Introduction
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

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. Hamilton deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

When to visit Hamilton

Hamilton in September
Estimated hotel price
$124
1 night at 3-star hotel
Hamilton in September
Estimated hotel price
$124
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. Airlines that fly from New Zealand to Hamilton include Air New Zealand, Jetstar and Singapore Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Hamilton departs from Christchurch and takes around 1h 15m.

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 New Zealand Discount Car Rentals and Autounion Car Rental, among others, in Auckland.

Plane

When flying to Hamilton, you’ll arrive at Hamilton (HLZ), which is located 10 km from the city centre. Airlines that fly from New Zealand to Hamilton include Air New Zealand, Jetstar and Singapore Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Hamilton departs from Christchurch and takes around 1h 15m.

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 New Zealand Discount Car Rentals and Autounion Car Rental, among others, in Auckland.

Airports near Hamilton

AKLAuckland Intl
HLZHamilton
TRGTauranga

Airlines serving Hamilton

KLM
Good (1,468 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,840 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,781 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,276 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,247 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,892 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,133 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,744 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,409 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,540 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,708 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,800 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,424 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,371 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,202 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,471 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (12,009 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,900 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (198 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (293 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Hamilton

Average rates range from around $128 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $146 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Mystery Creek Motel and Backpackers Central Hamilton. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Hamilton, with prices from $44 to $961 per night. Frankton is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Hamilton are about 27% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Hamilton

Most booked hotels in Hamilton

See all
Auto Lodge Motel
4 stars
Excellent (9.1, Excellent reviews)
$122+
View
Ashwood Manor Motor Lodge
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
$107+
View
Ventura Inn & Suites Hamilton
4 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
$144+
View
Backpackers Central Hamilton
2 stars
Good (7.5, Good reviews)
$61+
View
Alcamo Motel
3 stars
Good (7, Good reviews)
$86+
View
Vr Hamilton
4 stars
Good (6.9, Good reviews)
$73+
View

Hiring a car in Hamilton

Hiring a car in Hamilton costs $148 per day, on average, or $296 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 9% cheaper than airport locations in Hamilton.

Expect to pay $2.72 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 $32.55 and $43.39. The most frequently booked car type in Hamilton is Standard (Class Commercial Truck or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Class Intermediate Car or similar) is, on average, 53% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Hamilton costs $148 per day, on average, or $296 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 9% cheaper than airport locations in Hamilton.

Expect to pay $2.72 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 $32.55 and $43.39. The most frequently booked car type in Hamilton is Standard (Class Commercial Truck or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Class Intermediate Car or similar) is, on average, 53% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Hamilton