8 Cool Things to Do in Christchurch

Even now you will see many people riding bicycles on-road and streets of this city, that is because they use it as a mode of transportation. The Christchurch has established a network of cycle lanes and paths where you can also enjoy cycling along with touring the city. The city has been evolving continuously, making it a great place to explore for travel enthusiasts. Even locals get benefited from its urban regeneration and heritage thrive. The city has a big list of things to do in Christchurch, but we have made it simple for you by shortlist 8 cool things to do in Christchurch. You need to grab the list and head to the Chiristchurh to unfold or add some traveling chapters of your life.

The Christchurch Botanic Gardens is a delight for every season. It was founded in 1863 and is located in the central city of Christchurch. The garden, with trees and plants of different varieties. The plants in this garden have been collected from all around the world, including South Africa, Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. In every season, the garden area is planted with seasonal flowers that bloom in the season and makes it even more beautiful.

The Heritage Rose Garden will delight you with its unique selection of rambling heritage roses that blooms fully in the summer months. Besides these gardens, this place has many other popular attractions for visitors like Cuningham House which is a Victorian glasshouse filled with tropical collections, Garrick House having a exhibit collection of cacti, Gilpin House that has an orchid plant collection and Townend House which display the flowering plants.

Simply walking in the garden will refresh your mind and senses; the fragrance of the mud, roses and other flowers, the colorful flower bed, and the greenery will leave you speechless. Do not miss the chance to see the variety of collection of exotic and local plants when you are in Christchurch. Add this place in your list of best things to do in Christchurch.

It opens every day (Monday to Sunday) from 7 am to 9 pm.

Address: City Centre Rolleston Ave, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand

Mona Vale is a public park, more like a homestead in Christchurch. You might be thinking why a public park is on the list of best things to do in Christchurch? This is because this place is a beautiful setting along the Avon River and has a fernery, rose garden and a pavilion that is worth taking a tour. Mona Vale has very peaceful surroundings which makes it a delightful place to relax. You will see many local people relaxing or reading or just walking in the garden.

The garden is filled with lush green mature trees making this place perfect for relaxing, especially in summer. The park has several sheltered settings that exhibits numerous magnificent buildings that have great regional historic significance. The beauty of this place makes it a perfect location for weddings and hence many wedding events take place in this park. There is a Mona Vale cafe located inside the homestead where you can enjoy a cup of coffee with a delicious piece of cake and watch the nature around you.

Though it opens every day from Monday to Sunday but has different timings for each month of the year, from November to February, the park opens at 7 am and closes at 9 pm. In March, it opens at 7 am and closes at 8 pm. In April, you can visit here from 7 am to 6.30 pm. From May to August, the opening hours remain the same, but it closes at 5:30 pm. Even during September and October, the opening hours remain the same, that is 7 am but close at 6 pm and 7 pm respectively.

Address: 40 Mona Vale Ave, Riccarton, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand

Visitor love punting in a beautiful calm water body and Avon River will offer you that. Flowing through the center of the city, punting in the river gives an amazing view of the Christchurch. Choose a departure point and glide through the tranquil beauty of the botanical gardens or view the inner part of the city. A standard punt ride is approximately 30 minutes long. Do not forget to bring your camera when you are heading to the Avon river as you will get many picturesque locations and things that you might want to capture.

If you want to relax and enjoy the sunlight and the breeze, then heading to the Avon river will be the best idea. You can relax near the water body, sit there, talk with your loved ones, take a walk around the area or book a punt ride. Punting is economical and well as an eco-friendly way of unwinding your senses. Being on the water body, you can see the city from a completely different perspective. You can visit this place anytime, but walking on the riverside in the morning as well during sunset is a completely different experience. You can check for the punting trip online and book it in advance when you add visiting Avon river in your things to do in Christchurch list.

Address: Avon River, Christchurch

The Bridge of Remembrance is a war memorial building in Christchurch, dedicated to the people who lost their lives in World War I and in the and conflicts of Borneo, Korea, Vietnam, and Malaya. It is located at the head of City Mall on the Cashel Street Bridge, and that is why this bridge has given name as the "Bridge of Remembrance". It is a notable feature of the riverside area of Christchurch. This majestic bridge spans over the Avon river provides a link between the Oxford and Cambridge Terraces.

The building was strengthened and repaired after the earthquake of 2011 in Christchurch. The inscription (QVID NON-PRO PATRIA) on the central frame of the arch means "What will a man not do for his country". Apart from the war memorial, you can see several statues there, and each has a different purpose and meaning. The statues are made up of different materials like marble and bronze. Take out some time in the evening and walk on this bridge to see what it can offer to yours. Overlooking the city from the bridge is stunning, especially when the sun sets and the light illuminates in the buildings and streets. Sit back in any cafe near the bridge and enjoy the view. Add it in your list of best things to do in Christchurch.

It remains open for 24 hours on all days of the week.

Address: Cashel St, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand

Christchurch Cathedral was built between the period of 1864 and 1904. It is also known as the Cathedral Church of Christ and Christ Church Cathedral. The cathedral is located in the city center of the Christchurch and surrounded by the Cathedral square.

