Wellington New Zealand
Things to do in Wellington in December 2026
By Tripnostic Research · Updated June 3, 2026
For Wellington in December 2026, build the day around dated events, seasonal conditions, venue hours, and booking windows. Dated picks to verify first include Wellington Jazz Festival 2026 and Wellington Night Market - December 2026. Check the event list and public holidays below before assigning fixed dates.
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Wellington in December 2026
Weather
Temperature
67°F / 57°F
19.6°C / 13.9°C
Precipitation
9d
3.5in · 90mm
Daylight
15h
Sea
63.7°F
17.6°C
December is early summer, with holiday demand and fast-changing wind on ferries and lookouts.
Events & festivals
- Dec 4 – Dec 6
Wellington Jazz Festival 2026
A vibrant celebration of jazz music featuring local and international artists performing across multiple venues in Wellington. — Tickets available online and at venue box offices.
Source: festival research
- Dec 5 – Dec 26
Wellington Night Market - December 2026
Weekly night market featuring street food, crafts, and live entertainment in central Wellington. — Free entry; food and merchandise sold on site.
Source: festival research
- Dec 6
Wellington Santa Parade 2026
Annual festive parade through Wellington city streets featuring floats, performers, and Santa Claus to kick off the Christmas season. — Free public event; arrive early for best viewing spots.
Source: festival research
- Dec 10 – Dec 24
Wellington Christmas Market 2026
A festive market offering crafts, food, and entertainment in the heart of Wellington, perfect for holiday shopping and family fun. — Free entry; some stalls and activities may require purchase.
Source: festival research
- Dec 12 – Dec 20
New Zealand Festival of the Arts - December Edition 2026
A curated program of theatre, dance, music, and visual arts showcasing New Zealand and international talent. — Advance booking recommended for popular shows.
Source: festival research
Public holidays
- Dec 25Christmas Day
- Dec 28Boxing Day
Planning checklist
- 1Check the 5 dated Wellington events for anything that overlaps your exact December dates before assigning fixed sightseeing days.
- 2Hold flexible plans around the 2 public holidays in New Zealand; museums, markets, and government-run sights can switch hours.
- 3Group each Wellington day by nearby neighborhoods, then validate the saved places against your trip dates before exporting the checked route to Google Maps.
Build your Wellington plan for December
Start fresh — type or paste places you're considering — and Tripnostic checks every one against your December dates: opening hours, closures, what needs booking ahead, and which Wellington events overlap your trip. Already have a list from a friend or an AI itinerary? Paste it and we'll check that too.
Build my Wellington planAbout Wellington
City overview
Wellington is New Zealand's compact windy capital wrapped around Wellington Harbour, with steep hills, cable-car views, Parliament, Cuba Street, Oriental Bay, and film-industry workshops packed close together. Lambton Quay, Te Aro, Mount Victoria, Thorndon, Miramar, Kelburn, and the waterfront make the city feel walkable but vertical.
Food & drink
Wellington food works best as a coffee, seafood, and brewery crawl: flat whites are pulled at compact roasters, green-lipped mussels and paua turn up on harbor menus, and cheese scones, fish and chips, lamb, chocolate, and hokey pokey ice cream fill the gaps between walks. Cuba Street, Hannahs Laneway, Harbourside Market, Leeds Street, the waterfront, and Miramar cafes make the first route.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- AWellington Botanic Garden ki Paekaka
- BZealandia Te Mara a Tane
- CMount Victoria Lookout
- DWellington Cable Car
- EWeta Workshop
- FNew Zealand Parliament and Beehive
- GMuseum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
- HOld St Paul's
- ICuba Street
- JOriental Bay
1Wellington Botanic Garden ki Paekaka
4.7★ · 10,276outdoorOpen dailyThe botanic garden was established in 1868 on the hillside above the city. Native bush, rose gardens, sculptures, views, and cable-car access make it one of the easiest half-day routes.
2Zealandia Te Mara a Tane
4.7★ · 6,066outdoorOpen dailyThe fenced ecosanctuary opened to visitors in 1999 in a former reservoir valley, protecting native birds, tuatara, forest, and wetlands from introduced predators. It is a short shuttle or bus ride from the central city.
Night tours need advance booking and warmer layers than daytime city walks.
3Mount Victoria Lookout
4.7★ · 6,338outdoorOpen dailyThe lookout rises above the harbor, airport, central city, and Cook Strait approaches. Walking tracks start near Oriental Bay and Mount Victoria village, with road access for faster sunset visits.
Show 7 more sights
- 4Wellington Cable Car
- 5Weta Workshop
- 6New Zealand Parliament and Beehive
- 7Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
- 8Old St Paul's
- 9Cuba Street
- 10Oriental Bay
Neighborhoods
1CBD and Lambton Quay
The central business district is narrow and practical, with offices, shops, cable-car access, laneways, the railway station, and Parliament nearby.
2Te Aro and Cuba Street
Te Aro is creative and food-heavy, with Cuba Street, bars, cafes, galleries, theatres, vintage stores, and late-night music.
3Waterfront and Oriental Bay
The harbor edge is open and walkable, with Te Papa, promenades, sculptures, rowing sheds, beaches, restaurants, and ferry views.
4Mount Victoria
Mount Victoria is leafy and steep, with villas, lookout tracks, village cafes, film-location paths, and quick access to Oriental Bay.
5Thorndon
Thorndon is governmental and historic, with Parliament, the Beehive, Old St Paul's, embassies, the railway station, and old cottages.
6Miramar and Kilbirnie
The eastern side is film-and-airport oriented, with Weta Workshop, suburban cafes, beaches, airport access, and roads toward Seatoun.
Day trips
80km / 1-1.5h by car over Remutaka Hill or train plus local transfer
Wairarapa and Martinborough
The wine region adds pinot noir cellar doors, Greytown shops, Featherston book stops, and rural scenery beyond the hills.
50km / 45-60min by Kapiti Line train or car from Wellington
Kapiti Coast
Beaches, Paekakariki, Paraparaumu, and Kapiti Island nature trips make the easiest north-coast day.
7km / 20-25min by ferry from Queens Wharf
Matiu/Somes Island
The harbor island has quarantine history, wildlife, walking tracks, and strong city-and-harbor views without a long transfer.
Getting around
Metlink buses, trains, harbor ferries, the cable car, walking routes, and Snapper cards cover most city trips, though hills and wind slow short distances. The airport, Miramar, Zealandia, Wairarapa, and Kapiti Coast each need separate timing rather than a single central-city walk.
Common questions about Wellington in December
- Will the places on my list be open when I'm in Wellington in December?
- Not always. Opening days and hours vary by weekday, season, and holiday. Paste your Wellington list into Tripnostic and it checks every place against the exact dates you're there, flagging closures before the trip instead of at a locked door.
- How do I plan Wellington days without crossing the city twice?
- Tripnostic groups your places by neighborhood so each day stays in one or two areas instead of zig-zagging. It also flags what needs booking ahead, so timed tickets and reservations don't fall through.
- What to pack for Wellington in December
Pack for December's weather, not a generic Wellington checklist.
- Layerable daytime clothes for average highs around 20°C / 67°F.
- A light evening layer because nights average 14°C / 57°F.
- A small umbrella or packable shell for scattered rain across about 9 days.
- How many days do you need in Wellington
- 4 days covers the main Wellington highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is Wellington worth visiting in December
- Yes. Wellington in December: 19.6°C high, 13.9°C low, 90mm rain over 9 days, 15h daylight. Mild and dry — shoulder-season sweet spot.