There are so many free things to do in Christchurch! We were surprised by how much we liked Christchurch. It’s a quaint little city that has gone through a lot. There is still a lot of rebuilding going on since the 2011 earthquake and it’s sad to see the memorials to the lives lost during that time. The city itself, though, is vibrant and alive with many free things to do and plenty of cool things to check out. We’ve heard from a lot of other travellers that they were surprised by their love of the city too, so make sure you don’t miss it on your Aotearoa adventures.
Be sure to check out our Instagram to see all of our favourite things to do!
Botanic Gardens
Pack a picnic or grab some lunch from the cafe and you could easily spend the entire day exploring these botanic gardens. They have inside gardens, a little garden info centre with interactive displays for kids and big kids alike (Yes Tiff did a crayon leaf rubbing here), outdoor gardens and plenty of ponds and rivers as well. The tropical gardens were definitely our favourite to explore, and we loved that they were two stories! It felt rather magical walking through a garden inside a cool old building.
Explore the City & Riverside Market
There is a lot going on in Christchurch with some cute streets to explore, such as New Regent street and some cool quirky shops and bookstores. The second hand clothing shops here are amazing for a great eco-friendly find if you are in need of some clothes (Nathan had been looking for some jeans for months and scored some practically new Levis for $20).
The food scene here is also amazing and you can’t miss out on the Riverside Markets. This bustling hub of artisan food, craft beers and the odd quirky shop is our favourite place in the city. You have an abundance of lunch options here as well as a variety of take home treats and hard to find imported food too. Tiff loved the Riverside Market so much she left a free book there for someone to find!
Visit the Art Gallery & Museum
Unfortunately for us, the museum was still under major repairs when we visited, so we could only view some displays in the museums pop up building in the city. However, it was still cool to view all they had here and we wouldn’t miss it off your list. If the main museum is back up and running when you visit, then make the most of it being next to the botanical gardens and do them together in one day.
The art gallery is a must as well, with many exhibitions from contemporary to classical and interactive. We loved the black light room. Tiff conveniently was wearing a white shirt on the day we visited! When you visit, make sure to not bring any big backpacks as they will make you check them in before letting you explore the galleries.
Awaroa/Godley Head Hike
Pack yourself a picnic and make a day of this hike that ends at the beach. This is an extremely popular hike with locals and for good reason. You’ll get expansive coastal views along the entire hike as you walk along the cliffs. There is also the bonus of taking in some historic sites left over from WWII, along with Scott’s cabin, a building that made it down to Antartica and back. End the day with a dip in the ocean and a popular real fruit ice cream from one of the food trucks at the beach. For more info on the hike, check out the full blog post here.
Kura Tawhiti (Castle Hill)
Kura Tawhiti means “The treasure from a distant land” and is a reference to the kumara that was once cultivated in the region. The area has Tōpuni status, a legal recognition of the site’s importance to Ngāi Tahu (the Iwi of this region). As such, there is a sign at the entrance to this area asking visitors to respect the cultural and historical significance of the land here. The impressive limestone rock formations have an easy to follow trail through the rocks. It is asked that we keep to the paths provided and do not mark the rocks, nor trample the fragile plant life found at the base of them.
BONUS – Cardboard Church
If you can get here during opening hours and not when a service is happening, you’ll be able to witness the cardboard church of Christchurch. No, the entire church is not made of cardboard. Don’t feel silly for thinking that either, Tiff fully expected to see a building made of cardboard. Rather than an entire building, it is the furnishings inside this temporary church building that are made of cardboard. The building itself is rather pretty though and is the placeholder for services whilst the cathedral is rebuilt after the Christchurch earthquake.
Keen for more inspo? Be sure to check out:
- 10 Free and Cheap Things to do in New Plymouth
- 5 Things We Love About New Zealand
- Waterfalls in Waikato That You MUST Visit
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