Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit and Things to do in Hamilton, New Zealand

February 26, 2022 Mustafa Natalwala 4282 Views

Hamilton or Kirikiriroa in Maori, is a city on the North Island of New Zealand. Situated on the banks of the Waikato River, it used to be home to several Maori villages. The majority of the villages were abandoned during the invasion of Waikato by the Britishers. The majority of the best places to visit in Hamilton City area pertain to the colonial and post-colonial periods. These include gardens, museums, churches, art galleries, and parks.

Though there are numerous things to see in Hamilton, only a few places where you can find traces of the Maori culture. The art galleries of the city feature a mix of exhibits of regional, traditional, and European art. You can get a few insights into the Maori culture in the artworks featured at the galleries and museums. 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 heart’s content but some of the top things to do in Hamilton are outside the city. One of the most popular among them is the set of the 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 a lot of people cosplaying 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.

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Table of Contents

Top 15 Tourist Places to Visit in Hamilton, New Zealand

1. Hamilton Gardens

Also known as Paradise Gardens Collection, these gardens are spread over 58 hectares and contain gardens 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.

I suggest you should book a Guided Tour of Hamilton Gardens

2. Hamilton Zoo

Among the 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 the visual telling of Maori stories alongside artifacts 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 the top Hamilton tourist attractions for outdoor activities and water sports. People come here to enjoy various activities such as swimming, boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, 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 the 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.

I suggest you should get a Ticket for Hobbiton Movie Set Guided Tour in advance.

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 hour’s 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 the 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 creating church structures from trees and plants. You will see the height of creativity with botany in 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 was 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, lakes, and forests. It is 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 glowworms that reside here. You can see them light up in the light creating an atmosphere of the 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.

There are multiple tours and activities in Waitomo Caves. Here below I listed some of the activities to do in Waitomo Caves

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 have 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

Where to Stay in Hamilton, New Zealand?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range and Budget Hotels in Hamilton, New Zealand. You can check below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Custom Tours Package in Hamilton, New Zealand?

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 Whangarei. 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 routes 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