Whanganui Travel Guide

Tourist Guide
Whanganui
This charming city has long been known for its abundance of cultural and historical delights as well as its gorgeous riverside location.

Fertile soils, a temperate climate and plenty of fresh water made Wanganui one of New Zealand’s most successful Māori settlements during the 1800s. Nowadays, Wanganui is best known for its great museums, riverboat cruises and pleasant surrounding countryside.

Discover the area’s indigenous past with a visit to the Whanganui Regional Museum. Here you can see the spectacular Te Mata o Hoturoa War Canoe. This was constructed from a single tree and is covered with exquisite carvings. View more historical objects and learn about the cultures of the Māori tribes. You will also find a range of interactive displays that take a look at some of the North Island’s indigenous animals and plants.

If you like the examples of Māori art in the museum, head to Sarjeant Gallery where you can see fascinating tribal artworks. You will also see a range of local landscapes by the artists Domenico Piola, William Etty and Lelio Orsi, among others.

From here, head to the waterfront Chronicle Glass Studio. Watch as professional glass blowers shape intricate vases, or try it out for yourself during a 1-day course. Create a colorful paperweight to take home as a souvenir.

A short stroll across the park will take you to the Whanganui Riverboat Centre. Here, several displays explore the history of the river, but the highlight is the restored boat, the Waimarie. Known for being the last of the paddle steamboats used in Wanganui, the Waimarie sank in 1952 and lay submerged for 41 years. After a painstaking restoration, this historic vessel is once again taking passengers on gentle cruises along the tranquil river.

Wanganui has a range of accommodation options to meet different requirements. A number of restaurants and hotels in the town serve hearty local cuisine.

Fly into Wanganui’s local airport or drive from Auckland in around 5 hours and Wellington within 3 hours. It’s worth staying a few days in Wanganui to explore some of the pretty surrounding countryside and take in its rich cultural heritage.

Where to stay in Whanganui

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Castlecliff

Visitors to Castlecliff enjoy its beaches, and if you want to do some exploring, Castlecliff Beach is worth a stop.

Castlecliff
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Whanganui East

While Whanganui East may not have many sights to explore, venturing just a little farther will lead you to top things to see and do like Whanganui Riverboat Centre and Museum and Sarjeant Gallery.

Whanganui East
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Gonville

Though Gonville may not have many top sights, you can venture to the surrounding area to see attractions like South Beach and Virginia Lake.

Gonville
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Aramoho

While Aramoho may not have many sights to explore, venturing just a little farther will lead you to top things to see and do like Virginia Lake and Sarjeant Gallery.

Aramoho
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Okoia

While visiting Okoia, you might make a stop by sights like Virginia Lake and South Beach.

Okoia
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Durie Hill

While visiting Durie Hill, you might make a stop by sights like Durie Hill Elevator and Memorial Tower.

Durie Hill
The Avenue Hotel
The Avenue Hotel
3 out of 5
379 Victoria Avenue, Whanganui
The price is NZ$129 per night from 17 Apr to 18 Apr
NZ$129
per night
17 Apr - 18 Apr
Stay at this 3-star hotel in Whanganui. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and breakfast. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in our reviews. ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (137 reviews)
"pleasant room with outdoor patio. friendly and helpful staff. short walk down Victoria Ave to cafes and restaurants. the room heater was old and a bit dusty and noisy, but didn’t need it much to warm the room a little"

Reviewed on 22 Mar. 2024

The Avenue Hotel
151 on London Motel
151 on London Motel
4.5 out of 5
151 London Street, Whanganui
The price is NZ$162 per night from 31 Mar to 1 Apr
NZ$162
per night
31 Mar - 1 Apr
Stay at this 4.5-star business-friendly motel in Whanganui. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a business center. Popular attractions Virginia Lake and Ward ...
9/10 Wonderful! (312 reviews)
Free plunger coffee in the room
"Reasonable room that was good value for the amount paid. Some of the furniture is a bit dated but everything was clean and there was even plunger coffee in the room. A 2-minute drive to the EV chargers at the supermarkets."

Reviewed on 23 Mar. 2024

151 on London Motel
Burwood Manor Motel
Burwood Manor Motel
2.5 out of 5
63-65 Dublin Street, Whanganui
The price is NZ$161 per night from 7 Apr to 8 Apr
NZ$161
per night
7 Apr - 8 Apr
Stay at this motel in Whanganui. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and daily housekeeping. Popular attractions Ward Observatory and Whanganui Museum are located ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (232 reviews)
"Room was nice and clean the bed really comfortable. Everything was in walking distance"

Reviewed on 10 Mar. 2024

Burwood Manor Motel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Aotea Motor Lodge
Aotea Motor Lodge
4.5 out of 5
390 Victoria Avenue, Whanganui
Stay at this 4.5-star luxury aparthotel in Whanganui. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a business center. Popular attractions Ward Observatory and Whanganui ...
9/10 Wonderful! (360 reviews)
Nice place to stay
"Lovely motel in convenient location. The rooms were clean and spacious. I would definitely recommend."

Reviewed on 28 Feb. 2024

Aotea Motor Lodge
Relax in the Wanganui Dunes
Relax in the Wanganui Dunes
Wanganui Township
Stay at this golf vacation home in Whanganui. Enjoy WiFi, onsite parking, and a garden. Popular attractions Castlecliff Beach and South Beach are located nearby. ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (186 reviews)
Lovely views
"Three guests (a couple plus one) enjoyed the fantastic views from the deck, the wonderful spa pool, and having a cozy place to read and puzzle over a stormy couple days. The beds are super comfortable! Some minor repairs needed around the house, but all in all, very functional and suited our needs. ..."

Reviewed on 18 Mar. 2024

Relax in the Wanganui Dunes
Riverside Townhouse with room for all the family, great location & WIFI
Riverside Townhouse with room for all the family, great location & WIFI
Wanganui Township
Stay at this vacation home in Whanganui. Enjoy WiFi, onsite parking, and a TV. Our guests praise the clean rooms in our reviews. Popular attractions Sarjeant ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (144 reviews)
Well equiped
"Spacest property and well equipped in a quite area. Very good location. We enjoyed our stay. Thankyou"

Reviewed on 4 Jan. 2024

Riverside Townhouse with room for all the family, great location & WIFI
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Reviews of Whanganui

4.2
Top destination
5 - Excellent
65
" "5 - Excellent 29.953917050691246%
4 - Good
124
" "4 - Good 57.142857142857146%
3 - Okay
28
" "3 - Okay 12.903225806451612%
2 - Disappointing
0
" "2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
0
" "1 - Terrible 0%

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
3 Jun 2020

Lots to see and do. Stayed two nights, and didn’t manage to see everything we wanted to. Shame we missed the Durie elevator (closed due to Covid restrictions).

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
1 Jun 2020

Beautiful place , lovely older style buildings , great parks for kids plenty to do and see .

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveller
22 May 2020

No

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
16 Mar 2020

very pleasing place

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
2 Mar 2020

The Whanganui Council have done a wonderful job of decorating the Victoria St area, with hanging baskets of flowers and well maintained flower beds, the whole town always looked sparkling clean, no debri ever in sight, it really was a credit to them.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
2 Mar 2020

Quaint place that's rather old school in how a lot of restaurants, cafes etc were either shut early or not open at all during the weekend! Very arty, but also felt like a retirement village.