Hey Cityscapers, let’s make this a summer to remember! Christchurch is the best city in the country to spend the holiday season, and we’ve rounded up the best things to see, do, explore, eat and drink.

Culture vulture

The brand-spanking-new Ravenscar House Museum is the freshest arrival on the city arts scene, publicly displaying the collection gathered by philanthropists Susan and Jim Wakefield. The museum features paintings by beloved New Zealand artists including Frances Hodgkins, Colin McCahon and Ralph Hotere, and the building itself is a modern architectural masterpiece.

For an exhibition that’s very ‘of the moment’ head into Canterbury Museum before March 20 to get interactive with the photography set of Heather Straka’s Isolation Hotel series – an exploration of themes of social concern like Covid lockdowns, #metoo, LGBTQIA+ liberation, the housing shortage, and contested monuments to colonialism. Even a random wander through the streets of Ōtautahi will take you past murals and sculptures by local and world-famous artists, but we recommend a more directed walk to make the most of it. The SCAPE Public Art Season 2021 runs until mid-January, with a collection of temporary public art and events and an official art trail.

All within strolling distance, check out the latest in modern art at CoCA and The Central Art Gallery in the Arts Centre or see what’s on offer at the Christchurch Art Gallery, where you can pick up a stylish designer gift and end your day with a swanky dinner at The Thirsty Peacock.

Summer spritz

There’s nothing like a refreshing beverage to set the mood on a beautiful summer’s day. Hit the patio at Mona Vale Homestead for a glass of white, rosé or bubbles in the sun. The gin experts at Dux Dine will sort you out with a fabulous exotic or local gin matched with a deluxe tonic in their new gin garden. The astounding wine list at Fiddlesticks Restaurant & Bar features local faves as well as rare varieties and hard-to-get bottles. Over by the beach, Sumner Social is a new establishment specialising in spritzers and delightful summer drinks.

Walk it out

With the Port Hills dominating our back yard, we have a smorgasbord of fantastic walks and hikes to choose from. Get amongst Mother Nature, drink in the stunning scenery and get your heart pumping with our top picks. The grandaddy of Christchurch walks is an oldie but a goodie: the Bridle Path between Christchurch and Lyttelton is a great alternative to driving through the tunnel, and there’s always the promise of brunch to get you over the other side of the hill.

Rapaki Track is popular with fitness fanatics and a little less strenuous – you’ll be rewarded with expansive views over to Quail Island on your way up, and the city and coastline on your descent. While you’re there, an additional ten-minute walk up to the Mount Vernon summit is well worth the extra effort. If you’re really keen to get those quads working, the Crater Rim Walkway promises jaw-dropping vistas of the entire length of the peninsula.

Godley Head is another stunning walk that’s more of a leisurely stroll. Setting off from the Urumau Reserve track junction, the 2½-hour walk will take you past the historic gun emplacement buildings at the heads and along the ridgeline of the 120-metre cliff face, through the Buckleys Bay Scenic Reserve (just be aware some parts of the Godley Head track are currently closed near the camp site and gun emplacements). If you like you can keep going another couple of hours to Taylors Mistake – by that point you’ll want someone at the other end to pick you up.

For something a little further afield there’s Mount Herbert, the highest peak on the Banks Peninsula. Either take the ferry over from Lyttelton or take a leisurely drive around the bays to Diamond Harbour, where the track begins. This is an easy walk, traversing farmland up to Packhorse Hut, where you can stay overnight to break up the 4½-hour journey or continue on to the summit, with magnificent 360-degree views of the peninsula.

For a day tripper outta town, Mount Grey, just 15 kilometres west of Amberley, is another laid-back full-day walk across 1700 hectares of native forest and tussock grasslands within the Ashley Forest. Take one of two tracks – either Mount Grey through black beech forest, or the Red Beech Track that follows the ridgeline – both ending with panoramic views across Pegasus Bay. So pack sunscreen, water and snacks, throw a change of clothes in your bag for unpredictable weather changes and head for the hills.

Read more: 20 reasons to get outside in Christchurch and Canterbury this summer

Big licks

Summer just ain’t summer without kickarse ice cream, gelato and sorbet. The perfect gelato is a bit art, a bit science, and The Gelato Lab nails the balance every day with Italian-trained gelatiere Pippa’s artisan creations, including caramelised fig, salted caramel, chilli chocolate and of course pistachio. Rollickin’ Gelato serves up creamy gelato made with organic milk courtesy of happy, free-roaming cows in Rangiora, in wild and original flavours with quirky names like Hokey Tokey Pokey and Yogi Bear.

A trip to Sumner is always on the cards in the summertime and while you’re there a visit to Utopia Ice is a must – the queues snaking through the gorgeous leafy courtyard are testament to its popularity, and no wonder when the range includes such ingenious vegan gelato and sorbet flavours.

