Nightlife

Christchurch has a variety of nightlife, but lacks the range and color of Wellington and Auckland. Find out about weekend happenings by reading the "Entertainment" section of Friday's Press, or consult the "What's On" section of the Tourist Times. For information on the music scene, contact the Christchurch Civic Music Council (tel. 03/366-3310; cmc@netaccess.co.nz).

The Performing Arts

The city has a regular program of concerts, plays, musicals, and dance performances held at the Town Hall, on Kilmore Street (tel. 03/377-8899), and the Theatre Royal, 145 Gloucester St. (tel. 03/366-6326).

The Court Theatre, in the Arts Centre, Worcester Boulevard (tel. 0800/333-100 in NZ, or 03/963-0870; www.courttheatre.co.nz), is the home of the best professional theater company in New Zealand. Shows range from Shakespeare to contemporary American and British theater to the best New Zealand plays. Tickets for most shows are around NZ$30 (US$21/£11).

The Club & Bar Scene

The most visible evidence of Christchurch nightlife is to be found along Oxford Terrace, or "The Strip", as it's known locally. This is the most established hub of the cafe and bar scene. Come 11pm, the mood changes as the place is infiltrated by the 18-to-30 age group and the music is pumped up accordingly. If you're single, under 40, hungry for the inebriated attentions of the opposite sex, and ready for just about anything, you'll have a great time here; if you're none of the above, you'll probably get the urge to move on around midnight. In this area, Liquidity (tel. 03/365-6088), has the most style; Coyote (tel. 03/366-6055) and Viaduct (tel. 03/377-9968) have popular dance floors, which get so packed you can barely move. Next door to Viaduct is its partner, Di Lusso (tel. 03/377-9968), which presents a stylish little lounge bar that mixes good music and cocktails -- chiefly for the 30s crowd. The Tap Room (tel. 03/365-0547) attracts a wider age group.

Personally, I think there are better options in the Poplar Lane and South of Lichfield (SOL) areas. Here, Rootes Bar, under Minx Dining Room, 96 Lichfield St. (tel. 03/374-9944), is a funky spot for everyone from gorgeous girls on the make to businessmen on the prowl and the happy cocktail set. Nearby is the ever-popular steak lover's MU Bar, 92 Lichfield St. (tel. 03/377-0681), which has the distinction of delivering both terrific steak meals and a lively night out. And if you feel like kicking your heels up afterwards, you need only walk around the corner to Base Bar & Nightclub, 92 Struthers Lane, SOL (tel. 03/377-7149). His Lordship's Bar, 110 Lichfield St. (tel. 03/366-3225), is a good bet if you favor European beers; and you'll get proper English beers at the very pleasant Twisted Hop Microbrewery, 6 Poplar Lane (tel. 03/962-3688). Soon, there will be new bars open in both the SOL and Poplar Lane areas.

Indochine, 209 Cambridge Terrace (tel. 03/365-7372), is the sophisticated hangout of choice for the arts crowd. Lime, 817 Colombo St. (tel. 03/365-2393), is an intimate, late-night hangout; and good times are had by all at The Flying Burrito Brothers, corner of Armagh and New Regent streets (tel. 03/377-7626), in the company of New Zealand's biggest tequila selection.

If sports bars are more your style, you won't find one bigger than Holy Grail, 98 Worcester Blvd. (tel. 03/365-9816), which has huge screens and a 24-hour license. Legends, 46 Bedford Row (tel. 03/366-5596), is another in this vein; and The Loaded Hog, Manchester and Cashel streets (tel. 03/366-6674), is a popular starting point for the 20- to 30-something crowd. Also in this area is the raging dance club, The Concrete Club, 132 Manchester St. (tel. 03/366-0438), where the cool crowd hangs out; and just around the corner and just as cool, is Double Happy, in Cashel St. (tel. 03/374-6463).

The Southern Blues Bar, 198 Madras St. (tel. 03/365-1654), opens nightly from 7:30pm until very late and attracts an audience ages 25 to 75. There's live music every night, ranging from jazz to Latin and rock. Another good jazz bar is Sammy's Jazz Review, 14 Bedford Row (tel. 03/377-8618). Foam, 30 Bedford Row (tel. 03/365-2926), has a lovely mix of intimate and wide-open spaces, plus very good jazz nights.

In Merivale, Zanzibar, Merivale Mall, Aikmans Road (tel. 03/355-5577), hums on Thursday and Friday nights and is a well-established "meat market." Adjacent JDV, Aikmans Road (tel. 03/964-3860), has a gorgeous little martini bar that rocks until late, especially on Thursday nights; and No. 4, 4 Mansfield Ave. (tel. 03/355-3720), generally attracts a wide age group looking for a good time -- and in Merivale that tends to mean a clubby-style bar with free-flowing alcohol and lots of beautiful people doing things they might regret in the morning.

The Dux de Lux, in the Arts Centre, is the place to be if you're into loud local bands and a pretty full-on bar environment. It's a favorite for 20- and 30-year-olds, who spill out into the paved courtyard area. Great boutique brews, too.

Hedging Your Bets

The Christchurch Casino, Victoria Street, across from the Crowne Plaza (tel. 0800/227-466 in NZ, or 03/365-9999; www.christchurchcasino.co.nz), opened in 1994 and was New Zealand's first. In 11 years, it's had well over five million visitors (60% local). It's probably the only boutique casino in Australasia that features a more classical European style, setting it apart from its Auckland equivalent's money-churner atmosphere. You'll find over 350 gaming machines as well as blackjack, baccarat, Caribbean stud poker, American roulette, keno, and Tai Sai. Café Caesars is open for light meals; there are several bars; and the Grand Café is worth a visit in itself for its excellent food. You must be at least 20 to enter; dress codes are strict -- no jeans or denim of any kind, and no thongs, T-shirts, or active sportswear. Free shuttles operate to and from local hotels and motels. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Movies

Currently, the biggest multiplex is Hoyts 8, 392 Moorehouse Ave. (tel. 03/366-6367). The Regent on Worcester, 94 Worcester St. (tel. 03/377-8095), is a fine, centrally placed four-cinema complex right beside the Square. And the Academy (tel. 03/366-0167) and the Cloisters (tel. 03/366-0167), located in the heart of the Arts Centre, show national and international art-house films. An eight-theater complex opened at The Palms in Shirley in late 2003 and another at Westfield Riccarton.

The Gay Scene

Christchurch is a very "polite" city, and its gay scene is less overt than in the bigger cities. Here's what I've unearthed: Heaven's Above, corner of Tuam and Colombo streets (tel. 03/365-5648), is open Thursday and Friday 7pm to late, Saturday 8pm until late, and Sunday 3pm until late. Cruz, upstairs, Ministry Nightclub complex, 90 Lichfield St. (tel. 03/379-2910), is Christchurch's only gay bar nightclub and is open Tuesday through Sunday 7pm until late. Menfriends, upstairs, 83 Lichfield St. (tel. 03/377-1701), is a sauna and cruise club; The Box, upstairs, 146a Lichfield St. (tel. 03/377-4748), is a gay video and cruise lounge; and Divas Boutique, 146a Lichfield St. (tel. 03/379-3446), is a social lounge where cross-dressers and transvestites can meet, Tuesday through Saturday, noon until 9pm. They have regular cross-dressing parties every Saturday night. For more information, check www.gaynz.com.