Hamilton Travel Guide

  Lucy The Lady Bug and Mr Bup specialty...
by kiwi
 
  • Lucy The Lady Bug and Mr Bup specialty balloons
      Lucy The Lady Bug and Mr Bup specialty...
    by kiwi
  • Looking NW from Fox & Hounds
      Looking NW from Fox & Hounds
    by MHMundt
  • Balloon over Hamilton LakeSpiri
      Balloon over Hamilton LakeSpiri
    by kiwi
  •   Hamilton
    by Kimi_the_Bear
  •   Hamilton
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Pro

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  Smaller city with less pressure and not too far from Auckland. 


Con

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  Not really a tourist destination 


In a nutshell

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  Not a must-see city - despite Riff Raff 

 

Explore Hamilton

Things to Do  

Drive down to Lake Rotoroa, known as Hamilton Lake

Drive down to Lake Rotoroa, known as Hamilton Lake, Hamilton

 kiwi Says:  Drive down to the lake, there are plenty of places to stop the car and take a break. A flask of coffee and something to eat will let you relax a little better while you take in the ambience of the scene before you. Nice gardens, including a Rose Garden. There is a cafe near... 

Balloons over Waikato.

Balloons over Waikato., Hamilton

 kiwi Says:  Every year in April they hold the Balloons Over Waikato Fiesta. A great spectacle and lots of colour and activities to watch. Super family entertainment, even if it is very early in the morning. Some of the events are later in the day.The first morning's MASS ASCENSION is... 

Hamilton Garden

Hamilton Garden, Hamilton

 jklau888hk Says:  You can see about 10 different styles of garden around the world. Excellent pick for a picnic trip. They have seats in different gardens, of course the seat matches the theme, and it is a good experience to travel around the world in a short-time.Admission to all areas of... 

Hotels  

Novotel Tainui Hamilton

 2 Reviews and 268 Opinions  The Novotel Tainui is the only 4 star hotel in Hamilton. Standard Rooms are available for about... 

Anglesea Motel

 1 Review and 8 Opinions  The Anglesea is very centrally located and offers good facilities. They have a little pool which you... 

Restaurants  

The Helm: Refreshing New restaurant

The Helm: Refreshing New restaurant, Hamilton

 kiwi Says:  This is one of the newest diners in town at the time of writing. I was pleasantly pleased with my vistit. Nice sunny area both inside and out, also with various corners for dining. It's good to have a place at this end of town, where you can just drop in for a drink and meal... 

Fox & Hounds: Enjoyed the Traditional Irish Sunday Roast

Fox & Hounds: Enjoyed the Traditional Irish Sunday Roast, Hamilton

 MHMundt Says:  The interior was a warm welcoming atmosphere, and we also enjoyed eating our lunch at the sidewalk tables. One interesting thing occurred while we were eating. One of the other tables on the sidewalk had been recently vacated. Along with the Roast Pork dinner were two strips... 

BBC ( Bar, Bistro, Cafe ): BBC in Hamilton means good food

BBC ( Bar, Bistro, Cafe ): BBC in Hamilton means good food, Hamilton

 MHMundt Says:  During the nine days we spent in Hamilton, we ate three of our meals at the BBC. We had met one of the chefs one afternoon on the sidewalk outside the restaurant ( not realizing that she was a chef at the time ). We had just finished lunch at another restaurant but had... 

Furnace Restaurant Bar & Nightclub: South end of town

Furnace Restaurant Bar & Nightclub: South end of town, Hamilton

 kiwi Says:  Popular eating house in mainstreet, nice interior seating and summertime outside tables on pavement. Pleasant casual but nice atmosphere with tv for sports minded if you want. Tables and booths available. You can park in behind in the museum parking area, no charge later in... 

The Bank: Nice converted old money house

The Bank: Nice converted old money house, Hamilton

 twotravelbugs Says:  Another one of these trendy bar / restaurants that manages to feel individual and different. The menu is not so varied but the food is good. The surroundings are kinda neat, high ceilings etc. The staff are ever helpful and friendly. Nothing much wrong with this restaurant... 

Iguana: Good food, good atmosphere

Iguana: Good food, good atmosphere, Hamilton

 twotravelbugs Says:  A really nice place, roadside seating (if you dont mind the traffic noise/fumes), loads of inside tables and a "garden" bar out the back with tables, couches and a fire. The food was the typical trendy restaurant fare, with plenty of variety and huge portions. Still, a very... 

Gengy's: Mongolian bbq

Gengy's: Mongolian bbq, Hamilton

 twotravelbugs Says:  All you can eat, meat and veges, pancakes and ice-cream for desserts, get a bowl, select your food, give it to the chefs who will bbq it right in front of you. Not for vegetarians as all food is cooked on the same hotplates without cleaning in between. 

Nightlife  

The Outback Inn: Good times down under...

The Outback Inn: Good times down under..., Hamilton

 ashley05p Says:  This is a fun bar that attracts a younger, university-aged crowd. They play good music - although it gets very repetitive if you stay there too long. Lots of dancing going on - and lots of people to meet! It is packed Wednesday thru Saturday nights (Sat. night the line is... 

