Tourist Activities
Christchurch City is recognised as New Zealand’s ‘Garden City’ with over 740 parks and an extensive system of rivers, streams and wetlands that contribute to creating a world renowned quality environment for residents and visitors.
Christchurch is fortunate to have such a diversity of parks and waterways, from neighbourhood playgrounds, sports grounds and heritage gardens, to large wilderness areas, coastal parks, wetlands and rivers.
Art Gallery
The Art Gallery has a range of daytime and evening programmes for individuals, families, Friends and special groups. To achieve our goal of making the Gallery accessible and enjoyable for all, our programmes have been developed to highlight the treasures of the new Gallery as well as the wider arts community.
Every week there’s a stimulating range of lectures, floortalks, artists’ talks, tours, art appreciation, films, dance and theatrical performances which reflect the full spectrum of the arts. Events are held in the Gallery’s dedicated venues – Sir Neil & Lady sml Education Centre; Philip Carter Family Auditorium; Foyer; The Community Trust Sculpture Garden – or one of our many exhibition galleries.
Cathedral Square
The neogothic Christchurch Cathedral at Cathedral Square is the imposing midtown Christchurch landmark.
You can climb up Christchurch Cathedral to viewing platforms 30 metres up the 63m-high spire for a bird’s-eye view of Christchurch city. While there, examine the Christchurch Cathedral bells at close hand.
Tram at Art Centre & Museum
The inner city of Christchurch is such a special place to explore with so many different things to see and do for locals and visitors alike. And the best way to experience all the must see attractions is from on board the Christchurch Tramway.
The beautifully restored trams follow a 2.5 kilometre loop around central Christchurch taking in some of the most interesting sites. These include Cathedral Square, Aquarium of Discovery, The Arts Centre, Botanic Gardens, Canterbury Museum, Punting on the Avon, Victoria Square, and New Regent Street to name just a few. Using the All Day pass visitors can hop on and off at any of the nine stops around the inner city tram loop and experience the inner city sights and attractions at their leisure.
History and Scenery Combine
Sit back and relax on a traditional English punt and meander through the scenic Botanic Gardens and Hagley Park.
Departing from the historic Antigua Boatsheds (est.1882) on the banks of the river Avon, you travel through the Park and Gardens where it is easy to lose sight of the city that surrounds you.
The punts can comfortably seat up to 24 adults.
Sights to see in Christchurch
Great places to visit around Christchurch
Victoria Square – yet another sight to see!
Avon River
Antarctic Centre
Very few people have the opportunity to experience the awesome and magical beauty of Antarctica first-hand. At The Antarctic Attaction our aim is to re-create the atmosphere and environment of Antarctica providing visitors with an interactive, fun and exciting experience of the “Great White South”. We invite you to explore a selection of the Attraction’s features …
The Four Seasons:
Experience the four dramatic seasons which make up a year in Antarctica. Feel the chill of winter and watch daylight return as the Antarctic summer approaches after four months of darkness.
Scott Base:
Use interactive technology to find out about the people who live and work in Antarctica today. Handle the polar survival clothes they wear, learn about Scott Base, home of Antarctica New Zealand, and view the delightful and zany “Penguin Capers” video.
“Snow and Ice Experience”
Experience Antarctic conditions first-hand .. even on a hot summer’s day! Slide down a snow slope, explore a snow cave, feel icy wind-chills, or just let your body tingle with the exhilaration of being in Antarctic temperatures
Christchurch Convention Centre
Centrally situated within the city is New Zealand’s only purpose-built convention centre. The halls of the new Christchurch Convention Centre comprise over 1,864 square metres of pillarless and carpeted flat floor space, an ideal environment for conventions, exhibitions, trade shows and gala events of all types. The design incorporates a glass-fronted foyer, main hall with 8m high ceiling and capacity to seat 2,200 delegates theatre style or 1,350 at a gala dinner. Seven break-out rooms on the first floor can be configured to accomodate between 30 and 130 delegates each.
Trout Fishing
Sean Mah a regular at Strathern Motor Lodge who likes to trout fish.
Another Fishy picture
Caught in the rivers of Canterbury.
Akaroa
Akaroa has a unique place in New Zealand’s history as the only French settlement in the country. This tiny village, 85 kilometres south east of Christchurch on the Banks Peninsula (named after Lieutenant James Cook’s botanist Joseph Banks), was settled by 63 French people in 1840, 70 years after it was sighted and named by Cook on his voyage across the Pacific Ocean to New Zealand and Australia. Banks Peninsula is an extinct volcano which lies east of Christchurch and is characterised by its circular shape, steep sided hills that sweep down to beautiful inlets and bays below. With tussock hills as a backdrop to the town and the inlet, Akaroa is a well-preserved gem of history.
The lovely bayside town has many streets with French names and is the oldest town in the Canterbury district, Langlois Etenenaux is the oldest house in the region. It is the site of the nation’s first Catholic Church and the first vineyard in the country.
