Upper Hutt accommodation from AU$108

A 25-minute drive or 45-minute train ride from the Wellington CBD, Upper Hutt is known for family-friendly parks like Trentham Memorial Park and Maidstone Park, which are both relaxing places to take an evening walk. There are also a number of smaller parks throughout the city. You can hit up a cafe or restaurant close to Main Street in the middle of town, or go shopping in the local mall (which is actually called The Mall). It packs 24 stores inside the mall and nine more on Main Street, including heaps of places to eat!

In the mood for a show? The Expressions Arts and Entertainment Centre in Whirinaki is the melting pot of cultural activity in Upper Hutt, with an art gallery, a theatre and a huge selection of activities like stand-up comedy, music and plays. If you’d rather soak in water than culture, head to H20 Xtream, an awesome aquatic centre with wild fast-paced waterslides and one-of-a-kind pool inflatables. Maybe you want to take an old-fashioned steam train ride through history. Don’t miss the Silver Steam Railway Heritage Museum, where you can take a ride on a steam locomotive.

If you like to catch your own dinner - and feel like some juicy trout – bring your fishing rod and cast a line from the shore of the Hutt River. If you want to cycle, there are some great bike tracks ranging from easy – like Trentham Memorial Park – to a lot more challenging. The granddaddy of all bike tracks is the Hutt River Trail, which winds 27km across the Hutt Valley. The good news is that you don’t have to cycle it all. You can just cycle – or walk- part of it, and there are nice spots along the way to duck in for a swim.

If you want to see the rest of the mighty Hutt Valley, check out our range of Lower Hutt accommodation. Book from our Upper Hutt accommodation to get started and don’t forget about our flights to Wellington.