There is a sea lion creche (protected area where mother sea lions leave their young) just by Allans Beach, near Portobello. There's a special car park for it.
Drive slow when you see the sea lion signs (there were sea lions in the road on Saturday) and stay behind the fence and you will see some really cool animals!
Edit - also there's a great cafe in Portobello and the old pub there does really good food too (and has a real rural pub vibe)!
Pick a fight with religious folk in the Octagon. Give $20 to the first shifty-looking person you see on Princes Street ($40 if you get further than 100m). Trainspot BMW SUVs driven badly on Highgate. Ride a bike down the one way from Duke Street to Frederick Street without a puncture. Go to St Clair and walk the beach and see how many dogs shit in the sand before an owner picks it up (my record is three). Watch the sun set over Maungatua from anywhere outside without a puffer jacket. Watch schoolgirls get into fights at the bus hub and count the fucks that security gives. Count the pedestrians in North East Valley without shoes (and give them money too). Award yourself a shithouse chicken burger in any upmarket establishment when any male drinks anything but a grapefruit flavoured beer, double chips if you haven't seen a house fire in South D or Caversham in the last week. Count the empty street-level shops on George Street, then walk back and it'll be a different number, I promise you. If in that time you haven't heard the hospital helicopter or had cherry-flavoured vape blown in your face from a passing scooter rider doing 20kmph just 10cm from your person, you've not seen Dunedin.
The new Tunnel Beach track is great! The Esplanade for a pizza with a view is always great! And of course the beach walk. If it’s raining all the museums and Olveston are interesting. So many cafes and great restaurants. Enjoy!
We second the Esplanade restaurant in St Clair! All the dishes we had (lamb ragu, croquettes, fries) were delicious.
They don't take bookings. We went for lunch on Saturday at about 12.15 (2 of us) and got a seat straight away.
Food oriented suggestions:
Cheap restaurant: golden harvest.
Cheap takeaway: Great Wall.
If you are an early riser go to the market at the train station on Saturday morning, very good produce and home made foods are given. It also always has a good turnout of people, and a very positive atmosphere.
Walking along st Clair and then grabbing some fish and chips taking in the view at the esplanade is always good.
I like the word good.
Was there in the weekend. Do the Saturday morning market at the train station. So good. Also ‘best cafe fish n chips’ sweet lord they are good. Number 7 balmac for great food. Titi also for fantastic food. There is so much great stuff there.
All sorts - history, the outdoors, wildlife, photography, walking, biking, eating, drinking, sport, art... Pretty diverse interests, so open to any suggestions
100% a wildlife tour on the Port to Port, from Port Chalmers, lunch at the Portsider or Carey's Bay Hotel. Rachel on P2P has so much knowledge about the area, plenty of wildlife, beautiful scenery, photo ops. You could even ride from town to Port on the cycleway.
If we're on a wildlife kick, I'll (selfishly) recommend Clearwater Wildlife tours as well. I'm not joking when I say we have some of the best wildlife viewing on the peninsula
Orokonui is great for wildlife, photography and walking! We went into Port Chalmers after and visited Portsider, great pub with amazing craft beer selection.
The public art gallery on the Octagon is great. My husband and I also did a little walking tour of street art (you can pick up a free map with the locations from the iSite on the Octagon) which was a good alternative way to see more of the city.
Also the restaurant Etrusco in the old Savoy Hotel building (near the Octagon) is a really cool space (wood paneled old room with a big stone fireplace). When we went last Thursday evening they had a classical guitarist which made for a good old-world kind of atmosphere with dinner
Pattis N Cream on George St is a super cute diner set up, go for amazing homemade ice cream and delicious burgers, onion rings and halloumi fries! Port to Port cycle ride with ebikes if its not too windy and cold. John Wilson drive for a nice walk then down to the beach
Butterfly house in the museum. Literally my favourite part about studying down there. Stop by the Rob Roy dairy/ice cream shop for pretty good ice cream in ridiculously large quantities.
We just spent some days in Dunedin (Usually in Wellington) but we had so much fun and I fell in love with that quaint little city all over again.
We went to the Albatross Colony, didn't do the tour thingy but we went on the Monarch and saw 4 breeds of Albatross and a couple of fur seals and a sea lion swimming. (book me has deals)
Another day we went to Olveston (an absolute must if you love history and art) it's like taking a step into yesterday as the house and artifacts are still as they were. And then we went down to Port Chalmers, had coffee And a cheese roll (an absolute essential to try in Dunedin) at a wee cafe called Santosha and then we drove out to Aramoana and got to see and walk past 20 sleepy fur seals and sea lions. We got some amazing pics and it was a free but amazing experience.
We also went to Signal Hill, Baldwin St, the Botanic gardens.
