Christchurch, New Zealand — Activities
Christchurch Culture
Christchurch is the arts capital of New Zealand's South Island. See http://bethere.co.nz and www.localeye.info for events listings, and buy tickets from Ticketek (tel: (03) 377 8899; www.ticketek.co.nz).
Music
Christchurch's premier performing arts center is the Town Hall at 86 Kilmore Street (tel: (03) 366 8899). Situated beside the River Avon in the heart of Christchurch, the complex provides a magnificent setting for the performing arts, including chamber and symphony orchestra. Southern Opera also performs there (tel: (03) 377 8899; www.southernopera.co.nz). The Westpac Arena, one of New Zealand's largest permanent multipurpose indoor venues, is another venue for big concerts.
Theater
The James Hay Theater in the Town Hall for Performing Arts (see above), the Isaac Theater Royal, 145 Gloucester Street (tel: (03) 366 6326; www.isaactheaterroyal.co.nz), and the Court Theater in the Arts Center, 20 Worcester Boulevard (tel: (03) 963 0870; www.courttheater.org.nz), are the main theaters. The Court has its own in-house theater troupe.
Film
Main multiplexes in Christchurch are the Hoyts 8 (tel: (03) 377 9945; www.hoyts.co.nz) in the old central railway station at 392 Moorhouse Avenue; Reading Cinemas (tel: (03) 375 7080; www.readingcinemas.co.nz), in the Palms shopping center in the suburb of Shirley, corner of New Brighton and Marshlands Roads; and The Regent on Worcester, 94 Worcester Street (tel: (03) 366 0140; www.hoyts.co.nz).
Christchurch Tours
Bus Tours
Christchurch Sightseeing Tours (tel: (03) 366 9660 or 0508 669 660; www.christchurchtours.co.nz) offers a variety of tours in Christchurch, including a traditional city tour or tours focusing on heritage homes, private gardens, beaches or historic sights.
Boat Tours
If a boat tour is what you are after, Punting on the Avon (tel: (03) 366 0337; www.punting.co.nz) arranges punting trips in true English tradition on the river Avon. Departure is from the Antigua Boat Sheds, 2 Cambridge Terrace.
Christchurch Wildlife Cruises (tel: (03) 328 9078; www.blackcat.co.nz) operates a two-hour wildlife and sightseeing cruise departing from Lyttelton Harbour. A great chance to see some marine wildlife, notably the rare Hector's Dolphins found only in New Zealand. Free shuttle buses depart regularly from the Cathedral Square.
Other Tours
Or for something a bit different, take a balloon flight over the Canterbury plains with Up Up and Away (tel: (03) 381 4600; www.ballooning.co.nz).
