Hamilton (Kirikiriroa in Māori) is an inland city in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. In 2020, Hamilton was awarded the title of most beautiful large city in New Zealand. Hamilton Gardens is the region's most popular tourist attraction.

Understand

The area now covered by the city was originally the site of several Māori villages, including Kirikiriroa, from which the city takes its Māori name. By the time English settlers arrived, most of these villages, which sat beside the Waikato River, were abandoned as a result of the Invasion of Waikato and land confiscation (Raupatu) by the Crown.

The settlers developed the city as an agricultural service centre, but it now has a diverse economy and is the third fastest growing urban area in New Zealand, behind Pukekohe and Auckland. In 2023, it was home to 185,000 people.

The Waikato River, New Zealand's longest river, flows through the middle of the city. This effectively cuts the city in half, with Hamilton West containing the central business district and main shopping areas, and Hamilton East home to the University of Waikato and a large student population.

Get in

Hamilton Gardens - Te Parapara Garden

By bus

Long-distance buses can be sometimes full, and sometimes empty, so it can pay to book a few days in advance. Booking in advance (particularly on the internet) can also save money - up to half the fare in some cases. In any case, travelling by bus is generally a cheap option, albeit a bit slow at times.

• InterCity Coachlines, ☏ +64 9 583 5780, is New Zealand's national coach company and operates over 150 services to more than 600 destinations nationwide.
• BUSIT services from towns in the region.

By car

Because New Zealand's major highway (SH 1) skirts the city, getting to Hamilton is simple. Drive south down State Highway 1 (SH 1) from Auckland. Drive northbound on SH 1 from Taupo, or connect to SH 1 from Rotorua or the Bay of Plenty.

By train

The Northern Explorer train runs 3 days a week from Auckland to Hamilton (departs 7:45AM, arrives 10:15AM), at $48 per person one way, then continues to Wellington. It runs from Wellington to Hamilton on 3 other days a week (departs 7:55AM, arrives 4:30PM), costing from $139, and providing an opportunity to take in some beautiful New Zealand scenery, and the famous Raurimu Rail Spiral. See also: Rail travel in New Zealand.

The Te Huia passenger service runs between Hamilton and Papakura in South Auckland, where connections to central Auckland are available. There are two round trips on weekdays and one on Saturdays.

• 1 Hamilton Rotokauri Transport Hub, 103 Tasman Rd. (updated Feb 2021)
• 2 Hamilton Frankton railway station, Fraser St. (updated Feb 2021)

By plane

Hamilton Airport hosts only domestic flights. Air New Zealand has regular direct flights from:

• Palmerston North – 50-minute flight
• Wellington – fares start at $70 one way for a 70-minute journey
• Christchurch – fares start at $135 one way direct for a 1 hr 50 minute journey (fares start at $70 if you stop in Wellington for half an hour)

There are often limited specials available to/from Hamilton available on Grab-a-seat, Air NZ's website for its specials.

The airport is 14 km (9 mi) from town, so allow time for airport transfers. Taxis and shuttle buses are available. Passengers who arrive on flights late in the evening on Fridays and Saturdays should arrange transport in advance as taxis can be scarce. Fog can close the airport on winter mornings.

Get around

A bus service is provided by Environment Waikato. Routes and times are available online , and cover the whole city. If you intend to use the bus service frequently, it may be worth getting a Bee Card, an electronic card that can be used in most small NZ towns. The card costs $5, but will possibly save you money due to the discounts it provides on fares – a single way ticket with a Bee Card inside the city costs just $2 per trip, capped at a maximum of $18 per week or 10 trips. All travel after this cap is free.

See

• 1 Hamilton Gardens. A nice place to visit. In addition to 'normal' gardens such as a rose garden and the Rhododendron Lawn, you can see 'themed' gardens, such as the Chinese Scholar Garden, or the American Revolutionist Garden, among others. Some of the themed gardens are inaccessible after 7:30PM (8PM in the summer). Free. (updated Oct 2016)
• 2 Hamilton Zoo, Brymer Rd, ☏ +64 7 7 838 6720. Daily 9AM-5PM, last admission 3:30PM. Home to over 600 native New Zealand and exotic animals. Kids especially enjoy it. To get there, enter Hamilton from the north or south on SH1, and look for the signs on the section of SH1 called Avalon Drive (Te Rapa area in the north). $26, children $12. (updated Apr 2021)
• 3 Waikato Museum, 1 Grantham St (south end of Victoria St), ☏ +64 7 838 6606. Daily 10AM-4:30PM. General art and culture displays and exhibits about New Zealand and international cultures. Free entry; charges may apply for some exhibitions. 
• 4 Zeelong Tea estate, 495 Gordonton Road (15 minutes drive from city centre), ☏ +64 7 853 3018. Only commercial tea farm in NZ. Tours, restaurant and retail shop. (updated Apr 2021)

