Great days out don't have to cost a thing. Whether you've got the kids for the school holidays, want a cheap date or just need to get out of the house, there's plenty to do for free.
Here's our pick of free things to do in New Zealand's biggest cities, plus a few further afield.
Museums: Te Papa (Wellington) and the Auckland Art Gallery are free for New Zealanders. The Auckland Museum is free for Auckland residents with proof of address.
Gardens: the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and Auckland Botanic Gardens are free. At Hamilton Gardens, the grounds are free but the enclosed themed gardens charge entry.
Views: Mt Eden (Auckland), Mt Victoria (Wellington), the Port Hills (Christchurch) and Mauao (Tauranga) all cost nothing to walk up.
Summer events: Auckland Council usually runs free Music in Parks and Movies in Parks events in summer. Check OurAuckland for this year's dates.
Kids: libraries in every city run free activities, from LEGO clubs to school holiday programmes.
This weekend: check your council's events calendar. They list free events every week.
Auckland is packed with free things to do, from volcanoes and beaches to some of NZ's best galleries.
General entry is free for New Zealand residents, with the country's largest public art collection right in the city centre. Good for: rainy days, couples.
Free for Auckland residents. Just bring proof of address. The Maritime Museum on the waterfront is free for Aucklanders too. Good for: families, rainy days.
Auckland's highest volcano is walking-only at the top, with 360-degree views over the city. It's a classic spot for sunset. Good for: couples, evenings.
Wander the city's oldest park and the glasshouses of the Wintergardens, then have a picnic on the grass. Good for: families, couples.
Free to visit in Manurewa, with themed gardens, walking paths and plenty of space for kids to run around. Good for: families.
Walk or bike along Tāmaki Drive to Mission Bay, head to Takapuna on the North Shore, or go west to Piha for black sand and big surf. Swim between the flags. Good for: families, summer days.
Auckland Council usually runs free outdoor concerts and movie nights in parks around the city over summer. Check OurAuckland for this summer's dates, then bring a blanket and a picnic. Good for: families, evenings.
Wander the waterfront, check out the playground and watch the boats come and go. It's an easy walk from the city centre. Good for: families, couples.
Free storytimes, LEGO clubs, games and school holiday activities at libraries across the city. Good for: families, rainy days.
Big bush views and coastal walks on Auckland's west coast. Some tracks are closed to protect kauri, so check which are open before you go. Good for: walkers.
What's on in Auckland this weekend? Auckland Council's OurAuckland website lists free events across the city.
Christchurch is the Garden City, and a lot of its best spots are free and within walking distance of each other in the central city.
Conservatories, a world-class rose garden and huge open lawns in the middle of the city. There's a playground and paddling pool for the kids. Rolleston Avenue. Good for: families, couples, picnics.
One of the best playgrounds in the country, with big slides, a flying fox and water play. 177 Armagh Street. Good for: families.
More than a library: LEGO stations, digital walls and a whole kids' floor. 60 Cathedral Square. Good for: families, rainy days.
Look down from the terraces on Oxford Terrace and you'll spot native longfin eels in the Avon River, right in the city centre. Good for: families with older kids.
Free general admission, with changing exhibitions in a striking building. Corner of Worcester Boulevard and Montreal Street. Good for: rainy days, couples.
While the main museum is redeveloped, the pop-up has displays and changing exhibitions. 66 Gloucester Street. Good for: families, rainy days.
Murals around almost every corner of the central city. Start on High Street or Cashel Street and wander. Good for: couples, walkers.
Head up for views over the city, the plains and the coast. At Christchurch Adventure Park, walk the uphill track and you can ride the chairlift back down for free. Good for: couples, evenings, walkers.
A quiet, moving place by the Avon River to remember those lost in the 2011 earthquakes. Corner of Montreal Street and Oxford Terrace. Good for: reflection.
Classic Christchurch beach days, and the coastal pathway is great for a walk or bike ride. Good for: families, summer days.
What's on in Christchurch this weekend? ChristchurchNZ's What's On calendar lists events across the city.
Wellington packs a lot into a small space: a world-class museum, harbour walks and some of the best city views in the country, all free.
New Zealand's national museum is free for New Zealanders. Allow a few hours: there's plenty for kids, and it's a good bet on a windy day. Good for: families, rainy days.
Walk up through the garden for free from the city or Thorndon (the Cable Car up is paid), and don't miss the Lady Norwood Rose Garden. Good for: couples, walkers.
A 360-degree view over the city, harbour and airport. Walk up through the town belt, or drive up for sunset. Good for: couples, evenings.
Walk from Queens Wharf past the sculptures and boatsheds to Oriental Bay, the city's favourite sunny-day beach. Good for: families, summer days.
Wellington's Sunday morning market by Te Papa is free to wander, with fresh produce and food trucks. Good for: weekends.
Street performers, the famous Bucket Fountain and plenty of people-watching, day or night. Good for: couples, evenings.
