Mount Victoria Lookout Photos
Recommended Reviews - Mount Victoria Lookout
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Mount Victoria, 196m above sea level lookout, 360 degree vistas over Wellington city was our afternoon outing today. Cool, plus *windchill made it a bracing experience. 160 days a year wind blows category 2 or higher = "windy welly", this was one of THOSE.... Popular for natives and visitors, the lookout offers definitive bird's eye views over the capital region....great for sunrise / sunset / star gazing. A few monuments, a bit o history, points of interest ..... it's a must see at least once, when in the capital. Been about 20 years since last time I made the climb up Victoria peak, and we luvved it...after we thawed out! Free activity. Easy drive up to free car parks or cycle ways, or walkways Recommended. Four stars on the YELPmeter.
A must visit, especially on a beautiful clear afternoon, for pano views of the bay, Cook Strait, and city. Excellent for sunset twilight, however, I do not recommend driving down after dark. The streets going up to the outlook are very steep w/several blind turns and narrow roads because people park on either side, making it necessary to yield way to oncoming cars (many of whom are inexplicably speeding). So, on the way up and down, drive defensively, yield way, GO SLOW, and take the turns with caution. The parking situation is a bit odd and many people just park on the side of the road and hike up as there are just sort of haphazard spots near the top. There is an abandoned station near the top where I was able to park w/o issue.
Worth the 35 minute hike up...for the views on a clear Sunday morning. Mount Victoria is a hill situated just east of downtown Wellington, with hiking trails and auto roads going up to the top. The most popular destination is the lookout spot, a fenced ring at the highest point, giving 360 degree view of the city, the harbor and surrounding area. It is about 600 feet above sea level. One can get to it by auto from the East, and we saw large tour buses bringing passengers for the view. There are two large parking lots for cars as well, and it wasn't very full even on a Sunday. My brother and I chose to hike it from the nearby Oriental Bay Beach, and there were multiple choices to get there. It took about 35 minutes uphill (significantly less downhill), and there is no need to use hands/arms as long as you are careful. Once you get to the parking lot, you have to climb 70 or so more stairs to reach the observation deck. The destination was worth it, and we spent a bit of time up there. There are a lot of info plaque situated, educating about the surround areas. Land mass changing earthquakes are not uncommon here, and it's fascinating to see before and after photographs around a major earthquake. There is also a small memorial to Richard Byrd, aviator who reached both Poles by air, as well. Interesting that it would be here, since Admiral Byrd served in the US military. I guess exploration feats go across national boundaries. read more
2 years ago
One thing I love to do on vacation is walk and hike. If you're visiting Wellington, this is a must-visit place to enjoy nature and exercise. Mount Victoria sits right in the middle of Wellington, separating the CBD from Miramar and the airport. The tunnels you drive through go under this mountain, but you'd never know how much there is to do above without going for yourself. From downtown, you can easily walk here up a progressively steeper hill. They have benches, and information maps all around the park. Trails of varying degrees of difficulty zigzag all around, with other dedicated trails for mountain bikers and horses. There are also a number of roads, making the highlighted parts accessible to all. At the very top is an observation platform that gives you a 360 degree view of the Wellington area. You can see the city, bay, suburbs beyond, watch planes takeoff and land, and the sea further out. This is all a free activity. They have exercise areas for kids including what looked like awesomely long slides. You can also walk around some of the neighborhoods here, with more observation platforms, including one dedicated to the city namesake Wellington. For Lord of the Rings fans, some scenes were shot here, and there is are markers to let you know where they were. Many benches are dedicated with quotes from Tolkiens work as well. read more
I visited Mount Victoria Lookout while I was on a Lord of the Rings filming location tour. The lookout has amazing views of the city! There are also signs discussing facts of the city and how close you are to Antarctica (it's very cold and windy up there)! This was a great addition to our trip. It's not needed while visiting but if you have the time, do go up to the lookout, you won't regret it. read more
Mount Victoria, 196m above sea level lookout, 360 degree vistas over Wellington city was our afternoon outing today. Cool, plus *windchill made it a bracing experience. 160 days a year wind blows category 2 or higher = "windy welly", this was one of THOSE.... Popular for natives and visitors, the lookout offers definitive bird's eye views over the capital region....great for sunrise / sunset / star gazing. A few monuments, a bit o history, points of interest ..... it's a must see at least once, when in the capital. Been about 20 years since last time I made the climb up Victoria peak, and we luvved it...after we thawed out! Free activity. Easy drive up to free car parks or cycle ways, or walkways Recommended. Four stars on the YELPmeter. read more
A must visit, especially on a beautiful clear afternoon, for pano views of the bay, Cook Strait, and city. Excellent for sunset twilight, however, I do not recommend driving down after dark. The streets going up to the outlook are very steep w/several blind turns and narrow roads because people park on either side, making it necessary to yield way to oncoming cars (many of whom are inexplicably speeding). So, on the way up and down, drive defensively, yield way, GO SLOW, and take the turns with caution. The parking situation is a bit odd and many people just park on the side of the road and hike up as there are just sort of haphazard spots near the top. There is an abandoned station near the top where I was able to park w/o issue. read more
We drove to the lookout but you can also take a long hike up to it. It was beautiful but super windy! If you drive up just be careful because there are a lot of blind corners and sometimes only enough room for one car to go up. It was worth it. read more
7 years ago
Amazing views! You must make time to check it out... preferably NOT on a windy day. We took a taxi and he waited while we took some spectacular pictures. read more
There's no cable car up this mountain, which means you have to either drive or walk. The views on top are pretty sweet, and it is a significant expenditure of energy to get there, but by all means worthwhile for the active visitor. read more
