In June, my husband and I visited Christchurch on a 'recce' trip, to explore the area and see where we are moving to. The hubs had been before for his job interview, and was spending our time here meeting new colleagues and getting set up in his new job. So I had plenty of time to explore our new home!
1: Visit Quake City
Whether you are sightseeing by foot or by car, you can't avoid the fact that Christchurch is in the midst of some intense rebuilding following the 2010/11 earthquakes. As you walk through the city centre, you can see empty lots where buildings once stood, new buildings springing up, buildings with cracks and signs of damage that have been cordoned off and sing-posted for demolition. The earthquake is still everywhere to be seen; it has shaped this city physically and emotionally.
Quake City is a must-do for anyone interested in finding out more about the Christchurch earthquakes. Using video footage, photographs and artefacts, this fantastic exhibition charts the earthquakes and aftershocks, the impact they had on the city, and the current rebuild projects. Being a complete newbie to the city, and having no understanding of the disaster and its impact, I found this museum so insightful and interesting, and I shed a few tears.
2: Ride the Gondola
I LOVE gondolas, funiculars, cable cars... any way to get high up and catch those views. Honestly, if I visit a city with some sort of cable car in, it is definitely on my list of things to do. So of course, I wasn't going to miss the Christchurch gondola! This is a gentle ride up to approx. 500 metres above sea level, affording fantastic views over Christchurch, Quail Island, Lyttelton and New Brighton. Once you're at the top, you can hop off and walk around the viewing platforms in the visitor centre, or you can go outside.
Winter or summer, this is a great activity... just make sure to go on a clear, bright day to make the most of those stunning views! (I managed to catch it on one of the only cloud-free days we had during the fortnight we were there!).
3: Drink coffee
New Zealand coffee culture is pretty famous by now, and plenty of bloggers have written about it. Christchurch has some exceptional coffee shops, serving amazing coffee (seriously, I've never had coffee so good) and cakes. Just be aware that a lot of the small coffee shops open early for that morning hit, but will close around 3pm.
Park Rangers on Riccarton Road
This gorgeous little cafe has a real outdoor feel, I love it! It has great options for vegetarians, vegans and GF, with vegan/GF breakfast options, a choice of soy, almond or coconut milk, and vegan and GF cakes too. Heaven.
Supreme Supreme on Welles Street
The brunch at Supreme Supreme is A-MAZ-ING. Pancakes. Cooked breakfasts. Eggs any way you want. I can't even. If you're just going in for a coffee and a pick-me-up, get a cheese scone. You can thank me later.
The Cup on Dyers Pass
This is The Cafe with A View. And boy does it have a view! It a good old drive up to it, in a suburb called Cashmere, but it is worth it, especially if you can grab a window seat! Try the flat white and a caramel slice. The Caffeine Laboratory on Regent Street
This cute little cafe has the most beautiful exterior, with colourful tiles framing the door and portafilters as door handles! It's central location makes it perfect for a quick pick-me-up, but it also offers breakfast and lunches too. Just beware that they live by their name; no decaf coffee options available for you lightweights like me (but their hot chocolate is to-die-for).
Addington Coffee Co-Op
If you like your coffee ethical, sustainable and fair trade, this is the place for you. Situated in an old mechanic's garage, this cafe has a really unique, relaxed vibe and they even roast their own fair trade coffee on site. Vegan and gluten free options are available (including vegan pancakes for brunch! The dream!).
4: Visit the official earthquake memorial (and the unofficial one too)
One year after the earthquake on 22nd February 2011, which killed 185 people, a local artist set out 185 chairs, all individual and hand-painted white, on the site of one of the buildings demolished after the earthquake. This moving art installation was envisaged as a temporary exhibition, but still remains today, which is perhaps a testament to how important it is.
The official Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial was unveiled in 2017, and is well worth a visit too; a tranquil spot just outside the hustle and bustle of the shopping streets, the marble wall reminds visitors of the 185 people who lost their lives in the earthquake.
5: Explore the Botanic Gardens
I have a feeling that this is definitely one that is best done in summer! While it was winter when I visited, the Botanic Gardens is still a great place to wander around. The rose garden is pretty even at this time of year, I can't imagine how beautiful it will be in full summer. There is a visitor centre and a cafe, to warm up in winter or relax in the sun during the summer. The gardens are a great place to see New Zealand's native flora.