One of the city's best free viewpoints. It can be windy, so pick a calm evening. Good for: evenings.
A rugged coastal walk from Owhiro Bay along the south coast, with seals sometimes spotted in winter. Good for: walkers.
What's on in Wellington this weekend? WellingtonNZ's events listings are the place to check.
The enclosed themed gardens charge entry, but plenty is free: bush walks beside the Waikato River, the boardwalk around Turtle Lake and the rhododendron walks. Good for: families, couples.
Free entry (donations welcome), with Waikato history, art and science, and a grand waka. Some special exhibitions charge. Good for: families, rainy days.
A walkway around Lake Rotoroa close to the city centre, with a big playground and picnic spots. Good for: families.
A 65 km walking and cycling path along the Waikato River between Ngāruawāhia and Lake Karapiro. Do a short section or a full day. Good for: walkers, cyclists.
Every March, hot air balloons fill the sky over Hamilton for five days, and it's free to watch. Good for: families, early risers.
What's on in Hamilton this weekend? Hamilton & Waikato Tourism lists events across the city and region.
Tauranga and the Mount are made for free summer days: long beaches, coastal walks and a waterfront in the city centre. Note that the walking tracks on Mauao (Mount Maunganui) are currently closed. Check Tauranga City Council for updates before you go.
One of the country's favourite surf beaches, patrolled in summer. Parking is free but fills up fast on hot weekends. Good for: families, summer days.
A 3 km path running alongside the beach from the Mount, part concrete and part boardwalk. It's mostly flat, so it's easy with a pushchair or a bike. Good for: families, walkers.
Kilometres of open beach, usually quieter than the Mount. Good for: families, walkers.
Wander the waterfront and its playground, then explore the street art around the city centre streets. Good for: families, couples.
What's on in Tauranga this weekend? Bay of Plenty NZ lists events across Tauranga and the Mount.
Stargazing: the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve (Lake Tekapo and Mt Cook), Great Barrier Island and Stewart Island are some of the best places in the world to see the Milky Way. Looking up is free; just wait for a clear, moonless night.
DOC walks: thousands of free walks and tracks around the country, from short bush loops to sections of the Great Walks you can do as a day walk.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing: a 19.4 km day walk across a volcanic landscape. It's free to walk, but you'll usually need a shuttle, as parking at the start is time-limited.
Hot Water Beach (Coromandel): dig your own hot pool at low tide. See our summer road trips for more on the Coromandel.
Local libraries and museums: most towns have a free library programme, and many regional museums are free or donation-based.
Margaret Mahy Playground (Christchurch), the Auckland Museum (for Aucklanders), Te Papa (Wellington), Hamilton Lake Domain, beaches in every city, and school holiday programmes at your local library.
Sunset from Mt Eden, Mt Victoria or the Port Hills, a picnic in a botanic garden, a gallery afternoon, or an outdoor movie in summer.
Te Papa, the Auckland Art Gallery, the Christchurch Art Gallery, the Waikato Museum, and the libraries: Tūranga in Christchurch is a whole day out on its own.
Free outdoor movies and concerts in summer (check your council's events calendar), sunset lookouts, Cuba Street, and stargazing once you're away from city lights.
Your council's events calendar is the best place to check. Most list free events, markets and festivals every week.
A free activity can still cost you in petrol, parking and snacks. Pack a picnic and water bottles, use public transport where you can, and check parking before you go.
For more ways to stretch your budget, see our money saving tips.
Planning something bigger? Our guide on how to budget for your next holiday can help.
Plenty. Walk up a volcano or city lookout, spend a day at the beach, visit a botanic garden, or explore free museums like Te Papa in Wellington (free for New Zealanders). In summer, many councils run free outdoor concerts and movie nights.
Walk up Mt Eden, visit the Auckland Art Gallery (free for NZ residents) or the Auckland Museum (free for Aucklanders with proof of address), explore the Domain and Wintergardens, or head to Mission Bay or Takapuna beach. In summer, Auckland Council usually runs free Music in Parks and Movies in Parks events.
The Botanic Gardens and Hagley Park, the Margaret Mahy Family Playground, Tūranga library, the Christchurch Art Gallery, the street art around the central city, spotting eels at The Terrace, and sunset on the Port Hills.
Te Papa (free for New Zealanders), the Botanic Garden, Mt Victoria lookout, a walk along the waterfront to Oriental Bay, and the Sunday Harbourside Market.
Playgrounds like the Margaret Mahy Family Playground in Christchurch, beaches, botanic gardens, free museums like Te Papa, and library programmes, which run free activities in the school holidays.
Watch the sunset from a city lookout like Mt Eden or Mt Victoria, have a picnic in a botanic garden, wander a free art gallery, or catch a free outdoor movie in summer.
Check your local council's events calendar or your library's events page. Most list free events, markets and festivals every week.
