Hamilton City

Street Art

The streets of Hamilton and the city’s public spaces are a visual feast of quirky murals and eye-catching sculptures, a number of them telling local stories.

There is a real connection to the land with natural and landscape themes running through a lot of the works, as well as a focus on the rich Māori culture and history found throughout the Waikato region.

Hamilton’s street art has been created by an eclectic mix of local artists, as well as some of the big names of the New Zealand and international art scene, encouraging visitors to explore the streets and riverside walkways to discover the artistic wonders.

Amongst the iconic works to look out for are the Riff Raff statute that celebrates Hamilton local Richard O’Brien, creator of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and played the Riff Raff character.

Another is Michael Parekowhai’s Tongue of the Dog sculpture which honours the Māori legend of how the Waikato River was created.

Iconic Events: Balloons Over Waikato, Fieldays, Hamilton Arts Festival

Throughout the year Hamilton stages events that also reflect the diversity of the city. Sports fixtures are enormously popular with rugby a major drawcard, both the games played by the hometown team The Chiefs as well as the All Blacks clashes with international touring teams.

Theatrical performances, largescale concerts, and the annual spectacular of the Balloons over Waikato hot air balloon festival, the National Fieldays and the Hamilton Arts Festival mean a packed events calendar.

Hamilton is also home based for the annual Balloons over Waikato festival when balloonists from around the country, and some from overseas, head for the region to show off their hot air balloons. The festival includes opportunities to take flight and there is also a spectacular nightglow when the balloons light up and set sail over the city.

Performing Arts

From all music genres – be the musicians local, or from elsewhere in New Zealand or visiting international artists – to drag queens entertaining at Hamilton Gardens, dance, comedy and live theatre, the Waikato is where there is a regular calendar of performances to entertain, intrigue and often inform.

Amongst the leading performing arts venues are Claudelands Events Centre which has a variety of spaces including the GLOBOX Arena, the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts and Clarence Street Theatre.

Shopping in Hamilton City

In Hamilton there is much to tempt visitors looking to purchase something singular to remind them of their time in the city, or a gift for someone special back home – or simply to browse the retail scene, from quirky laneway boutiques, homeware and art stores to shopping complexes.

The Base – One of the largest in New Zealand, this shopping complex is located on the northern side of the city at Te Rapa and consists of the original outdoor strip mall as well as the Te Awa enclosed shopping mall. Parking is plentiful while the retail outlets range from quirky boutiques to national and international brand stores.

Centre Place – In the heart of Hamilton City, Centre Place has shops, eateries, as well as entertainment with Metro by Hoyts and Lido cinemas, plus a fun zone with laser tag, mini golf, virtual reality experiences and escape rooms.

Casabella Lane – This treasure trove lane in the downtown runs between Barton and Anglesea streets and is home to 17 locally owned boutique-style stores.

Cheese shops – For a taste of local artisan cheeses including Mercer Cheese and Meyer Gouda Cheese products, head for either one of the two Gouda Cheese shops – one at Rototuna shopping mall and the other on the Hillcrest roundabout. Both give pride of place to Mercer Cheese and Meyer Gouda Cheese products.

Hamilton East - Downtown and across the river in Hamilton East there are eateries that proudly hero locally grown produce and gourmet food products, and an eclectic mix of bars where the likes of local craft beers and artisan gin are increasingly featured.

Victoria on the River

With coffee shops nearby and just off the main street of Hamilton City, the amphitheatre-style Victoria on the River is a pleasing place to simply sit and watch the swirling Waikato River go by. Park of Hamilton’s central city transformation, Victoria on the River has a green and organic feel thanks to thousands of plants that blend with other native foliage along the riverbank.

As well as being a fine place to relax, have a picnic-style lunch and maybe read a book, the amphitheatre is also where you can catch music, street theatre and other entertainment.

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Hamilton Markets

Whether you’re looking for fresh-as produce grown in the region, handcrafted cheeses or locally made arts and crafts – or simply something special for yourself or a friend – Hamilton has some great markets where there is often also music and entertainment.

Ever-popular, Hamilton Farmers’ Market is held every Sunday morning at The Barn at Claudelands. Hamilton Farmers’ Market is also where to meet local farmers, growers and producers who are always happy to chat about their goods and share cooking techniques and recipes. Every Friday evening the Hamilton Night market sets up shop at The Base.

Another favourite near Hamilton City is the busy, eclectic Tamahere Country Market held in the ground of St Stephen’s Church at Tamahere. It’s on the third Saturday of each month with special Christmas markets being held leading up to the festive season.

Escape Rooms

There are plenty of escape rooms in Hamilton to explore – each one of them with a different theme and storyline. Amongst them are the five Confinement Escape Rooms where the options include scavenger hunts through the city, one of them a pub crawl where a scientist developing cocktail recipes stumbles upon something revolutionary. Escape HQ in Hamilton central has rooms to get out of too, as does the Lilliput Fun Zone at Hamilton’s Centre Place shopping and entertainment precinct.

Explore Breweries

Innovative, interesting and individual about sums up the Waikato’s craft brewers and their brews. Whether your craft brew of choice is pilsner, pale ale, India pale ale, or even hazy pale ale, or a stout, porter or dark beer, tart or fruity, there’s plenty of beer – and ciders – to sip and savour in the Waikato.

Good George Brewing - the Waikato’s hometown hero of craft beer, and more, is Good George Brewing. A little over a decade ago Good George started out in Frankton with a single brewery and dining hall style eatery.

Brewaucracy has its brewery and taproom in Te Rapa. The taproom is designed to be the kind of place craft beer fans will fall in love with. It’s where to see how Brewaucracy’s range of beers are made and to sample them.

Hopnotic Brewery - on the northern side of Hamilton Airport is Hopnotic with its brewery and taproom in an old woolshed where past shearers’ names are stencilled in the rough sawn timber walls.

Bootleg Brewery - in the village of Matangi a short distance from Hamilton City is Bootleg Brewery, housed in part of the historic Matangi dairy factory building, which was the largest dairy factory in the world when it was constructed in 1919.

The Local Taphouse - craft beer fans can also sample local Waikato brews at bars like the Local Taphouse at SkyCity Hamilton and Hamilton Craft in the Hood Street restaurant and bar precinct.