Hamilton travel guide

Hamilton Tourism | Hamilton Guide

You're Going to Love Hamilton

With a population of 152,641, Hamilton is the largest city in Waikato, New Zealand by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Consider staying at least one whole day in Hamilton to see all of its attractions.

When to visit Hamilton

Hamilton in December
Estimated hotel price
$164
1 night at 3-star hotel
Hamilton in December
Estimated hotel price
$164
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Hamilton in February, when the average temperature is 19 °C, and the highest can go up to 25 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is June, when it can get as cold as 5 °C, with an average temperature of 9 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in May, when precipitation is around 120 mm. In contrast, March is usually the driest month of the year in Hamilton, with an average rainfall of 70 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Hamilton

Plane

When flying to Hamilton, you’ll arrive at Hamilton (HLZ), which is located 10 km from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Hamilton departs from Christchurch and takes around 1h 45m.

Car

Another option to get to Hamilton is to pick up a car hire from Auckland, which is about 114 km from Hamilton. You’ll find branches of Autounion Car Rental and Mode Car & Camper Rentals, among others, in Auckland.

Plane

When flying to Hamilton, you’ll arrive at Hamilton (HLZ), which is located 10 km from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Hamilton departs from Christchurch and takes around 1h 45m.

Car

Another option to get to Hamilton is to pick up a car hire from Auckland, which is about 114 km from Hamilton. You’ll find branches of Autounion Car Rental and Mode Car & Camper Rentals, among others, in Auckland.

Airports near Hamilton

Airlines serving Hamilton

Lufthansa
Good (4,672 reviews)
KLM
Good (857 reviews)
SWISS
Good (930 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,503 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,606 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,300 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,563 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,936 reviews)
Emirates
Good (2,131 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,482 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,811 reviews)
Finnair
Good (878 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (832 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (917 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (832 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,601 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (400 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (499 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (184 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (774 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Hamilton

Average rates range from around $191 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $118 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Hamilton, with prices from $89 to $1,166 per night. Frankton is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Hamilton are about 10% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Hamilton

Most booked hotels in Hamilton

Novotel Tainui Hamilton
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
$295+
ibis Hamilton Tainui
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$214+
Heartland Ambassador Hotel Hamilton
3 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
$156+
Ramada By Wyndham Hamilton City Center
3 stars
Good (7, Good reviews)
$145+
Backpackers Central Hamilton
2 stars
Good (6.6, Good reviews)
$48+
Vr Hamilton
4 stars
Good (6.3, Good reviews)
$89+

Hiring a car in Hamilton

Hiring a car in Hamilton costs $74 per day, on average.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 3% more expensive than at Hamilton.

Expect to pay $3.09 per litre in Hamilton (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $37.04 and $49.38. The most frequently booked car type in Hamilton is Economy (Suzuki Swift or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Mazda CX-5 or similar) is, on average, 36% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Hamilton costs $74 per day, on average.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 3% more expensive than at Hamilton.

Expect to pay $3.09 per litre in Hamilton (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $37.04 and $49.38. The most frequently booked car type in Hamilton is Economy (Suzuki Swift or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Mazda CX-5 or similar) is, on average, 36% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.