10 Best Places to be in Wellington When it Rains
Wellington is a vibrant and diverse city, known for its great cafe culture, stunning harbour views and of course, its unpredictable weather. With Wellington’s unpredictable climate, it can be difficult to plan outdoor activities – but don’t despair! There are still plenty of places to explore in the city even when it rains. From museums and galleries to delicious cafes and cosy bars, this article will take you through the best places to be in Wellington when it rains.

Table of Contents
#1 – Weta Cave
Introduction:
Like Wētā Workshop itself, their Tourism offering came from humble beginnings. They got our start in 2008 when Wētā Workshop co-founders Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger – seeing the vanloads of hopeful Lord of the Rings fans pull up outside the workshop each day – opened the Wētā Cave shop. Full of cool stuff to explore, buy, photograph, or simply gawk at, the shop quickly became an iconic landmark in the sleepy suburb of Miramar. But that was just the beginning.
Four years after opening the Wētā Cave, in 2012 they transformed the section of the workshop closest to the shop into a fully-fledged tour space. For the first time ever, they were able to bring visitors up close and personal to the artistry and craftsmanship that happens within the four walls of our Workshop every day.
Type of Services:
- Hosted tours
- Creative workshops
- Event offerings
- Groups and events
Location:
Level 5/88 Federal Street, Auckland, New Zealand
Contact: 04 909 4035.
Website: Website Link Here

#2 – Te Papa Museum
Introduction:
The tiny Colonial Museum, Te Papa’s predecessor, opened behind Parliament’s buildings shortly after Parliament moved to Wellington in 1865.
The museum’s first director, Sir James Hector, prioritized scientific collections but also acquired a range of other items, often by donation. These included prints and paintings, ethnographic ‘curiosities’, and items of antiquity.
Type of Services:
- License footage
- Buy prints
- License images
Location:
55 Cable Street
PO Box 467
Wellington, 6011
Contact: +64 (04) 381 7000
Website: Website Link Here

#3 – Garage Project Cellar Door
Introduction:
Welcome to the Level 3 incarnation of the Garage Project Cellar Door: GP Local Aro! Its delivery and click + collect service runs from our Aro St cellar door. Cellar Door They are offering freshly filled riggers from our 8 taps, as well as a selection of wines and cans. Simply choose from the array on offer, order, and pay online. You can choose to swing by the Kingsland cellar door to pick it up at your earliest convenience OR you can opt for same-day delivery and they will bring it right to you! The whole process is easy as pie and completely contactless – the only new bubbles introduced will be the ones in your delicious cold fizz
Type of Services:
- BEERS
- CLOTHING
- POSTERS
Location:
68 Aro Street
Te Aro
Wellington
Contact:
Website: Website Link Here

#4 – Escape Mate
Introduction:
They are a team of puzzle enthusiasts and they take pride in their unique and intricate scenarios, our non-linear game structures, their spectacular set designs, and their high-tech puzzles that feel like magic. All our games, puzzles, and equipment are locally designed, invented, and created by their team.
Their games are a magical mix of fun puzzle-solving, creative story-telling, and epic displays; all combined to make a one-of-a-kind, adventurous, goal-oriented group experience.
Escape Mate opened in 2015 as the first escape game provider in Wellington, and the second in New Zealand.
Type of Services:
- Event program
- The Spaceship + Temple + Spy Game Combo
- The Spaceship + Temple
Location:
Ground Floor, 195 Victoria St, Wellington, 6011
Contact: +64 21022 54443
Website: Website Link Here

#5 -Wellington Chocolate Factory
Introduction: Wellington Chocolate Factory, don’t Just Make NZ’s Highest Quality, Organic, Ethically Sourced And Traded, Award-Winning, Bean To Bar Chocolate (As If That Isn’t Enough). They dream of creating a better-tasting world, for suppliers and customers alike.
WCF sources the finest ethically traded cocoa in the world. We pay a premium for our beans, ensuring the highest quality and providing a better standard of living for cocoa farmers and their families.
At the 2018 World Finals of the International Chocolate Awards, making our Peru bar the best small-batch organic dark chocolate in the world
Type of Services:
- Hand Sorting & Roasting
- Stone Grinding
- Tempering & Inclusions
- Foiling & Wrapping
Location:
8 Chaffers Street
Te Aro, Wellington
New Zealand, 6011
Contact: (04) 385 7555
Website: Website Link Here