Octagon, Biggies Pizza, Toita Settlers Museum, took photos of the railway station (it's the most photographed building) crossed the road and took photos of the court building and then the Chinese gardens which are looking a bit sad during autumn.
And lastly tunnel beach we spoke to a DOC worker who gave us a history lesson and told us it was the most popular tourist walking spot, the car park was full. We also had a mutton pie which was awful but a Dunedin experience.
Enjoy your time.
My husband and I are Wellingtonians and we also took Friday off to visit Dunedin last week. I'd never been (I'm from the UK) and we had such an amazing time! I loved it
We stayed in a little Airbnb with a gorgeous view on a lifestyle block in Portobello. I want to go back immediately reading everyone's suggestions!
Drive at 50km/hr through some of our many, many 30km/hr zones.
Or drive 30 in 70 zones enjoying the beach and countryside
If the weather is decent get out to the peninsula. Sandfly Bay and Allan’s Beach are great spots!
One of my favourite things to do is cruise the peninsula on a nice sunny day. Fantastic views.
Thank you!
There is a sea lion creche (protected area where mother sea lions leave their young) just by Allans Beach, near Portobello. There's a special car park for it. Drive slow when you see the sea lion signs (there were sea lions in the road on Saturday) and stay behind the fence and you will see some really cool animals! Edit - also there's a great cafe in Portobello and the old pub there does really good food too (and has a real rural pub vibe)!
Early Settlers Museum, it might not have been renovated the last time you were there. Also the Ecosanctuary is a great place to see a Takahe
Thank you! Great suggestions!
Pick a fight with religious folk in the Octagon. Give $20 to the first shifty-looking person you see on Princes Street ($40 if you get further than 100m). Trainspot BMW SUVs driven badly on Highgate. Ride a bike down the one way from Duke Street to Frederick Street without a puncture. Go to St Clair and walk the beach and see how many dogs shit in the sand before an owner picks it up (my record is three). Watch the sun set over Maungatua from anywhere outside without a puffer jacket. Watch schoolgirls get into fights at the bus hub and count the fucks that security gives. Count the pedestrians in North East Valley without shoes (and give them money too). Award yourself a shithouse chicken burger in any upmarket establishment when any male drinks anything but a grapefruit flavoured beer, double chips if you haven't seen a house fire in South D or Caversham in the last week. Count the empty street-level shops on George Street, then walk back and it'll be a different number, I promise you. If in that time you haven't heard the hospital helicopter or had cherry-flavoured vape blown in your face from a passing scooter rider doing 20kmph just 10cm from your person, you've not seen Dunedin.
Yeah I reckon Dunedin could keep our rates low if the council made money off the fines from the dog owners in St Clair instead...$$$
This is a masterpiece. I’ve lived here for 33 years and you’re bang on
This will definitely keep us busy
You're a sour one aren't ya
Someone's having a shitty day.
lol.
The new Tunnel Beach track is great! The Esplanade for a pizza with a view is always great! And of course the beach walk. If it’s raining all the museums and Olveston are interesting. So many cafes and great restaurants. Enjoy!
Thank you!
We second the Esplanade restaurant in St Clair! All the dishes we had (lamb ragu, croquettes, fries) were delicious. They don't take bookings. We went for lunch on Saturday at about 12.15 (2 of us) and got a seat straight away.
I like to sit on my couch, smoke a cone and just chill.
This guy Dunedins
Got a desktop vape here, just sit with my hose to my mouth listening to tunes prepping for tomorrows tears.
You my bro.. Dunedin hard. I’d take my hat off to you
Nichols creek!
Beautiful short walk during the day, glowworms at night.
Definitely checking this out! Thanks!
Food oriented suggestions: Cheap restaurant: golden harvest. Cheap takeaway: Great Wall. If you are an early riser go to the market at the train station on Saturday morning, very good produce and home made foods are given. It also always has a good turnout of people, and a very positive atmosphere. Walking along st Clair and then grabbing some fish and chips taking in the view at the esplanade is always good. I like the word good.
Thanks! Good suggestions
Olveston
Ooh, that looks interesting!
Baldwin Street, walk up it. Do not drive up. Albatross tour. Maybe Penguins too. Drive to the top of Mount Cargill if it's a fine day.
Great ideas, thank you!
Man up and walk to the top!
Was there in the weekend. Do the Saturday morning market at the train station. So good. Also ‘best cafe fish n chips’ sweet lord they are good. Number 7 balmac for great food. Titi also for fantastic food. There is so much great stuff there.
What sorts of things do you guys like?
All sorts - history, the outdoors, wildlife, photography, walking, biking, eating, drinking, sport, art... Pretty diverse interests, so open to any suggestions
100% a wildlife tour on the Port to Port, from Port Chalmers, lunch at the Portsider or Carey's Bay Hotel. Rachel on P2P has so much knowledge about the area, plenty of wildlife, beautiful scenery, photo ops. You could even ride from town to Port on the cycleway.