Do

Night glow at the Balloons over Waikato festival

• 1 Agricultural Fieldays, Mystery Creek Events Centre, 125 Mystery Creek Road. Hosted at Mystery Creek, brings thousands of people (130,000 in 2016) from around the world. Taking place every June, this is a must-see for an insight to farming in New Zealand. $25. (updated Oct 2016)
• Hot Air Balloon Festival. Each April is worth a look, especially the night glow event. 
• Hamilton Garden Arts Festival. Takes place every year at the end of February. Hosted in the renowned Hamilton Gardens, it includes music, theatre and film. 
• 2 Waikato Stadium (FMG Stadium Waikato), 128 Seddon Rd, Whitiora, ☏ +64 7-929 3000. The home stadium of the Chiefs (Super Rugby) and the Waikato Rugby Union (Mitre 10 Cup). In 2023 it staged matches in the Women's World Cup for soccer, co-hosted by NZ and Australia. (updated Aug 2023)
• New Zealand Sevens. early February. The annual rugby sevens tournament, the fourth on the World Rugby Sevens Series circuit, will be played in Tauranga in 2020. The event, held in early February, involves teams from 16 countries. When held in Wellington, the event attracted over thirty thousand spectators annually. The tournament has become one of New Zealand's leading sporting events. It also has a reputation for a party atmosphere, with a large proportion of attendees choosing to wear fancy dress. Large groups of costumes have varied from Fred Flintstone and Wilma to Care Bears, dance troops, wrestlers and items of recent media interest or advertisements. (updated Dec 2019)
• 3 Seddon Park, Seddon Rd, ☏ +64 7 929 3000. This cricket ground occasionally hosts Tests. Its capacity is only 10,000, so it's often likened to a village green. (updated Oct 2023)

Buy

• Centre Place Mall, Cnr of Ward and Worley Sts (in the city centre). M-Th & Sa 9AM-5:30PM, F 9AM-8:30PM, Su 10AM-4PM. The mall includes cafes, restaurants and clothing stores. (updated May 2017)
• The Base Te Rapa, Cnr of Te Rapa Road and Avalon Drive (on the northern outskirt of the city). M-Sa 9AM-6PM, Su 10AM-5PM. The Base includes a mall (Te Awa) and many department stores. 
• ArtsPost Galleries, 120 Victoria St, ☏ +64 7 838 6928. Daily 10AM-4:30PM. An art gallery showcasing local work. Well worth a visit, and also offers a range of items for sale, from paintings to glass blown paperweights. Free. 
• Casabella Lane is located on Barton St and contains many boutique stores, and many cafes.

Make your way to the developing vibe of Hamilton East's Grey Street. A place to find a unique store or funky café or bar.

Eat

• Iguana, 203 Victoria St, ☏ +64 7 8342280. A central city restaurant offering mainly pizza and salads. 
• The Londoner, 596 Victoria St, ☏ +64 7 839 9941. An English-style pub at the end of Victoria Street. 
• 1 Winner Winner, 439 Grey Street, ☏ +64 7 949 9218. Wood fired roast chicken, Southern US sides, salad. (updated Apr 2021)

Drink

Most of Hamilton's clubs are with easy walking distance of each other, in the Victoria/Hood/Alexandra Street area.

• The Outback, cnr Victoria & Hood Sts. A typical student bar and the main bar for the university orientation week. 
• Zone Bar, Skycity, Level 2, 346 Victoria St. The main sport bar in the city, in the Skycity casino building. Includes a deck with views over the river. Also on the same floor as a bowling alley and laser tag activities. 

Sleep

Budget

• 1 Microtel Backpackers (formerly YHA), 140 Ulster St, ☏ +64 7 957 1848. Nice hostel, but single rooms are tiny. $29 for a bed, $49 for a single room, $69 for a double. (updated Jan 2017)
• 2 Backpackers Central, 846 Victoria St. Central location and breakfast is included, but some rooms don't have windows and so get hot in summer (updated Oct 2016)

Bed & breakfast

• 3 City Centre Hamilton Bed and Breakfast, 3 Anglesea St, Central, ☏ +64 7 8381671. A studio cottage sleeping up to three people and includes a kitchenette, bathroom, off-street parking, free Internet access. Five minutes walk from central Hamilton. 
• Shailers Bed & Breakfast, 1447 Kakaramea Rd, ☏ +64 7 825 2729. Luxury homestay or farmstay 12 minutes drive from Hamilton, in the heart of New Zealand's most fertile region, the Waikato. Tours of the three-hundred cow dairy farm. 

Serviced apartments

• Quest Apartments Hamilton, 42-47 Ward St, ☏ +64 7 8391676. 26 1-bedroom units and 3 studio units in central Hamilton. Easy access to the main bars, casinos, shopping and Hamilton's information centre. 

Hotel

• 4 Heartland Ambassador Hotel Hamilton, 86 Ulster St, Whitioria, ☏ +64 7 839 5111, hamilton@heartlandhotels.co.nz. Free WiFi, outdoor pool, hot tub, BBQ facilities. (updated Oct 2020)
• Ibis Tainui, 18 Alma St (on the riverbank), ☏ +64 7 859 9200. 
• Novotel Hamilton, 7 Alma St (centre of town), ☏ +64 7 838 1366. The city's largest hotel and the only 4.5-star rated hotel, next to Hamilton's only casino. 
• Ventura Inn & Suites Hamilton, 23 Clarence St, ☏ +64 7 838 0110. Centrally located. 

Go next

• Cambridge
• Matamata is about 45 minutes away - follow SH 1, turning off towards Tauranga onto SH 29, and then turning off towards Matamata onto SH 27. A small rural community of about 12,000 people, its main claim to fame is that it was the filming site for the Lord of the Rings - in particular the Shire. Visitors are able to visit Hobbiton, though reservations need to made in advance.
• Pirongia
• Raglan is a beachside town about 50 km (31 mi) away. Simply follow SH 23 out of Hamilton to get there. The town is well known for its excellent surf beaches, including Indicators, Whale Bay, and Manu Bay. There are several buses a day here.
• Rotorua is a major destination roughly an hour and a half away. Follow SH 1 and then turn onto SH 5 at Tirau.
• Waitomo