Party down

For your live music fix the city has several hotspots where you can kick back and relax on a lazy summer arvo or rock it out on the dance floor when the sun goes down. You can find local bands playing at the likes of Fat Eddie’s on The Terrace. Meanwhile Dux Central has plenty of dynamic venues under one roof, including live music in the courtyard, relaxed cocktail space The Poplar Social Club, grand gin bar The Emerald Room, upstairs entertainment zone and balcony bar Upper Dux, and the chilled-out Brew Bar. Blue Smoke at The Tannery is another hotspot for live music gigs, as well as Darkroom in St Asaph Street. 

A couple of our other top Cityscape faves are Pomeroy’s for a laid back ye olde English-style pub vibe, and Lyttelton institution Wunderbar where you can challenge the locals to a game of pool between sets and drink in the glittering lights dancing off the harbour below with a beer in hand.

Horses for courses

Whip out your dapper threads and dress to the nines for a spectacular polo event in the heart of Christchurch this summer. Adding a spritz of glitz and glam, Lexus Urban Polo will saunter back into Hagley Park on February 12. With a VIP Champagne lawn, delectable eats and sweet DJ tunes, you’ll want to get your tickets pronto before they sell out.

Rainy day stopgaps

When summer’s sizzle cools with the odd rainy day, there’s still plenty to amuse in and around the city. It’s a joy to spend the morning or afternoon at Tūranga. Dive into the LEGO Imagination Station, escape into a good book, or interact with the touch-sensitive Discovery Wall, a digital representation of Ōtautahi where you can swipe your way through a virtual world of photos, videos and fascinating facts about our city.

The NZ Museum of Toys & Collectibles in Manchester Street has a massive collection of nostalgia and modern playthings for kids and grown-ups. The cinema is a fab place to retreat to when the skies open up. Lumière Cinemas at the Arts Centre is a boutique cinematic experience complete with Art Deco-style cocktail bar, or check out Wigram’s new movie offering, Silky Otter Cinemas.

Relive your youth and channel your inner pinball wizard at Arcadia Retro Arcade and Pinball Emporia, where you can also kick back with a game of pool or hone your board game skills. And if you still haven't been to Quake City, it’s time to check out the exhibition of stories and artefacts from the Canterbury earthquakes (it’s hard to believe they happened over a decade ago).

Wheeling it

Another great way to explore the city is to get out on a bicycle. Christchurch has over 30 kilometres of dedicated cycleways for you to explore. So don your helmet and check out some tracks like the 4.7km Quarryman’s Trail, beginning near the Pioneer Recreation and Sport Centre and ending in the city centre; the 3.5km Te Ara Ihutai Christchurch Coastal Pathway from Ferrymead Bridge to Moncks Bay; or for the more adventurous, the 11km Te Ara Ōtākaro Avon River Trail from the central city to New Brighton.

Urban excursion

Rent an electric scooter for a hoon through the city and take part in some of its more quirky and entertaining outdoor activities. Whizz around Cathedral Square and stop off for a game of jumbo-sized chess; have a go at the world’s first giant outdoor arcade game system, Super Street Arcade, opposite the Vodafone building; then pop on over to the Margaret Mahy Family Playground to let your inner child run wild.

Cheap eats

On a budget this summer or just fancy keeping it real? The quintessential Kiwi summer grub, fish ‘n’ chips on the beach, is always a winner. Another cheap ‘n’ cheerful al fresco option is making use of the communal barbeque areas at the Margaret Mahy Family Playground, the Botanic Gardens, the Groynes or Spencer Park. Or pack a picnic basket and head for the hills – Victoria Park has killer views across the city, as do the Sugarloaf view point and the tippity-top spots in Christchurch Adventure Park.

Camp out

Get off the grid and get back to nature with a spot of camping in and around Christchurch this summer. You don’t have to travel far to find an isolated camping spot to feel like you’re on holiday. For a 45-minute jaunt out of town, Little River Campground is within the idyllic Manaia Native Habitat and offers campers the option of powered tent sites or cabins. From Little River, a day trip to Akaroa and the surrounding bays for some beach action is on the cards, and there’s also the famous Little River Rail Trail to explore by bike.

If you’re looking for a unique accommodation alternative to the campground, stay in a yurt, tipi or house truck at Okuti Garden, or try the SiloStay eco cabins next to Little River Gallery. Woodend Beach and Waikuku Beach are both good nearby options for a seaside camping trip, and the Ashley Gorge Holiday Park is a classic family getaway, right next to some chill bush walks and a relatively lazy river.

Another peaceful spot to pitch your tent a little further afield is the Lake Taylor Campsite in Lake Sumner Forest Park. An ideal fishing spot where you can catch your dinner fresh from the water, take a dip, glide across the sparkling lake in a kayak or explore the surrounding scenic areas on foot or mountain bike.

Architecture adventure

While you’re exploring the central city, take a gander at some of the new entrants on the Ōtautahi architecture scene. The most prominent is of course the leviathan Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, following the curved bank of Te Ara Ōtākaro Avon River and folding around to face the city. Next up, the sharp, defined, ultramodern lines of Ravenscar House Museum are on display in Rolleston Avenue – forming a work of urban art that incorporates a collection of fine art inside.