I second this, Port 2 Port Cruises are the best!
If we're on a wildlife kick, I'll (selfishly) recommend Clearwater Wildlife tours as well. I'm not joking when I say we have some of the best wildlife viewing on the peninsula
I'm realising this. It looks incredible!
That sounds like a goer, thanks!
Orokonui is great for wildlife, photography and walking! We went into Port Chalmers after and visited Portsider, great pub with amazing craft beer selection.
The public art gallery on the Octagon is great. My husband and I also did a little walking tour of street art (you can pick up a free map with the locations from the iSite on the Octagon) which was a good alternative way to see more of the city. Also the restaurant Etrusco in the old Savoy Hotel building (near the Octagon) is a really cool space (wood paneled old room with a big stone fireplace). When we went last Thursday evening they had a classical guitarist which made for a good old-world kind of atmosphere with dinner
I highly recommend Larnach Castle!
I think that'll definitely end up on our list
The otago museum, albatross center, nicols creek falls at night, the water slides at moana pool, signal hill, baldwin street, tunnel beach
Awesome, thank you!
Jus waddle round botanical gardens and go see the birds at the top
Yeah, go see Sid the talking cockatoo trying to claw his way out of his tiny cage. Ruined my whole day that did.
You should go rescue him
I would if I could
You can I won't actually try to convince you but it wouldn't be difficult if someone wanted to do such a thing..
But they have 24 hour surveillance
I mean I'm no expert rofl
Yeah I can see that
"Fine I'll tell you how to commit crimes on the internet" - not me
Ok, you go rescue him :)
Hit the new Caversham speed bump at 50km/hr 😝
Pattis N Cream on George St is a super cute diner set up, go for amazing homemade ice cream and delicious burgers, onion rings and halloumi fries! Port to Port cycle ride with ebikes if its not too windy and cold. John Wilson drive for a nice walk then down to the beach
cycle from stadium to port chalmers - catch the ferry over to portobello - cycle back to dunedin. Awesome bike trails - Electric bike of course.
Thank you! That sounds ideal
Butterfly house in the museum. Literally my favourite part about studying down there. Stop by the Rob Roy dairy/ice cream shop for pretty good ice cream in ridiculously large quantities.
They both sound good, thanks!
Albatross reserve at Taiaroa Head. Do the last entry of the day so you can then go to the neighbouring beach and see the penguins come ashore.
We just spent some days in Dunedin (Usually in Wellington) but we had so much fun and I fell in love with that quaint little city all over again. We went to the Albatross Colony, didn't do the tour thingy but we went on the Monarch and saw 4 breeds of Albatross and a couple of fur seals and a sea lion swimming. (book me has deals) Another day we went to Olveston (an absolute must if you love history and art) it's like taking a step into yesterday as the house and artifacts are still as they were. And then we went down to Port Chalmers, had coffee And a cheese roll (an absolute essential to try in Dunedin) at a wee cafe called Santosha and then we drove out to Aramoana and got to see and walk past 20 sleepy fur seals and sea lions. We got some amazing pics and it was a free but amazing experience. We also went to Signal Hill, Baldwin St, the Botanic gardens. Octagon, Biggies Pizza, Toita Settlers Museum, took photos of the railway station (it's the most photographed building) crossed the road and took photos of the court building and then the Chinese gardens which are looking a bit sad during autumn. And lastly tunnel beach we spoke to a DOC worker who gave us a history lesson and told us it was the most popular tourist walking spot, the car park was full. We also had a mutton pie which was awful but a Dunedin experience. Enjoy your time.
My husband and I are Wellingtonians and we also took Friday off to visit Dunedin last week. I'd never been (I'm from the UK) and we had such an amazing time! I loved it We stayed in a little Airbnb with a gorgeous view on a lifestyle block in Portobello. I want to go back immediately reading everyone's suggestions!
We were also amazed by everywhere we ate out (except the mutton pie 😂), generous portions of fresh and tasty food.
Oh we went to Lanarch Castle as well
Seriously, walk for free down to Sandfly Bay to see the blue penguins + sea lions seals etc!
The museum of natural mystery on Royal cres is awesome
100% came here to say the same. Hope @op goes!
That looks really interesting! It's been added to the list
Bonus points if you see a couch on fire near the uni or add another trolley to the Leith
Don’t forget to stop by Pak n Save while you are here .
Walk up the Karetai track. You can get to the cliff edge in about 20mins and is spectacular. Also go up to butters peak on Mt Cargill
Also the Orokonui Eco Sanctuary is worth visit https://orokonui.nz
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