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We've compiled the best of the best in Whanganui - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
This museum offers a superb overview of the region's history and one of the country's best collections of Māori artifacts. It contains taonga (Māori ancestral treasures) of the river people as well as Te Pataka Whakaahua (the Lindauer Gallery), featuring 19th-century paintings of Māori leaders by respected artist Gottfried Lindauer. The museum offers guided tours for an extra charge if you want to gain more insight into the exhibits.
This lookout, Whanganui's most popular attraction, provides spectacular views, but reaching it—via an elevator that runs through the hill—is something else. First, you walk through a 700-foot tunnel to the elevator shaft. Press the button to call the creaking and rattling elevator, and when it arrives you'll be welcomed onboard by the elevator concierge. Alternatively, you can climb several hundred steps to the lookout, plus another 176 steps up the nearby Durie Hill Memorial Tower.
Rescued from the muddy riverbed and restored to first-class order, the classic little riverboat Wairua now makes regular two-hour passenger trips upriver. Scheduled cruises depart year-round on Tuesday at 11 am.
Whanganui is regarded as the country’s home for glass artisans; many of them exhibit internationally. This community studio is open for the public to watch some of these artists at work, join workshops (the half hour paperweight session is the most popular, but you need to check times and book in advance), and purchase their own stunning pieces from the retail gallery.
The coal-fired paddle steamer, Waimarie, is one of the original riverboats that operated here and the last operating in the southern hemisphere. Sunk in 1954, it was salvaged from the river bed and restored in the 1990s. From September to early June you can enjoy a historic, two-hour cruise, just like the old days. The Riverboat Centre displays photographs and related artifacts from the era when riverboats thrived here. Opening hours are variable at this volunteer operation; summer weekends are your best bet.
The formal gardens here are a delight, and a gentle 25-minute stroll leads around the lake through woodlands and gardens. Take the time to check out the winter gardens. There's also a small café here.
