Hamilton Car Hire

Guide to Hamilton

Geography

Hamilton is located 80 miles above the mouth of the majestic Waikato River - the nation’s longest river - in north-central New Zealand’s North Island.

Climate in Hamilton

Hamilton is blessed with fairly consistent and pleasant weather. As New Zealand lies in the southern hemisphere, its seasons are reversed. So summer, when you can expect clear skies and abundant sunshine, falls between early January to March. Average temperatures hover around 25°C during the day and 15.8°C at night. If you want to swerve the tourist throngs, consider visiting in October, when it’s off-peak season and the hotel prices are at their lowest.

Culture

The land covered by present-day Hamilton was originally home to several Maori villages, the largest of which was Kirikiriroa - the Maori name for Hamilton today.

As home to the University of Waikato, Hamilton boasts a large and spirited student population, which gives this historic city a distinct youthfulness.

Things To Do in Hamilton

Stroll through a world-class conceptual garden

Hamilton Gardens is an internationally recognized conceptual garden covering 54 hectares of enthralling flora. There are over 20 unique, curated, theme gardens to explore, including the Indian Char Bagh Garden, Italian Renaissance, Japanese Garden of Contemplation, Chinese Scholar’s Garden, and the English Flower Garden, among others. Strolling through its picturesque landscapes is a rejuvenating experience and when you are done, pop by Hamilton Gardens Café for a hearty meal in their alfresco dining area.

Throwback to the classics

The Classics Museum in Hamilton is a car lover’s paradise. Displaying over,100 vintage cars, including petrol, pedal cars and early pinball machines, this museum is a dream come true for automobile enthusiasts. Once you’re drunk on all the motoring memorabilia, head to the Jukebox Diner - a 1950s-themed American diner - located on the premises for Yankee-style sandwiches, burgers and salads. Before you leave, don’t forget to take a selfie with the posters of yesteryear legends like Elvis Presley, Betty Boop, and Abba.

Get a bird’s eye view of Waikato

Adrenaline junkies can enjoy a panoramic view of the Waikato area from a hot air balloon floating high above Hamilton. The balloons are operated by the Kiwi Balloon Company and they take off from Innes Common, near the lake. For the most sublime experience, start at sunrise and witness breathtaking views of green farmlands, the great Waikato river, and the city as you gain altitude. On a clear day, if luck permits, you may even catch sight of Ruapehu, Pirongia, Te Aroha and Taranaki mountains fringing the Waikato region.

Fraternise with the fauna at Hamilton Zoo

For a day full of fun and frolic with the entire family, visit Hamilton Zoo. Covering more than 25 hectares of lush greenery, Hamilton Zoo boasts more than 600 native and exotic animals, including African painted dogs, siamang gibbons, red pandas, Sumatran tigers, cheetahs, otters and chimpanzees. The zoo also has over 200 bird species and a free flight sanctuary - the biggest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. For the complete experience, participate in the zoo’s Meet the Keeper talks, or get a chance to feed animals through the Face2Face program.

Eating Out in Hamilton

New Zealand’s cuisine is a blessed fusion of Maori, British, American and Asian cultures, among others. Some of the must-try items while you’re in Auckland include: Hāngi, Whitebait Fritters, Crayfish, Meat Pie, Fish and Chips, Lolly Cake, Pavlova, Rewana Bread, and Hokey Pokey Ice cream.

Catering to its large student population, Hamilton offers a variety of dining options to suit all budgets. Here are some of the most popular eateries and chow joints in town:

Victoria Street in the city centre is lined with the best restaurants, cafes and bars. Taste the pyttipanna or the aglio olio at Scotts Epicurean, an award-winning elegant café and restaurant. Critics rave about the five-course menu served in Chim Choo Ree on Bridge Street. Savour their duck breast, lyonnais with blue cheese beignets and roasted white chocolate with sour cherry. Those who would take their caffeine intravenously if they could love Rocket Coffee, a café and bean roaster on Barton Street. Their espresso blends are roasted fresh each day, and they also sell three or more single-origin coffees.

The sophisticated and multi-award-winning Palate on Alma Street will delight you with their scampi and hazelnut waldorf salad with cauliflower cream or red roasted duck with honey-roasted parsnips. For some authentic Malaysian street food like nasi lemak and beef rendang, try Madam Woo in central Hamilton. Banh Mi Caphe on Victorian Street also serves some great traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

Hamilton Transport

Airport

Hamilton Airport (HLZ) is the gateway to the Waikato region. It services domestic flights only and is located about 15 minutes south of central Hamilton.

Getting around

The Hamilton Transport Centre is the central hub for passenger services in Hamilton, including regional and national bus services. BUSIT is Hamilton’s suburban bus network and it operates 24 suburban and 5 regional bus services linking with neighbouring cities. Te Huia is the recently started passenger rail service connecting Hamilton, Huntly and Auckland.

Most visitors travelling through New Zealand typically hire a car as it offers comfort, flexibility, and convenience. New Zealand not only has a great network of well-laid roads but the landscapes on the way are also incredibly picturesque. If you’re travelling in a large group, consider hiring a 7 seater or a 9 seater van. You can also do a one-way hire, which means that you can pick up your vehicle in one city – say Wellington – and drop it off in another – like Hamilton – before flying out. This would save you the hassle of having to drive it back.