top 5 reasons to visit wellington, new zealand

Wellingtonian activity.

Most folks who visit New Zealand spend a lot of their time in the South Island -- and I don't blame them. The South Island is beautiful and full of fun activities. That being said, I hope I can make the case for why travelers should not skip the North Island, and particularly, Wellington.

1.  It's a pretty town. Just imagine yourself in a small but cosmopolitan town next to the water and with hills overlooking the city. Many art installations dot the boardwalk by the waterfront. From the boardwalk, you can see kayakers, joggers, and other folks out and about. When you go up the hill either via furnicular, car or your own two feet, you can visit the botanical garden with not only beautiful flora but also an awesome Henry Moore sculpture you can get up close and personal with. There aren't any tall skyscrapers (probably as high as 35 stories) but the building architectures range from your funky beehive to gothic to modern. The streets are ridiculously clean and the air crisp. Now, wasn't that a pretty town?

freebies around the world

Traveling could be expensive. In a series of posts, we will let you know about places that allow you entry into famous, fascinating and/or worthwhile sights or activities for free. Yes, gratis. 

For sights, we are not including public spaces (such as Central Park in New York or the medinas of Morocco) but we may include public (i.e, government run) buildings (such as the museums in London).

So, let’s start with a few freebies, shall we?

United States of America

Los Angeles, CA

1. The Getty – Enjoy a lot of paintings, photographs and a garden that changes with the season for free, but you have to pay for parking.

You can get up close and
personal with the steel curves of
the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

2.  The Getty Villa – You can see Greek, Roman and Etruscan art for free, but you will need to sign up for a (free) ticket. Also, parking isn’t free.

3. Walt Disney Concert Hall – Renowned architect Frank Gehry designed this wonderful jumble of shiny steel. You can roam the grounds – don’t miss the “Rose Garden” in the back of the Concert Hall – and enter the building for free but you have to pay to watch a show. Enjoy being up close and personal with the curved steel.

4. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) – Only the permanent collection and non-ticketed exhibitions are free on the Second Tuesday each month. 

5. Los Angeles Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels – Renowned Spanish architect Rafael Moneo designed this gem.

6. Bradbury building – You may have seen this building in movies like Blade Runner and (500) Days of Summer, among other things. This beautiful, light and airy building is free to visit up to the first floor landing. Beyond that, the tenants don't want random folks roaming around their space.