Christchurch Outdoor Adventures

Blow off the cobwebs and get your heart racing in Christchurch, where outdoor adventures can take you into the hills, the ocean or the serene parks.

Take a great breath of super-fresh New Zealand air and feel the stresses of life disappear. In Christchurch, the locals love being outdoors-and who wouldn't, with this scenery on your doorstep? We're talking wide-open spaces, a long coastline and beautiful beaches.

Outdoorsy visitors will have a packed itinerary. There are perfectly manicured botanical gardens where you can enjoy a romantic, hand-in-hand stroll or kilometres of tracks where biking can be a gentle cycle or bone-jangling adrenaline rush. Then there are hikes and walks, water activities, tons of outdoorsy tours. The list goes on...and on...and on...

Christchurch has the best of both worlds. Head one way and you can be surfing perfect rollers or wildlife spotting in the oceans and beaches. Head the other and the mountains and hills just beg to be hiked. Or simply stay in the city and take advantage of the massive green spaces where parks, ponds and picnics are in the cards.

Image: ChristchurchNZ

Parks & Gardens

  • No trip to Christchurch is complete without wandering through its large green space, Hagley Park, where botanic gardens and a river have stood since the 1850s.
  • Grab the kids and a picnic and head to Spencer Park to watch the seabirds on the lagoon or find shade under the trees on a sunny day.
  • See everything from colourful orchids to carnivorous plants at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, home to oodles of different gardens.

Image: ChristchurchNZ

Walks, Hikes and Biking

  • Take your pick of spectacular walks and hikes in the Port Hills, where panoramic views of the city, ocean and Southern Alps await.
  • Alternatively, skip the hike and hop on the 1.8km chairlift at the Christchurch Adventure Park and enjoy a leisurely walk at the top of Port Hills.
  • For breath-taking coastal views, stroll along New Brighton Beach or the Sumner Promenade.

Image: ChristchurchNZ

Water Activities

  • Surf's up in Christchurch! Newbies should head for the gentler waves of Sumner Beach, while pros can show off their skills on the mighty breaks at Taylors Mistake.
  • Drive 90 minutes to Akaroa Beach to meet the world's smallest species of dolphin as well as a colony of far-too-cute penguins.
  • New Brighton Beach and Pier are Christchurch icons. Splash in the waves, grab a surfboard or stay high and dry on the pier and snap photos of your friends wiping out.

Created in partnership with ChristchurchNZ