Cuba Street
Following the musuem tour we walked several blocks inland to Cuba Street, Wellington's nod to the bohemian life. The street is teeming with restaurants, vintage clothes stores, record stores and shops dealing with outdoor equipment--something for everyone. Midway up the street is a the famous kinetic fountain known locally as the "bucket fountain," which captures the whimsy of the area. Below is a tour of Cuba Street by Ivy Ives, followed by a photo gallery of Cuba Street.


 

Cuba Street Attractions (click on photo to enlarge)
Cuba Street Fountain	Rainbow Crossing	Havana Bar
Fidel's Cafe	Logan Brown Restaurant	Plum Cafe

We ate lunch at Ombra Trattoria at the end of Cuba street. We enjoyed pasta and pizza that was good (although we have been spoiled by the train meals on the Indian Pacific and on Great Journeys New Zealand) and the Pinot Grigio was just far too yellow!The menu is shown below.

Fortified by Italian cuisine we traced our route back down Cuba street and then over to the Intercontinental to rest a bit, and get ready for our group dinner on the Waterfront.

Dining on the Waterfront
We had several group meals on the trip, and the company was always convivial and the food outstanding. This evening we gathered at the Two Grey Bar, located adjacent to the Intercontinental, where we met the people joining the tour at Wellington. Following this we walked to the waterfront to take our group meal at Dockside, one of many good restaurants that dot the waterfront. Below is a photo gallery of our event at Dockside. As there are any number of good restaurants, we checked all the options before learning that we were having a group meal. A gallery of the other harbor front eateries may be found below as well

Queen's Wharf (click on photo to Enlarge)
Queens Wharf Iron Gates	Queen's Wharf Sails	TSB Arena
Dockside Restaurant	Shed 5	Red Dog One Restaurant
Crab Shack	Bin 44	Rosie's Red Hot Cantina

Other Wellington Attractions
There simply was not enough time in a single day to take in all the Wellington sights we wanted to see, especially given the scope of the Te Tongarewa Museum. So, below are attractions we researched and had hoped to see. We present them here to give a representative view of all Wellington has to offer


Taking the Cable Car to the Wellington Botanical Gardens

Wellington's Botanical Gardens offer a breathtaking escape into nature, perched on the hills above the city, with sweeping views of the harbor. A visit begins with the iconic red Wellington Cable Car, which whisks visitors from the heart of the city up to the gardens in just a few minutes. The ride itself is a treat, offering panoramic views of Wellington's skyline as the cable car ascends through tunnels and lush greenery. Upon arrival, the gardens unfold in a vibrant display of native and exotic flora, with winding paths leading through themed gardens, tranquil duck ponds, and towering ancient trees. Below  is a video of the cable car made by Beyond the Window Seat.



Wellington Botanic Gardens
The Wellington Botanic Garden is one of New Zealand's most historic and beautiful green spaces. Established in 1868, it originally was managed by the New Zealand Institute under the direction of the Colonial Botanic Garden. The purpose was to cultivate and acclimatize plants from overseas, including those useful for timber and agriculture. In 1891, the Wellington City Council took over management, transforming it into a more public friendly botanical space. Over the years, the garden has expanded with new plant collections, sculptures, and recreational spaces. It covers 63 acres and is situated on a hillside with scenic views of the city and harbor. Features of the botanic gardens include:

• Lady Rosewood Rose Garden: the garden features over 1,000 roses representing 110 varieties of roses
  
• Begonia House: a tropic greenhouse showcasing exotic plants, ferns, and seasonal floral displays
• The Dell: an area behind the Begonia house used for picnics, private functions and performances.
  
• Space Place: the Carter heritage astronomical observatory offers interactive space exhibits as well as planetarium shows
• Duck Pond: a peaceful spot with gazebo, surrounded by ducks, water lilies, and native bush
• Sundial of Human Involvement: next to the observatory, this is an interactive sundial where visitors use their own shadows to tell the time.

The gardens also are crisscrossed with a number of walking trails, among them:

• Bush Walk: a trail that meanders through native New Zealand bush from the cable car down the hill or, taken in the opposite direction leads to a harbor vista at the top. Along the route, it is easy to spot a range of native birds in the garden's trees.
• Sculpture Walk: a trail consisting of 6 bronze sculptures, including Henry Moore's bronze Inner Form.
  
  
  Below is a video by Travel of Two Halves, sharing their experience of the Botanic Gardens. Below that is a photo gallery of the Botanic Gardens
  

  
  Wellington Botanic Gardens
  

  
  

  
  
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  Features of Wellington's Botanic Gardens
  Lady Rosewood Rose Garden	Space Place (Carter Observatory)	Begonia House
  The Dell	Duck Pond	Sundial of Human Involvement

  
  
  

  Wellington Botanic Garden Sculpture Walk
  Body to Soul (Mary Louise Brown)	Bronze Form (Henry Moore)	Green Islands (Regan Gentry)
  Peacemaker (Chris Booth)	Viewing and Listening Device (Andrew Drummond)	Rudderstone (Denis O'Connor)

  
  

Mount Victoria Lookout
Mount Victoria Lookout is southeast of the Wellington Botanic Gardens. Situated on a promontory, it overlooks Wellington City, the Harbor, and the ocean to the south. Pedestrians may access the summit by following a 4.5km walkway (approximately and hour and a half climb), or taking the number 20 bus. Near the top is a signal cannon used between 1877 and 1900 as a 12-noon signal time so mariners and citizens could "sync" their watches. Near the top the trail gives way to a series of concrete stairs leading to the summit. Enroute is a monument to the America Antarctic explorer Rear Admiral Robert Byrd. The memorial consists of a monument in the form of a polar tent, the front of which is build up with rock from Antarctica. Underneath the bust are three plaques that commemorate his achievements. Byrd used New Zealand as a base for his Antarctic expeditions for 27 years and came to regard the country as his second home. From the monument a final set of steps leads to the lookout proper.

Video of Mt. Victoria Lookout