6: Visit both of Christchurch's Cathedrals
Christchurch Cathedral was irreparably damaged in the earthquake in 2011, with the spire and part of the tower were destroyed. The initial plans following the earthquake were to destroy the cathedral, but this was met with a lot of opposition and so the cathedral has been left in its state of disrepair. It is a stark reminder in the centre of Christchurch of the damage that the earthquake caused. The latest plan is to reinstate the cathedral (which could take up to 10 years), and I really hope they do, as it is an iconic building.
In the meantime, you can still visit Cathedral Square and see the damaged original cathedral, or you can visit the Transitional 'Cardboard' Cathedral, which was dedicated in August 2013. I would recommend doing both!
The Cardboard Cathedral is such a unique building. Most cathedrals you visit are full of history; old, cold, beautiful historical buildings, but this one is different. It's bright, colourful, modern and represents a significant recent history that Christchurch has experienced. You don't have to be religious to appreciate these two buildings, they are both beautiful.
7: Canterbury Museum
This museum is right next to the Botanic Gardens, in a gorgeous old stone building. There are some great permanent displays on the Moa (an extinct native bird), Antarctic exploration (did you know that Christchurch has historically been the 'gateway' for explorations and expeditions to Antarctica?), and a great little nineteenth century street. My favourite gallery is the native bird gallery (I know, what a geek!), where you can see the awesome size of the Albatross, and the different species of kiwi. The Canterbury museum is free entry, and relies on donations.
8: Orana Wildlife Park
I visited Orana Wildlife Park midweek, in the middle of winter, and it was pretty empty. At first, I thought I'd made a mistake, as I pulled up and there were only about five cars in the carpark!! But this turned out to be one of the best things I did on our recce trip to Christchurch.
Orana is an 'open range zoo', and has conservation and education at its core. The animals aren't always up close to see, or even visible at all, as they have 'safe' places to go to get away if they want to, but the park has a really great schedule of feeding times and presentations, which they encourage you to follow so that you get a chance to see the animals up close and also get the opportunity to ask the keepers questions.
My favourite bit was seeing kiwi birds for the very first time in the nocturnal house. Seriously, I spent about an hour in the cold dark. It was like seeing a mythical unicorn, only better. These gorgeous little birds are a flightless native bird to New Zealand and are seriously endangered. Because they can't fly away, their numbers are under attack from foreign predators brought to NZ, such as stoats and cats. So conservation charities and organisations, including Orana, are involved in breeding and release programmes to try to stop numbers declining so rapidly.
Make sure you visit the kiwi house and the new Great Ape Centre, and walk through the native bird houses. Watch out for the cheeky Kea though, who have apparently learnt how to sneak out by putting stones in the doors to hold them open.
9: Akaroa day trip
Akaroa is located on the Banks Peninsula to the south of Christchurch city. It takes a little over an hour to drive there from the city, but it has a completely different vibe. The town is an historic French/English settlement, and has a very French vibe to it! Even the street signs are French (Rue Jolie, Rue Lavaud, etc.). It's a great place to get away from the city for a day, or even a weekend.
There's plenty to do here; wildlife tours (penguins and dolphins), sea kyaking, walking, SUP. We only stayed for an afternoon, so opted for a scenic drive around the top of the volcano that Akaroa is built at the base of, then a walk along the coast to see the lighthouse, stopping of for coffee in a little French cafe along the way. This is definitely somewhere I will visit again.
10: Go to the beach
That's right, you heard me. Christchurch centre is just 20 minutes from the nearest beach. Rain or shine, summer or winter, I take any change to be by the sea. It's just too soothing and calming.
Sumner beach is on the Banks Peninsula and has easy parking, public toilets and changing rooms, cafes and beautiful views. We had a gorgeous walk down the beach (in winter!) and watched the much braver surfers and stand-up paddle boarders in the cold, cold water.
New Brighton is a coastal town east of the city, around 25-30 minutes drive from the centre. The beach here is 18km long and is famous for its Pier, which was rebuilt in the 1980s, after the original wooden pier was demolished in the 1965 due to decay. The new pier is 300 metres long (the longest pier in Australasia!) and makes for a great little stroll, or somewhere to watch the sunset from. Again, we visited in winter, so the only people on the beach were the surfers braving the cold waves. But I am looking forward to visiting Christchurch's beaches in summer.
Have you ever been to Christchurch? What are your favourite things to do here?
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