Palmerston North Tourism - Travel to Palmerston North
Palmerston North is in the lower North Island of New Zealand. It is situated in the Manawatu district.
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Understand Palmerston North Tourism
Palmerston North has a population of approx. 75,000, is the sixth largest city in New Zealand and is the largest provincial city in the region. It's the home of Massey University, making Palmerston North a university orientated city currently home to around 11,000 students. It is also the home of the Linton Military Camp and the Adidas Institute of Rugby (which focuses on improving the skills of the All Blacks the national rugby union team.
Get into Palmerston North
Palmerston North is 7 hours by car from Auckland and two hours from the capital Wellington on State Highway 1 (SH1).
Palmerston North Airport handles mainly domestic but also some international travel.
It is also on the main railway line between Auckland and Wellington. There is a daily service - The Northerner, with timetable here.
Get around in Palmerston North
One of the advantages of Palmerston North is that it is compact and flat (easy to cycle around). The main educational institutions have cycle lanes from the city center. The main route to Massey University along Fitzherbert Avenue is packed with cyclists every morning.
Palmerston North is built around The Square. The Square used to be the site of the Railway station but this proved to be extremely impractical so the station was moved and the site turned into a park. This explains why the roads radiating outwards from the Square are so wide because they used to accommodate the railway tracks. Most places are easily accessible by foot.
The Visitor Information Center is at 52 The Square, phone +64 6 354 6593 , fax +64 6 356 9841 , email manawatu.visitor_info@xtra.co.nz.
See Palmerston North
- Massey University. http://www.massey.ac.nz/
- Te Manawa, Address 396 Main Street , phone number +64 6 355-5000 (email enquiries@temanawa.co.nz, fax +64 6 358-3552). Open 10AM-5PM daily including weekends and public holidays (except Christmas Day). Combines a museum, art gallery and interactive science center, to create a fusion of life, art and mind. Free admission to LIFE and ART galleries. MIND galleries: $6 Adult, $4 Child, $15 Family. http://www.temanawa.co.nz/
- New Zealand Rugby Museum, Address 87 Cuba Street , phone number +64 6 358 6947 (email info@rugbymuseum.co.nz, fax +64 6 358 6947). Open M to Sa 10.00AM - 12 noon & 1.30PM to 4.00PM. Su 1.30PM to 4.00PM. Tour and Rugby Groups by arrangement. Contains NZ's biggest and most comprehensive collection of rugby memorabilia and records. Adults - $4.00 Children - $1.00. http://www.rugbymuseum.co.nz/
- City Library, 4 The Square , phone number +64 6 351 4100 (email pncl@pncc.govt.nz , fax +64 6 351 4102). M,Tu,Thu 10:00AM - 6:00PM, W,F 10:00AM - 8:00PM, Sa 10:00AM - 4:00PM, Su 1:00PM - 4:00PM. 'New' award-winning Central Library. http://citylibrary.pncc.govt.nz/
- Air Force Museum, Ohakea, Address State Highway 1, between Bulls and Sanson. (Will need transport to get there) , phone number +64 6 351-5020 (email ohakea@airforcemuseum.co.nz , fax +64 6 351-5020). Open 9.30AM to 4.30PM daily. Evening groups by appointment. Home of the RNZAF Central Flying School and NZ’s premier military aviation museum. Adult $8. Child $3 (under 14 years). Family $18 (2 Adults & up to 3 Children). Children under 5 years Free. http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/Ohakea/
Do Palmerston North
- Centrepoint Theater, Address cnr. Pitt and Church Streets , phone number +64 6 354 5740 (email centrepoint@centrepoint.co.nz , fax +64 6 354-5743). Performances on Tu at 6.30PM, W to Sa 8.00PM, no performance M. Stages a wide variety of plays. Has a fully-licensed bar plus coffees and desserts. http://www.centrepoint.co.nz/
