The Waterfront (A Local's Guide to Wellington)

An iconic view of the Wellington Harbour, seen from the top of Mount Vic. It's a bustling port for ferries, cruise ships, private boats and container ships, and depending on the weather can be ferocious or stunningly beautiful. There are plenty of activities to amuse yourself with: the Harbourside Market is a hub of activity on Sundays, you can hire paddle boats or kayaks to explore the waters, eat fancy food at the many upscale restaurants, or just take a walk and enjoy the view. 

The Writers' Walk consitutes of quotations that showcase New Zealand novelists, playwrights and poets. The quotes are 3D and mainly sculpted from stone, tying nature to literature. 

You can also find other statues, such as this: giant kina shell and seagull (the seagull is actually real - fooled you). 

Vista Cafe

With a view of the harbour, Vista's name is an accurate one. It is understandably on the pricey side for the location, and the food isn't bad either. We've only been here once: Yannick had the steak and lamb roast, while I opted for the beetroot risotto. It's perfectly nice, but the price is a bit off-putting and as there are many other restaurants offering delicious and resonably priced fare, I won't be back in a hurry. If you're eating on a budget, I'd recommend veering away from the waterfront and instead meandering down Cuba Street or Willis Street where there are more options.

Hippopotamus Restaurant high tea

This restaurant is part of the Museum Hotel, which I can only describe as "a super fancy place". I've been in the toilets on the ground floor off the foyer, and they have hand towels made of actual towel, and after you use one you put it in a hamper to be washed! Needless to say, I've never stayed here and I've only had the high tea at the restaurant. 

Not gonna lie - it was awesome. We were served on the finest bone china and the waiter put my napkin in my lap for me! (It was linen too, not paper. And they took my coat off me and put it in a closet.) My fork only had three prongs and the sugar cubes were not square! I did feel a little strange having a bejewelled pheasant gazing down on me from a nearby pillar, but I got over it pretty quickly once I tasted the bite sized delicacies.

Kaffee Eis

If you're here in summer, skip the Mr Whippy soft serve and instead head over to the Kaffee Eis on Oriental Parade. You won't regret it.

Te Papa

Unmissable due to the eccentricity of the architecture, Te Papa is a must see. They have the world's largest giant squid! And entry is free. I've already sold it to you, I can tell. But if you want more, they often have great exhibitions (at an extra cost), as well as quality pieces highlighting New Zealand history. There is a bit of controversy over the location, as it is currently sitting right on a fault line, but what isn't in Wellington? (I am kidding though, I find that quite concerning.) To counter this, it has been built to be earthquake safe, and as it is so near the sea they have made one external wall specially designed to break an oncoming tsunami.

This is an advertisement Yannick made after we visited the Air New Zealand exhibition, using actual text from historical posters. That's me inside a replica seaplane from back in the day when passengers could go for a swim at fuel stopovers.

Now that air travel is so much easier than in the 1950's, visit Wellington today! And take a nice long mosey of the waterfront. 

I'll end with an apt saying: "You can't beat Wellington on a good day." It's a shame that so few of them are.