in spring and autumn
• Take the ferry to Diamond Harbour
• Soak up the French ambience at Akaroa
• Indulge in a spa treatment at Hanmer Springs
• Take a horse trek in peaceful Peel Forest
• Raft or kayak the Rangitata River
• Savour the North Canterbury Food and Wine Trail

Where to Experience It in Christchurch – Canterbury

Christchurch is a flat, walkable city with the coast, the Port Hills and the Southern Alps on its doorstep, so the easiest way to plan your things to do in Christchurch is by area. Where we have a matching activity, the name links to it.

• The city centre: the Avon River, the Arts Centre, Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens. Try punting on the Avon or a Christchurch Tram Dinner. See City Tours & Zoo.
• Banks Peninsula and Akaroa: French-colonial charm, harbour wildlife and rugged coast. See Things to Do in Akaroa, the Akaroa sea kayaking safari and the Pohatu Penguins nature tour.
• The Port Hills: walking tracks with views over the city, the Alps and Lyttelton Harbour. See Walking & Hiking.
• North Canterbury: the Waipara Wine Trail and the thermal pools of Hanmer Springs. See Food & Wine.
• Whales and dolphins: whale watching from Christchurch to Kaikōura and dolphin watching. See Wildlife & Beaches.
• Mid Canterbury: Opuke Thermal Pools & Spa in Methven and the Akaunui Farm Homestead lunch on the Canterbury Plains.
• Rail and the Alps: the Coastal Pacific Train and an Arthur’s Pass day tour. See Rail Journeys.

Events in Christchurch – Canterbury

Christchurch has a full calendar of sport, music and food events, so there are always things to do in Christchurch that fit your travel dates. These are selected dates from the official ChristchurchNZ What’s On calendar (checked 16 October 2026). Please confirm dates and ticketing with each organiser before you plan around them.

Coming up in 2026

• BLACKCAPS v India T20 internationals, 22 and 24 October. Two T20 matches in Christchurch, part of the cricket series marking 100 years of unity through sport between New Zealand and India.
• Silver Ferns v Australian Diamonds, 21 October. A Constellation Cup netball Test at Wolfbrook Arena.
• Black Ferns v France, 31 October. The Black Ferns return to Christchurch for a 2026 home Test.
• New Zealand Cup Week at Riccarton Park, 7–14 November. Thoroughbred racing, fashion, food and entertainment.
• Ravensdown Canterbury A&P Show, 11–13 November. Equestrian events, shearing, woodchopping and carnival rides.
• BLACKCAPS v India Test Match, 27 November to 1 December. Five days of Test cricket in Christchurch.
• Robbie Williams, 28 November. The BRITPOP World Tour stops in Christchurch.
• South Island Wine & Food Festival, 5 December. Wine, food and music in the heart of the city.

Summer 2027 (January–February)

• Foo Fighters, 19 January. The first of two New Zealand shows.
• BLACKCAPS v Sri Lanka T20, 26 January. Part of the summer of cricket.
• Crankworx Christchurch, 18–21 February. Four days of world-class mountain biking at Christchurch Adventure Park. See Cycling & Mountain Biking.

Christchurch After Dark

Christchurch has a lively evening scene, from wine bars to river-side entertainment hubs. Hours and seasons change, so confirm with each operator.

• Entertainment hubs: Tourism New Zealand points to Victoria Street, The Terrace, St Asaph Street, Strange’s Lane and Poplar Lane for bars and restaurants.
• Dinner on rails: ride the heritage tram on the Christchurch Tram Dinner, a four-course dinner through the city centre.
• Wine in the Arts Centre: Cellar Door is a wine bar inside the historic Arts Centre, with comparative wine flights and seasonal plates.
• Street art by night and day: the official guide to Christchurch street art is a good starting point for a self-guided stroll.

Free Things to Do in Christchurch

Plenty of Christchurch’s best experiences cost nothing, which makes them good fillers between tours. For maps, conditions and more tracks.

• Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens: a full loop of the park is about 7 km and takes roughly 2 hours. Visit the Central Rose Garden and the conservatories, especially in spring.
• Bridle Path: a historic 4.8 km track between Lyttelton and Christchurch, about 2 hours return, with views over the city, the Alps and Lyttelton Harbour.
• Rāpaki Track: a 7 km walk of about 2 hours return, suitable for off-road prams.
• Taylors Mistake to Godley Head: a 7 km coastal clifftop walk of about 3 hours return.
• Travis Wetland: a 4 km loop of about 1 hour, with more than 50 species of birds.
• Christchurch 360 Trail: a 135 km trail circling the city, in eight sections, if you want a longer challenge.

Eat & Drink in Christchurch – Canterbury

Canterbury’s rich soils, cold-water coastlines and four distinct seasons have shaped one of New Zealand’s most respected food regions. The official ChristchurchNZ guide reports that 16 Christchurch restaurants have been recognised by the MICHELIN Guide, including two one-star awards for Inati and Tussock Hill.

• Taste Waipara’s cellar doors on the Waipara Wine Trail with Lunch, about 45 minutes north of the city.
• Enjoy a farm-to-table meal at Akaunui Farm Homestead.
• Browse more at Food & Wine, or the official Christchurch Eat & Drink guide.

Christchurch – Canterbury by Season

Here are the best things to do in Christchurch in each season, based on the official ChristchurchNZ guides and the events calendar.

• Summer (Dec–Feb): the South Island Wine & Food Festival, a summer of cricket, Crankworx and swimming in the calm bays of Quail Island, which has daily ferries from Lyttelton in summer.
• Autumn (Mar–May): rich red and gold leaves in Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens.
• Winter (Jun–Aug): a guided black truffle hunt in Waipara from June to August, plus cooking classes in Akaroa.
• Spring (Sep–Nov): daffodils, spring blossom and flowering garden beds in Hagley Park, plus the Cup Week race meetings in November.

Good to Know Before You Go

• Flying in: Christchurch is an international airport and is the closest gateway for the Mackenzie region.
• Getting around: the number 28 bus runs between Lyttelton and the city via Heathcote, which suits a one-way Bridle Path walk.
• Rail: the Coastal Pacific Train links Christchurch with Picton along the coast.

Approximate drive times from Christchurch

• Waipara: about 45 minutes
• Methven: about 1 hour
• Akaroa: about 1 hour 30 minutes
• Hanmer Springs: about 1 hour 45 minutes
• Kaikōura: about 2 hours 30 minutes
• Lake Tekapo (Mt Cook & Mackenzie): about 3 hours

Combine Christchurch – Canterbury With

Christchurch sits on the east coast of the South Island, so it pairs well with these nearby regions:

• Kaikoura & Hanmer Springs – whales, dolphins and thermal pools to the north
• Mt Cook & Mackenzie – about 3 hours south-west, for Lake Tekapo and Aoraki Mount Cook
• West Coast – over Arthur’s Pass by road or rail
• Marlborough – wine country, via the Coastal Pacific route
• Queenstown – adventure capital, via Mount Cook

Popular themes in Christchurch – Canterbury

City Tours & Zoo · Food & Wine · Wildlife & Beaches · Rail Journeys · Walking & Hiking · Hot Pools & Health Spas

Tours that include Christchurch

Each tour below includes Christchurch, according to the route shown on its tour listing.

• 14 Day New Zealand Adventure Tour: North & South Island Escape: 14 days, adventure tour. Rotorua, Taupō and Waitomo, then Punakaiki, Abel Tasman, Kaikōura and Christchurch.
• 19 Day New Zealand Winter Tour: Auckland to Christchurch: 19 days, escorted coach tour. Waitomo, Rotorua and Wellington, then Queenstown, Wanaka and Franz Josef.

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