Day trips from Wellington
From a 50-minute drive to Kāpiti to a 3-hour ferry crossing to Picton — the real drive times, ferry options and logistics for every day trip around Wellington
Top day trips from Wellington
Most popular full-day excursions, bookable with hotel pickup or self-drive options.
More tours on Viator
Top-rated experiences with verified reviews, bookable on Viator (a Tripadvisor company).
ViatorHalf Day Tour of Wellington
From$75Check availability →
ViatorKapiti Island Classic Guided Day Tour
From$190Check availability →
ViatorBest Abel Tasman Day trip
From$304Check availability →
ViatorKaikoura Whale Watch Day Tour from Christchurch
From$216Check availability →
ViatorMartinborough Foodie Half Day Tour from Wellington
From$111Check availability →
ViatorFull Day Tour of Wellington
From$181Check availability →In-depth day trip guides
Best day trips from Wellington
The best day trips from Wellington ranked by realistic travel time, from a 45-minute Kāpiti Coast run to the Cook Strait ferry crossing to Picton.
Cape Palliser day trip guide
Planning a Cape Palliser day trip: realistic timing for the seal colony and lighthouse, self-drive vs guided tour, and the full-day structure.
Greytown day trip guide
Planning a Greytown day trip: the heritage main street, boutique shopping, combining with Martinborough, and drive times over the Remutaka Range.
Hutt Valley day trip guide
Planning a Hutt Valley day trip from Wellington: craft breweries, the car museum, Petone's waterfront, and combining with the Remutaka Rail Trail.
Kāpiti Island day trip guide
Planning a Kāpiti Island day trip from Wellington: booking through authorised operators, drive and boat logistics, and what the sanctuary offers.
Martinborough day trip from Wellington
Planning a Martinborough day trip: drive time over the Remutaka Range, tour options, tasting-room pacing, and day trip vs staying overnight.
Palliser wild coast day trip
A wild-coast day trip combining Putangirua Pinnacles and Cape Palliser's coastline, with realistic timing versus a standard Cape Palliser trip.
Picton and Marlborough day trip via ferry
The honest logistics of a Picton day trip via the Cook Strait ferry from Wellington: real timings, what you can fit in, and when to stay overnight instead.
Wine day-trip logistics from Wellington
Practical logistics for a Martinborough wine day trip from Wellington: driving vs tour, timing, holiday closures, and what to do without a car.