The Hillcrest Tavern a.k.a. "The Hilly": Nice place to start your night

The Hillcrest Tavern a.k.a. "The Hilly": Nice place to start your night, Hamilton

 ashley05p Says:  This is pretty much the bar of the University of Waikato. It is pretty much all uni students that go there. Plays good music and usually has good drink specials. Wednesday from 7PM-12AM it is $3 night where all house spirits, wines, beers, and rtds are all only $3!!! The bar... 

Transportation  

Hamilton International Airport

Hamilton International Airport, Hamilton

 kiwi Says:  Hamilton Airport claims International status with it's connecting flights to and from Austalia and some Pacific Islands. This is very handy for travellers south of Auckland, as it's less distance and very accessible. Hamilton Airport is the fourth busiest in the country and... 

Red Cabs

Red Cabs, Hamilton

 twotravelbugs Says:  Taxi company. Its always useful to have the number of a local cab company handy, although I'm sure the airport / bus station / motels etc will all have this or another companys phone number. I used this company twice, the drivers were friendly and the service was fine. I... 

Shopping  

Donovan's Chocolate Factory

Donovan's Chocolate Factory, Hamilton

 kiwigal_1 Says:  Donovan's Chocolates is a family owned and operated chocolate factory located in North Hamilton. They manufacture their own chocolates which you can purchase in their boutique shop. There is also a little cafe there. 

The Platter Place: Surprisingly delightful café.

The Platter Place: Surprisingly delightful café., Hamilton

 kiwi Says:  Not really anywhere near the "beaten track", this Café is worth the effort if you spend some days in Hamilton and have access to a car.Really nice food and drinks. Primarily a kitchen that prepares platters for parties and taking away. However you can dine here and they... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Tirau - Souvenir Shopping

Tirau - Souvenir Shopping, Hamilton

 kiwigal_1 Says:  On State Highway One on the road near Hamilton is the town of Tirau. This town is often a stopping point for people driving between Auckland and Taupo or Rotorua. The town has a lot of souvenir shops, antique shops and cafes.Look out for the corrugated iron "sheep" and "dog"... 

Lake Karapiro

Lake Karapiro, Hamilton

 kiwigal_1 Says:  Lake Karapiro is located just off State Highway One between Cambridge and Hamilton. It is a man made lake formed when the Karapiro Dam was built on the Waikato River.The Lake is best known for its world-class rowing course and is the venue for many water sport events such as... 

Favorites  

Waikato - Dairy Region

Waikato - Dairy Region, Hamilton

 kiwigal_1 Says:  Hamilton is the capital of the Waikato Region. The Waikato is New Zealand's biggest dairy area. Cows galore! The main dairy processing company is called Fonterra which is actually the world's 7th largest dairy company. The Fonterra milk trucks can be seen all over Waikato... 

Greek Arcade 2

Greek Arcade 2, Hamilton

 Kate-Me Says:   And when I walked further into the Arcade, lined with shops and boutiques on both sides, and the centrepiece the Greek Taverna at the end, it was even more delightful. I felt a little like I'd stepped into a different European world. 

The Place

Hamilton City is the 4th largest city in New Zealand with a population of 130,000. Named after Captain Fane Charles Hamilton, commander of HMS Esk. Major feature is the Waikato River which the city is built around, and is the southernmost navigable reach of the river. Home of Waikato University, Hamilton Gardens, Hamilton Zoo, Waikato Museum of Art and Culture and Hamilton International Airport. Hamilton services NewZealand's most fertile and rich agricultural area, the Waikato Region. Aviation industry is prominent with Pilot training facilities as well as aircraft manufacturer and maintenance, all situated at the International Airport. Hamilton has a growing and diverse economy and is a growing city.

Experience Hamilton
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The People

94 Members Live Here
 
Our Members Say
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 Huntly is a little town we came across about 1/2 an hour north of Hamilton.We decided to stop for a few minutes (just because there was a town there) and found... 

94 members live in Hamilton

 

Questions and Answers

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Q:  Hi, just picked up a great "grab a seat" fare to Hamilton next year. Only going to be there for 4 days, just a quick little escape... 

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A: You would be best to rent a car, maybe drive out to Raglan Beach. Waitomo Caves is driving distance. There are shuttles to the city normally. Also there is a motel right... 

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Top Hamilton Writers

1

Hamilton, The River City.

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 The Waikato is the largest river in New Zealand, I think that means the longest. It begins at Taupo, but flows directly thru the city of Hamilton which has been built around it. Hamilton is known as... 

2

Hamilton, on the Waikato River

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 Hamilton is a considerably sized city south of Auckland, on the way to Rotorua. Unfortunately we didn't have much free time, if we were to make our destination by evening, or we would have spent... 

3

Hamilton - The River City

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  I moved to Hamilton in September 2004 for work. I will be living here until December 2004. My first impressions of Hamilton as a place to live have been favourable. It is very clean and has way less... 

4

Hamilton student life

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 Basically, Hamilton is a sleepy town besides weekends when party is definetely on..! It can best be described as a student city as most of the activities going on is somehow related to Uni. It's... 

5

Hamilton, Waikato Region, North Island

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 Though there are not heaps of things to do in the city of Hamilton, you can still have a good time. Hamilton is a party town Wednesday thru Saturday nights and you will find the bars and clubs packed!... 

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