Many times, the earthquake has damaged the building and to fix those damages, the structure of the church has to change. In 2011, the earthquake severely damaged the entire Cathedral, especially the upper portion of the church building and the spire. Soon after the earthquake, the lower portion of the building was demolished by external means to rescue the people. Later the Anglican Church suggested to build a new structure in that place, and that stand there as what you will see; the Christchurch Cathedral. The restoration work will begin from the year 2020. And this time the design created by the team has the intention to built it earthquake-proof; stronger enough that can withstand the effects of an earthquake. You can visit the church and learn about its history and know how it has been restored many times after being damaged by the natural calamity. Since the cathedral is located in the main location, you can easily get there by any public transport means, taking a tram will be best. Add in your list of best things to do in Christchurch.

Address: 234 Hereford St, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand

Canterbury Museum is the Cultural Precinct of the Christchurch, located in the central city. It was established in 1867. Heritage New Zealand has registered this building as a "Historic Place – Category I ". So, if there is any history lover among the visitors, you will be delighted to see this museum. The museum is famous in the entire world for its natural and human history collections.

Initially, the original museum was only a single room, but later many alterations have done to its original design as per the requirements. The first alteration was to make this building into a two-story wing which is of the Victorian Gothic style. Later, one more addition was done, which you can see in the present day as Rolleston Avenue. There is the four-story block in the building which contains an exhibition court for traveling and short-term exhibitions. In the museum, you will find many things that are recognized internationally like costumes, New Zealand birds and Asian Decorative Arts. There is an MÄori gallery in the museum that displays treasures and tools from the first people of the region. This place will probably give you more insights into Christchurch's connection to Antarctica. If a material owned by the museum is useful for family history, they grant access to the research too. There you will find many things that are important for geology and life science research. The entry to the museum is free, but if anyone wants to donate, they can. The museum has to be there in your list of things to do in Christchurch if you are curious to know about the history of the city.

It opens every day (Monday to Sunday) from 9 am to 5:30 pm.

Address: Rolleston Ave, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand

The Christchurch Art Gallery is the public art gallery of the Christchurch. The gallery has a collection of its substantial arts. Here you can see an expansive collection of artworks, both old and new. People fond of art and artifacts will love this place. Many international exhibitions and programs related to New Zealand take place in this gallery.

Robert McDougall Art Gallery was the previous art gallery of the city, and the Christchurch Art Gallery in 2003 replaced it. This building is recent, and that you can see from its urban style architecture of the art gallery. You can see many different inspiring artworks here. Sometimes, you will not even understand the purpose of the art, but no need to stress on that, you can watch the beauty of the works created by some talented artists. People come here to learn about art. Sometimes you will see children and learners strolling across the gallery with a pencil and paper trying to copy to the artwork. Even schools and colleges organize a tour for their children to make them aware of the different types of art present in the modern world. Local people also visit Christchurch Art Gallery if some new exhibition or event is organized there. You can get information about the upcoming exhibitions and events through the internet, and if you want to join it, you can follow the process. Add this place in your list of best things to do in Christchurch.

It opens every day (Monday to Sunday) from 10 am to 5 pm except Wednesday. On Wednesday, it remains open for an extra four hours and closes at 9 pm.

Address: Montreal St, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand

Akaroa Museum Te Whare Taonga is a museum commonly known as the Akaroa Museum. It focuses on exhibiting the history of the Banks Peninsula. It was established in 1964. Here you can see a varied collection of archives, art, photography, costume and textiles, taonga, and technology. The things showcased in the Akora museum reflect the culture and lifestyle of Maori, British, French, German and others.

The museum has three long term exhibition galleries; Court House, Custom House, and Langlois Eleveneaux Cottage. The museum collectively displays more than 2000 photographs, colonial stories and an audio-visual program that will take you through the history of Maori and French settlement. You can check online for the temporary exhibitions happening in this museum and go for that. The temporary exhibitions can be really fun as you will get a chance to explore a wide variety of Banks Peninsula-related subjects from the serious to the quirky. If you are visiting this museum with your family, then you can easily get a family pass, and that will be economical. Even if you are not very much interested in exploring the history, it will be worth visiting this historical museum. Just take a walk in the museum and settle down in any cafe and enjoy a warm cup of coffee. Add this place in your list of best things to do in Christchurch.

It opens every day (Monday to Sunday) from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm. It remains closed on public holidays.

Address: 71 Rue Lavaud, Akaroa 7520, New Zealand

To create an unforgettable journey, this picturesque town offers a lot of things to do in Christchurch along with some of the thrill-seeking opportunities. The urban environment of the city has the essence of natural landscape making it a perfect place for your next holiday. Take the route to the coastal pathway and enjoy the cold breeze of the sea while cycling. This vibrant city is still in transition mode after a second-worst natural disaster of New Zealand, and you will be surprised to see that how creatively the city is has coped with the damages. Take a ride on local buses, trams, visit the world-famous gardens, eat their delicious cuisine, enjoy the nightlife of the city and make your journey beautiful by adding few spots in your list from our carefully picked list of things to do in Christchurch. Do not travel; rather celebrate this crazy and lively city. Happy traveling to Christchurch.