Family-Friendly Dining & Outings in Christchurch, New Zealand

Family-friendly dining and outings across Christchurch draw on the city’s own Garden City character, and understanding the range of options helps families searching for things to do near me in Christchurch plan a visit.

Hagley Park and the 33 hectare Christchurch Botanic Gardens, founded in 1863, sit directly in the central city and remain free to visit at any time, giving families significant, everyday outdoor space without needing to travel far. The gardens are an active habitat for kererū, and North Hagley Park’s cherry blossom avenue draws visitors during the spring flowering season.

Orana Wildlife Park, New Zealand’s only open-range zoo, sits on 80 hectares on the city’s outskirts and gives families a distinctive wildlife outing, while Willowbank Wildlife Reserve to the north of the city focuses on native New Zealand species including kiwi. Both give families a fuller day out than a standard suburban park visit, especially for children with a strong interest in animals.

The International Antarctic Centre reflects Christchurch’s own long history as an Antarctic gateway city, dating back to 1901 when the Discovery Expedition departed from Lyttelton. The centre combines base facilities for current Antarctic operations with a museum and visitor centre, giving families a properly distinctive experience found nowhere else in New Zealand, especially relevant given Christchurch Airport’s ongoing role as a supply route for the United States, New Zealand and other nations’ Antarctic programmes.

For coastal outings, Sumner’s popular beach gives families a straightforward seaside destination a short drive from the central city, while the Christchurch Gondola, running from Heathcote Valley to the top of Mount Cavendish, gives families a different perspective on the city and surrounding hills without needing to hike to the summit themselves.

The heritage tram, re-established in 1995 as a tourist attraction after the original network closed in 1954, loops around central city streets with stops at Cathedral Square, the Arts Centre, Canterbury Museum, Victoria Square and Cathedral Junction, giving families an easy, low effort way to see several central city landmarks in a single outing.

Travis Wetland, an ongoing ecological restoration project near Burwood and North New Brighton, gives families interested in native birdlife a free outing focused on conservation, with royal spoonbills and other native species now returning to the area as restoration work continues.

Christchurch’s own significant investment in rebuilt civic infrastructure adds further options beyond purely natural attractions. The Christchurch Art Gallery and Canterbury Museum both give families indoor, wet-weather options within the central city, and the Christchurch Town Hall, reopened in 2019 after eight years of earthquake repair, remains a recognised venue for concerts and performances.

Given how spread out Christchurch’s own attractions are, from the central city through to Orana Wildlife Park and Sumner beach, families planning a full day out are encouraged to group nearby attractions together rather than attempting to cover the whole city in a single visit.

Given the city’s own significant investment in free and low cost outdoor space, families on a tighter budget can build a properly full calendar of outings around Hagley Park, the Botanic Gardens and Travis Wetland without needing to pay for admission at every stop.

For more on family services across Christchurch, see our Christchurch city page, our Sports, Fitness & Swimming page for more on staying active around the city, and our Family Pets page for more on Hagley Park as a dog-friendly space. You can also visit the International Antarctic Centre website directly for current opening hours and ticket prices.