Dunedin Attractions

Dunedin
Things to do, Dunedin

By New Zealand 100% Pure

Fill your days with some of the many attractions and activities to be found in Dunedin.

Lanarch Castle, Dunedin, New Zealand

By Enterprise Dunedin

New Zealand's only castle overlooking the magnificent Otago Harbour.

Grand architecture and heritage 

Dunedin is one of the best-preserved Victorian and Edwardian cities in the Southern Hemisphere with gorgeous heritage buildings everywhere you look. Nowadays, these are filled with quirky cafes, boutiques and other attractions that will fill days of exploration.

  • Enjoy a unique Maori cultural experience in nearby Karitane, choose from a Waka tour, Maori Star tour and guided walk of the Huriawa Pā.
  • Take a trip back in time at Toitu Otago Early Settlers Museum and learn all about the colourful past of the city with interactive displays and exhibits.
  • Spend a few hours admiring the valuable collections at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery or many independent galleries where local artwork is on sale
  • Visit the exquisitely preserved Olveston Historic Home for a peek at the home-life of a Dunedin family during Edwardian times.
  • Larnach Castle , New Zealand's only castle with beautifully kept grounds and gardens, sits in grandeur on a hill overlooking the magnificent Otago Harbour. It perches on a hill overlooking the magnificent Otago Harbour.
  • Otago Museum is one of New Zealand's oldest and largest museums, with a range of excellent collections featuring culture, science, history and archaeology. The Tūhura Otago Community Trust Science Centre within the museum has over 45 hands-on interactives, including a giant DNA-inspired helical slide, tropical butterfly enclosure, Beautiful Science Gallery and 360° Planetarium.
  • Wander the delightful trails of Glenfalloch Gardens on the Otago Peninsula which also houses one of Dunedin’s most excellent restaurants.
  • Cycle through the fascinating Dunedin hinterlands navigating the tunnels and historic viaducts of the Otago Central Rail Trail.
  • The Dunedin Botanic Gardens are a delightful place to explore any time of year from the Edwardian Winter Garden to the glorious Rhondendron Dell.
  • Immerse yourself in Dunedin’s stunning heritage buildings, their colourful past and bright new future, with a guided walking tour by City Walks.
  • Journey through the snickleways of haunted Victorian Dunedin with the Hair Raiser Ghost Tour

plane Find & book flights
Dunedin
Vault 21, Dunedin

By Enterprise Dunedin

Vault 21

Urban intrigues with Historic Touch

  • Explore the fascinating Dunedin Street Art Trail, where artworks from local and international artists have turned the city into a giant canvas. Small City, Big Walls offers excellent street art tours
  • Catch the Taieri Gorge Railway for an excursion into the Dunedin hinterlands or a short coastal trip on the Waitati Seasider. The trains depart from the beautiful Dunedin Railway Station
  • Sample the local brews with a tour and tasting at Emersons craft brewery or historic Speights Brewery
  • Explore Dunedin’s spectacular coastline and many beaches – Long Beach, Brighton Beach, Warrington Beach or St Clair Beach are just some of the many idyllic seaside spots
  • Take an adrenalin pumping spin on a V8 trike tour of the city with Experience Dunedin
  • Shop in Dunedin's designer boutiques which specialise in fashion, locally-made jewellery, artisan giftware and other treasures

Dunedin
Monarch At Taiaroa, Dunedin

By Enterprise Dunedin

Monarch Wildlife Cruise at Taiaroa Head

The wild side of the city

Experience eco-tourism at its best and encounter the rare and exceptionally cute wild inhabitants that reside around the Dunedin coastline and Otago Peninsula

  • Visit the Royal Albatross Centre at Taiaroa Head. It's the site of the only mainland breeding colony of Royal Albatross in the world.
  • Take a cruise to see albatross, seals, blue penguins, cormorants and other interesting creatures.
  • Go kiwi spotting on an evening tour at Orokonui Ecosanctuary or check out the resident Tuataras, Otago Skinks and array of native birdlife.
  • Get an insiders look at the lives of Yellow-Eyed Penguins (Hoiho) at Penguin Place 
  • Get close to nature with Elm Wildlife Tours which travels to the farthest reaches of the Otago Peninsula to view fur seals, sea lions and yellow-eyed penguins
  • Climb onto a unique 8-wheel amphibious vehicle for a coastal farm and wildlife adventure with Nature's Wonders. 
  • Enjoy a personalised wildlife tour with a knowledgeable local guide.

Where to next?

Christchurch - Canterbury

Central Otago

Southland