5 Great Things to Do in Wairarapa, Martinborough, New Zealand

Where do you go for a weekend away when you live in Wellington, I hear you ask? As every Wellingtonian will tell you, you go up “over the hill” (The Rimutaka Hill) to the beautiful and rugged Wairarapa region.

Wairarapa is just an hours drive from Wellington but it feels worlds apart from the hustle and bustle of busy central Wellington. Driving to Wairarapa is an adventure in itself, as you drive over windy Rimutaka Hill make sure you stop by and make time to complete the Rimutaka Trig Walk. The walk only takes about an hour and on a clear day you can see some spectacular views of Wellington and the Wairarapa region – it truly is spectacular. You can also get to Wairarapa by train (get off at Featherston) but we suggest taking your bikes and packing up your car for the weekend as the Wairarapa region is quite remote and having your own car and bikes will make this charming place more accessible.

Your first port of call should most certainly be Wairarapa’s wine capital Martinborough. A small town with a lot of charm and character plus it is home to some of the best wines in NZ! When we visited last, we stayed at The Martinborough Hotel, which if you are not staying in – you should definitely stop in for a drink before you go check out the square and the rest of the town. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).