Dunedin is such a cool town in New Zealand. It’s got some truly quirky buildings and because it’s very much a college town it has great vibes. There is plenty to see and do here, and a lot of the best things to do are free! Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to do all the top 10 free things to do in Dunedin.
From epic short walks by the beach to a museum filled with the history of Dunedin, New Zealand and the world. Dunedin is home to some great markets, and there are even glow-worms hanging out in some of the bush around the city. Take your time here to soak up the artsy vibes and wander aimlessly down all the cool side streets. Dunedin is a great city to explore, and an even better one to explore on a budget!
Be sure to check out our Instagram to see all our Aotearoa adventures!
Tunnel Beach
A steep, but short track down the cliffs will take you to the famous Tunnel Beach. Yes, you do need to walk through a tunnel to get to the beach here. It’s pretty cool! If the tide is out, you’ll be able to explore the beach and walk around the right of the cliff to a small sea cave.
Be careful of the tide, though, as access to the cave gets blocked off by water at high tide. The track down to tunnel beach has recently been redone, making it a gentle and safer incline down to the cliffs. Please stay on the track, as there is a lot of work being done to rehabilitate the fragile cliff environment.
Sandymount Lookout
For breathtaking views over the Otago Peninsula, this easy walk is a must-do in Dunedin. You’ll walk through a tunnel of trees and a working farm with sheep to get to the views. Look out for the big yellow markers to wind your way through the paddocks to the cliff edge where the lookout is waiting for you.
There are often sheep in these paddocks, so give them some space and trust us when we say they are more scared of you than you are of them. Once you are done drinking in the stunning views, stop in at Sandymount Distillery for a taste of our favourite gin.
Spend A Day At The Museum
Literally, you could spend the entire day here! This is such a great museum, and entry to most of it is free! You can pay to see special exhibits like the butterfly’s and seasonal shows too if you are feeling a little extra. The free sections are well worth the time on their own. We loved wandering around, learning more about the Māori Iwi (tribes) of the area. The exhibit on the animals of New Zealand was also a favourite of ours.
Baldwin Street
It has to be said, you can’t come to Dunedin and not walk up the steepest street in the world. Lace up some good walking shoes and give it a go. It’s not super hard and the views from the top are pretty cool.
If you are in a van or motorhome, do not drive up the street! The gradient is too steep for these kinds of vehicles, and there is nowhere for you to turn around at the top of the street.
We recommend walking up the left side which doesn’t have stairs and then walking down the right side where the stairs railing is more useful on the descent.
Dunedin Botanic Gardens
The oldest and arguably the best botanic gardens in New Zealand! The Dunedin Botanic gardens celebrated its 160th anniversary in 2023 making it the first botanic gardens to open in the country. The gardens are open from dawn to dusk every day, with stunning views from its hilltop over the north of Dunedin and flowers aplenty.
Be sure to pop into the Edwardian winter house garden and explore the tiered gardens along the river bank whilst you are here. There are so many different garden styles in the 33 hectares the gardens occupy so take your time exploring.
Wander The City and Marvel at the Buildings and Street Art
Dunedin is bursting with cool architecture and an abundance of street art. There are even street art trails you can find by going to the information centres. We prefer to take a less organised approach and simple wander around. Duck into any shop that takes your fancy and just explore all the streets. This way, you’ll come across plenty of free art, whether that’s sculptures or street art.
Be sure to check out the churches along with the train station, which is affectionately referred to as the ginger bread house!
Organ Pipes Track
A steep hike that is well worth it for the view at the top. The organ pipe rocks are something to behold. However, we felt the surrounding view was better than the cool rocks. We wouldn’t recommend climbing the rocks as you can feel them shifting under you and it’s not an easy climb to the top. We watched people trying whilst we sat at the bottom of the organ pipes eating snacks and taking in the breathtaking view out over the land to the ocean.
Check Out The Railway Markets
Held every Saturday from 8am to 12:30pm, the railway markets are an absolute gem! Don’t worry about bringing your keep cup, as they have a mug library here for all your hot beverage needs. The street food at these markets is amazing with plenty of options from fresh baked goods, pizza and our favourite Jian Bing Guo Zi a savoury Chinese crêpe.
The local distillery often has a stall here with the best mulled gin we have ever tried. This is a farmers market with fresh produce stalls, food trucks, home baked delicacies and plenty of hot drinks going around. It’s a wonderful way to start your day, grabbing a drink and bite to eat before exploring the rest of this beautiful city.
Doctor’s Point Sea Cave
Whilst the sea cave here is pretty cool, you’ll want to hang around for the tidal rock pools at the end of the beach. Come at low tide so you can see both the sea cave and the rock pools. To get to the sea cave, walk to the right of the beach and follow the cliff face until you spot it. Then continue walking further down to the end of the beach.
Be careful on the rocks here as you walk around the point a little to find the most beautiful protected bay with an abundance of rock pools. Tiff could picture mermaids swimming in these turquoise blue waters.
Glow Worms at Nicols Falls
There are a few places in Aotearoa where you can see glow-worms at night for free. This little gem is one of them! Pack your head torch and some good hiking boots for this one, as the ground is often damp and slippery at night.
Follow the trail at Nichols Falls up to the glow-worm banks, where a few signs will let you know you have arrived at the right spot. Turn your torches off and wait for the glow-worms to put on a show! It’s beautiful watching them light up in the darkness, like little stars, right here in the bush of Dunedin.
BONUS – Op Shop Paradise
Dunedin is a great place to go Op Shopping. Not only are there are large amounts of good op shops, they also have some really cool second hand clothes stores. These are generally a little more expensive than the Op shops, but they have designer clothes. We spent a day in town going to all the op shops and second hand clothing stores to find outfits to wear to our friend’s wedding! We think we did a pretty good job.
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