#6 – Old St Paul’s
Introduction:
Old St Paul’s is as iconically Wellington as a Cook Strait southerly – in fact, it’s a wonderful place for a visitor to find peaceful refuge from the Wellington weather and a must-see experience on your visit to Wellington.
Consecrated in 1866, the magnificent timber Gothic Revival pro-cathedral on Mulgrave Street is not only arguably Wellington’s best-loved heritage landmark, it is intimately linked to the capital’s spiritual, civic and social life, its pews buffed to a high shine by the trouser seats of political colossi and visiting royalty, and its columns hung with plaques memorializing notable local families. Many a Wellingtonian has been married or mourned at Old St Paul’s, and, as its role as an Anglican parish church has wound down, it has become increasingly a place for everybody to share and enjoy.
Type of Services:
- Member Free
- Groups Charges apply for groups 10+
- Can bring your own food
Location:
34 Mulgrave Street
Pipitea
Wellington 6011
Contact: +64 4 473 6722
Website: Website Link Here

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#7 – Space Place at Carter Observatory
Introduction:
Wellington Museum, Space Place, Cable Car Museum, and Nairn Street Cottage are part of Experience Wellington, a registered charity and a Council Controlled Organisation established by Wellington City Council to develop and manage Wellington’s cultural and art assets. It is a unique combination of excellent visitor experiences that contribute to Wellington’s economy and to its liveability and reputation as a center of excellence for arts, culture, and creativity.
Type of Services:
- Cable Car Museum
- Planetarium Schedule
- Telescope Viewings
- Interactive Galleries
Location:
40 Salamanca Rd, Kelburn, Wellington 6012
Contact: +64 4 910 3140
Website: Website Link Here
#8 – Wellington Museum
Introduction:
What makes Wellington so unique in New Zealand? Find out the history of New Zealand’s Capital City and its people
Wellington Museum is located at the heart of Wellington’s waterfront. Set over three floors – the Museum shares some of the fascinating stories of the Wellington region.
On 27 November 1999 – after extensive restoration, conservation and development – the Maritime Museum re-opened with a new name and a new purpose. It became the Museum of Wellington City & Sea with a mission to preserve, present and promote Wellington’s social, cultural and maritime heritage. Wellingtonians now had a place that celebrated their history.
Type of Services:
- Maritime History
- Wahine Theatre
- Design A Planet
- Design a Repeating Pattern
Location:
3 Jervois Quay, Wellington Central, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
Contact: +64 4-472 8904
Website: Website Link Here
#9 – Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Introduction:
They collect and catalogue film reels, video tapes, sound records, props and documents and store them in climate-controlled vaults. Our experts work against time to preserve original nitrate film, television broadcast tapes and sound recordings before they degrade. We digitally preserve audiovisual material to ensure that it stands the test of time for future generations.
Type of Services:
- Preserving Audio – Tapes
- Preserving Film
- Digital Film Preservation
- Documentation Collection
Location:
70 Molesworth Street Wellington, New Zealand 6011
Contact: +64 800 642 826
Website: Website Link Here
#10 – Wellington City Library
Introduction:
The Kurapae collection consists of highly in-demand book titles. These are some of the hottest, most talked about, most wanted books around — the kind of titles that you might not normally chance upon when browsing because they have long wait lists; the kind of titles you would normally have to reserve.
Type of Services:
- Borrowing
- Children’s Services
- Collections
- Computers & Internet
- Meeting Room
- Home delivery
Location:
29B Brandon Street, Wellington, New Zealand
Contact: +64 4-801 4040
Website: Website Link Here

Have a Place to Recommend?
Your contribution is valuable to us! Are there any outstanding businesses that you believe should be added to our list? If so, please send your recommendations to us at [email protected]. Tropika Club will review your suggestions and update the list accordingly. Thank you for your help in making our list of businesses as comprehensive and accurate as possible.
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