New Zealand |
Part 2: South Island (Christchurch)

Christchurch

Tram

This was our first activity that we did on our first full day in Christchurch. Since the city is very small, most of the highlights are within walking distance. Getting to hear about why they are special from the tram conductor allowed us to plan which ones we wanted to spend more time at. The trams run every ten minutes between 8:30AM and 6:00PM and the whole ride takes just under an hour. You can buy tickets at the first stop or online. Tickets were NZ$40 per person. There was also the option to add on the gondola and/or punting on the Avon, but we decided to just stick to the tram. 

Quake City 

In 2011, Christchurch was hit with a series of earthquakes that destroyed much of the city and surrounding areas. This museum was created to educate people about the devastation of that natural disaster and show how the city has rebuilt itself. I liked how some of the exhibits were interactive, like a bike that powered a video when you pedaled it. It was small yet informative. The whole experience took us around 45 minutes to walk through. Tickets are NZ$20 for adults and NZ$16 for students. 

Hagley Park

Hagley Park seems to be the place that you would go when you want a break from a city without actually leaving the city. It is merely a bridge crossing away from downtown Christchurch yet the greenery makes you feel like you walked into a rural landscape. The Avon River flows through it and is filled with ducks and people on peaceful river cruises. In the center, there is the Christchurch Botanical Gardens, which we did not get too much time to venture into. On the north end is Hagley Oval, the cricket grounds for the local cricket team. The grounds are open to the public. 

The Arts Centre + Rutherford's Den

This complex is home to an array of small businesses that highlight local craftspeople. One of the bigger attractions aside from the shops is Rutherford's Den, a museum dedicated to the man who theorized the structure of the atom and proposed the laws of radioactive decay. The museum is split across three floors. The floor where you enter is the most museum-like with exhibits to tell you about his life and research. The top floor has a working lecture theatre that people could hypothetically rent out for seminars. The bottom floor was called his "den": a basement in which you can hear him narrating some of his research. Having learned the basics of Rutherford's discoveries in introductory physics classes, I found this museum to be interesting. It is completely free and open from 10AM - 4PM. We spent about an hour going through the three floors in depth. 

Once you finish the museum, go over to the Great Hall to see the 4000 piece stained glass window. This stunningly colorful work of art is dedicated to the many students and staff of Canterbury College who served in World War I. 

After we admired the stained glass, we browsed some of the boutiques that were inside the arts centre. Most stores close around 5pm so we only got to see two of them. Downstairs, there was a perfume store that lets you customize your own perfume blends in a workshop. You can also get the scents in other products like lotions and soaps. Upstairs we went into Homegrown Gallery, which featured a rotating selection of artisinal products. Two or three different creators share the space. You could tell that a lot of time went into making each one of those goods. Keep in mind that since they are handmade, items may sell out quickly. 

Kayaking on the Avon River

This was not something that we were intially planning to do. But on our second afternoon, we realized that we had hit most of the highlights that we had wanted to see. The main company renting out kayaks was Antigua Boatsheds. We were a group of 4 so they offered us the canoe for $50 for an hour. You can only canoe one direction and then need to turn back to the boat dock. They initially told us to go up to the fourth bridge, which is only doable with the smaller kayaks. The canoe is deeper so it hits the rocky bottom of the shallowest part of the lake. Paddling the canoe requires communication between all four riders, otherwise your boat may end up getting stuck on the side of the river banks. I thought this was a nice way to take a break from walking around the city while also having a bit of family fun. 

Cashel Street

Cashel Street is the main shopping street in Christchurch. Our hotel was one one end of it, so we inevitably walked up and down it multiple times. There were a surprising number of known brands like Birkenstock and Luluemon. One of the main attractions during the holidays are the window displays in front of Ballantynes. Many of the stores are located in little offshoots from the main road. Although it seemed like it would be busy in the evenings, these stores also closed by 5PM. 

Transitional Cathedral

Not to be confused with Christchurch Cathedral, this "Cardboard Cathedral" opened in 2013. We did not go inside but rather admired the colorful triangles that fill the roof space on the front. This is a little out of the way from most other attractions so I would only do it if you are exceptionally interested in the architecture or have a bit of free time.