Visitor Information

The i-SITE Wanganui Visitor Centre, 31 Taupo Quay (tel. 0800/926-426 in NZ, or 06/349-0508; www.wanganui.com), is open Labour Weekend (Oct) to Easter, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm and weekends and public holidays 9am to 4pm; January, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:30pm, weekends and public holidays 9am to 4:30pm; and Easter until Labour weekend Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm and weekends and public holidays 9am to 3pm.

Special Events

The Billy Webb Regatta (www.billywebbchallenge.co.nz), held every December, features dozens of rowers on the Whanganui River. 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 each January, with recitals, classes, and performances at the Royal Wanganui Opera House. The Universal College of Learning (UCOL) School of the Arts is held in January each year. A wide range of renowned artists and tutors lead workshops in glass, painting, photography, and writing (www.ucol.ac.nz).

Studio Arts -- In late March to early April, 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 details.

Getting There

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.airnewzealand.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. For information on Wanganui urban buses, check www.horizons.govt.nz. The city has four looped bus routes with buses traveling in both directions. Fares range from NZ$2 for adults and NZ$1.20 for children age 5 to 15. You can travel more cheaply by purchasing a re-loadable GoCard (NZ$10), from the bus driver.

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. 0800/500-000 in NZ, or 06/343-5555).

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