Planning a Trip

Getting There & Getting Around

By Plane -- Wanganui Airport, 10 minutes outside the town center, is served daily by Air New Zealand (tel. 0800/737-000 in NZ; www.airnz.co.nz).

By Coach (Bus) -- InterCity (tel. 09/623-1503) and Newmans (tel. 09/623-1504) provide service between Wanganui and Auckland, New Plymouth, National Park Village (in Tongariro National Park), and Wellington. White Star Passenger Services, 161 Ingestre St. (tel. 06/347-6677), operates local town buses.

By Car -- Wanganui is on state highways 3 and 4. It is 2 1/2 hours from New Plymouth or Wellington, 3 hours from Taupo, and 4 hours from Rotorua.

By Taxi -- Call Wanganui Taxis (tel. 06/343-5555).

Visitor Information

The i-SITE Wanganui Visitor Centre, 101 Guyton St. (tel. 0800/926-426 in NZ, or 06/349-0508; fax 06/349-0509; www.wanganuinz.com), is open in summer Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 3pm. Hours may be extended in summer.

Special Events

The Billy Webb Regatta is held in December. It features dozens of rowers on the Whanganui River (www.billywebbchallenge.co.nz). Art lovers are sure to enjoy the Festival of Glass in September (www.wanganuiglass.co.nz), which brings together the very best of the town's glass studios with workshops, demonstrations, and stunning glassworks for sale. Celebrating Opera Week (www.wow.gen.nz), occurs in January each year. Recitals, classes, and performances center on the Royal Wanganui Opera House.

Studio Arts -- In late March, the town's many artists open their studios to visitors. It's a great chance to see artists in their working environments and you might even pick up some excellent original artworks -- prints, paintings, ceramics, glassware, sculpture -- at bargain prices. Visit www.whanganuiopenstudios.org.nz for more information.