Attractions

An iconic Christchurch activity not to be missed. Admire the beautiful Christchurch Botanic Gardens or the changing face of the city centre as you are expertly guided gently along the Avon River from one of our two sites on our Edwardian-style Punting tours.

Choose from the Antigua Boat Sheds departure point to glide through the tranquil Botanic Gardens, or the Worcester Bridge departure point (with real time booking inventory) to view the inner city’s revitalised Avon River Precinct.

Our Punting tours are set aboard handcrafted flat-bottomed boats, poled along by your Punter from the platformed till at the rear end of the boat. An ideal group or family activity, Punting on the Avon is an eco-friendly way to relax and enjoy Christchurch from a different perspective.

Please note that all standard Punt rides are shared 30-minute rides. For customers wishing to take a private Punt ride, our 45-minute private tours are available to book from the Antigua Boat Sheds departure point

The Arts Centre is an iconic landmark, a precious taonga in Christchurch. After being extensively damaged during the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, the stunning Gothic Revival style centre which dates back to 1877 is slowly being brought back to life through a massive $290m post-earthquake restoration programme and the team at the Arts Centre are restoring memories to pave the way for new experiences with culture, creativity and education. As you might imagine, all this change is bringing a lot of excitement with it.

Excitement in the form of:

– From Ancient Greece to Contemporary New Zealand Art and artisan craft – you can visit the Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities, the Central Art Gallery, the Pūmanawa community exhibition space which has rotating art, heritage and social science exhibitions. Take a sneak peak at rehearsals underway in the Common Room with innovative theatre company Two Productions.

– Food and drink venues such as Bunsen cafe, the Curator’s Deli, Zen Sushi & Dumplings, Fudge Cottage, Rollickin’ Gelato and The Rolling Om.

– Rutherford’s Den – a hands on interactive science learning space which is the actual rooms where Nobel prize-winning scientist Ernest, Lord Rutherford studied.

– Public spaces such as the Great Hall and North and South Quadrangles which are open to the public following their respective restorations and feature public art thanks to SCAPE.

– A growing dynamic events programme that includes markets and carnivals, outdoor summer cinemas, lunchtime concerts and workshops throughout the year (check their website for more details)
Enticing internal features aside, The Arts Centre is a great place to visit purely for a wander around to soak up some of its rich history – there are 23 separate buildings on site, of which 21 are listed by Heritage New Zealand as Historic Place Category 1 and each with their own story to tell.

The Christchurch Arts Centre is a truly special treasure for The Garden City and a must-do for all visitors and Christchurch locals.https://www.artscentre.org.nz/

Opened in 1932, New Regent Street is Christchurch’s only complete heritage streetscape. With beautiful Spanish Mission architecture, and a distinctive pastel colour scheme, it’s long been popular with locals and tourists alike.

There are few streets as iconic as new New Regent street Christchurch. It originally opened in 1932 and houses a range of exciting businesses and services in a picturesque heritage setting.

 The Christchurch tramway runs through New Regent street, giving it an identity and character uniquely its own. The street is right across the road from cathedral junction, the inspiration of John Brittan, a Christchurch engineer.

Cathedral junction is where Christchurch’s rich cultural past and present converge. While there are plenty of restaurants, bars and cafes in and around the street, it is advisable to make a booking before you head down to any of these as they are usually quite busy, with Regent street being a prime tourist attraction.

IN THE HEART OF CHRISTCHURCH, OVERLOOKING THE AVON RIVER

An exciting new development consisting of a 7-day-trading, indoor market, linked to a vibrant network of boutique retail, restaurants, cafes & bars - Riverside is a unique inner-city shopping experience for the local community and visitors to enjoy.

Providing a reliable source of fresh, organic, locally grown food Riverside Market supports small businesses, community and the environment by reducing carbon footprint and minimising packaging and waste. https://riverside.nz/home

Contributing to this inner city experience, Riverside Lanes provides a range of high quality retail including major fashion brands already confirmed.

Eateries at both the Market and Lanes offer unparalleled options for visitors with a wide range of bakeries / cafes / restaurants and bars.

Open 7 Days a Week ● Mon-Wed 9am-6pm ● Thu-Sat 9am-9pm ● Sun 10am-4pm

The Cardboard Cathedral, formally called the Transitional Cathedral, in Christchurch, New Zealand, is the transitional pro-cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch, replacing ChristChurch Cathedral, which was significantly damaged in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

The Transitional Cathedral is a beautiful place to come and visit, so please come on in. Whether you are a visitor, a pilgrim searching for God, or needing a place to pray, the door is open and you are welcome.

Across the road is the 185 White Empty Chairs, each one different, representing the individuality of those who died as a result of the Christchurch earthquake on 22nd February 2011."One of its strengths is that it transcends the earthquakes – it speaks widely to people who have suffered loss in all sorts of situations."

The Margaret Mahy Playground is a playground in the Christchurch Central City on the banks of the Avon River.

This is the largest playground in the Southern Hemisphere so there has to be something for everyone! There’s lots of different equipment for all age groups – sliding, swinging, balancing, climbing, jumping – your kids will only be limited by their imaginations.

There’s a separate toddler area as well as a water play/paddling area (if your child likes water and you don’t want them getting wet, either take precautions like gumboots or a change of clothes or stay well away from that area!).

Shade for some areas has been added and the trees will eventually grow, in the mean time take hats and sun block on sunny days and/or go early in the morning/late afternoon. Toilets (that talk to you!), parking, coffee and some food available onsite.