- Regent on Broadway, Address 63 Broadway Ave , phone number +64 6 350 2100 (email manager@regent.co.nz, fax +64 6 350 2108). Stages many plays, stunningly refurbished. http://www.regent.co.nz/
- The Esplanade, beautiful gardens (including a stunning rose garden), conservatory, walks, strolls along the Manawatu River, picnics, an aviary, playground for the kids , paddling pool, free electric BBQ's and a scenic railway. Victoria House, a historic building (the original Palmerston North's post office) is situated in the grounds. Open from dawn to dusk. The Education Center and conservatory is open weekdays 10AM to 4PM and weekends 12PM to 4 PM. http://www.pncc.govt.nz/City/Entertainment/ToDo/ToDoItems/VictoriaEsplanade.htm
- Lido Aquatic Center, Address Park Rd (alongside the Palmerston North Holiday Park and the Esplanade), phone number +64 6 357 2684 (email lido@clmnz.co.nz). Indoor facility open M-Th 6.00AM-8.00PM,F 6.00AM-9.00PM Public holidays and weekends 8.00AM-8.00PM. Outdoor facilities open during the Summer months M-F 6.00AM-7.00PM Weekends and public holidays 8.00AM-8.00PM. Covers an area of 1.62 hectares with indoor and outdoor pools, spa pool, toddler's pool, a diving tower and two hydroslides. Adults $2.50 Child $1.50. http://www.pncc.govt.nz/City/Entertainment/ToDo/ToDoItems/Aquatic.htm
- DIY Guided Bike Tours, bike while enjoying a fully supplied Audio Guide commentary
- Indoor paintball and go karts, Address 23 Bennett Street, phone number paintball +64 6 353 5092 go karts +64 6 353 5082 (email daytona.nz@xtra.co.nz, go kart fax +64 6 353 5084). Fun whatever the weather. http://www.daytona.co.nz/
Buy
- Check out the specialist boutiques along George Street.
- Try the malls at the Downtown Complex in Broadway Avenue (with its 8 cinema multiplex) and The Plaza.
Eat - Travel to Palmerston North
Palmerston North has more eating out places per head of population than anywhere else in NZ.
- Robert Harris, Address The Link on King Street and Downtown on Broadway , phone number +64 6 354 4866 (email robertharriscafe_pn@xtra.co.nz). One of a chain of coffee shops serving light mails as well.
- Kruo Thai Square Edge Courtyard + 64 6 355 1222. Thai.
- Monsoon Asian Kitchen 200 The Square (opposite the Library) +64 6 359 2919. Asian. Small but tasty.
- Valentines 223 Featherston Street. +64 6 359 0444. One of a chain of eat-as-much-as-you-can buffet restaurants. Caters for kids.
- La Scala Downtown Center Foodcourt +64 6 356 4952. Italian.
- Wide selection at the Downtown Center Foodcourt.
- Mr India Tandoori Restaurant 79E George Street +64 6 354 5075 Pakistani
- Pompeii's 355 Ferguson Street +64 6 359 0059. Italian. Go for the pizza.
- Congo Burgers & Pasta 164 Albert Street +64 6 357 6040. Gourmet burgers and these are LARGE. You ain't tasted a burger until you have tried these.
Drink
- Fat Ladies Arms, Address Cnr. of Church & Linton St , phone number +64 6 358 8888 (email flapn@xtra.co.nz , fax +64 6 359 4163). Billed as The Original Best Bar in the World - And thats a fact. Full of students and army types. Has a garden bar and live music. At student orientation at the beginning of the year it buzzes. http://www.fatladiesarmspn.co.nz/
- Rose and Crown Olde English Pub 743 Main Street +64 6 355 3660.
Sleep - Palmerston North Tourism
Get out
The central location of Palmerston North means that it is an easy two to three hour drive to the wineries of Martinborough and Hawkes Bay, the skifields of the Central Plateau (Whakapapa and Turoa) and the Art Deco of Napier.
External Links for Palmerston North Tourism
