Wellington With Teens: A School Holiday City Break They’ll Actually Enjoy
Credit: Ryan Domenico
Travelling with teenagers?
The school holiday formula changes.
Less packed itineraries. More good food, shopping, sleep-ins, live entertainment and letting everyone have a say in what happens next.
That’s where Wellington comes in.
Compact, easy to explore and full of places worth discovering, it’s an easy city break for families with older kids.
Shop & Wander Cuba Street
Start with a wander rather than an itinerary.
Explore Cuba Street and its surrounds for vintage finds, streetwear, record stores, independent shops and plenty of places to stop along the way.
Good for: Shopping, browsing and letting teens set the pace.
WellingtonNZ, Phoebe Mackenzie
Make Food Part of the Day
Burgers. Dumplings. Noodles. Pizza. Something sweet afterwards.
Instead of planning lunch around your activities, make finding somewhere good to eat one of them.
Let everyone take turns choosing where to stop.
Give Them Some Choice
You don't need every hour mapped out.
Pick one or two things to do together, then leave some space for everyone to choose what comes next.
Shopping? A movie? An arcade? A gallery? Another food stop?
Sometimes less planning makes for a much better holiday.
See What's On
A gig, show or live event can give the whole trip something to look forward to.
September has plenty happening around Wellington, including live music at MEOW NUI, just a short walk from The Viv.
Check what's on before you arrive and turn your school holiday stay into a proper night out.
Make Time to Recharge
Here's the underrated part of travelling with teenagers: you don't have to entertain them every second.
Head back to the hotel. Recharge. Scroll. Nap. Decide what's for dinner.
Then get ready and head back out.
Your Wellington Base
Stay at The Viv Hotel on Vivian Street and have the city ready to explore when you are.
Go out for breakfast. Shop. Eat. Catch a show. Sleep in.
No complicated family itinerary required.
School holidays, but make them Wellington.
Check in. Head out.
Less planning. More exploring. Wellington their way.