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 June
Estimated hotel price
$115
1 night at 3-star hotel
Hamilton in June
Estimated hotel price
$115
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, Singapore Airlines and Jetstar. 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 Autounion Car Rental and EZI, 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, Singapore Airlines and Jetstar. 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 Autounion Car Rental and EZI, among others, in Auckland.

Airports near Hamilton

AKLAuckland Intl
HLZHamilton
TRGTauranga

Airlines serving Hamilton

KLM
Good (1,448 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,758 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,711 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,133 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,209 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,864 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,101 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,231 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,729 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,495 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,676 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,676 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,380 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,357 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,155 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,831 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,443 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,892 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (192 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (955 reviews)
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Where to stay in Hamilton

Average rates range from around $127 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $144 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 $56 to $942 per night. Frankton is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Hamilton are about 14% 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, Excellent reviews)
$105+
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Camelot On Ulster
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
$136+
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Anglesea Motel And Conference Centre
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
$95+
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Backpackers Central Hamilton
2 stars
Good (7.5, Good reviews)
$58+
View
Alcamo Motel
3 stars
Good (7.1, Good reviews)
$90+
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Vr Hamilton
4 stars
Good (6.9, Good reviews)
$73+
View

Hiring a car in Hamilton

Hiring a car in Hamilton costs $136 per day, on average, or $271 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 31% cheaper than airport locations in Hamilton.

Expect to pay $2.68 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 $32.09 and $42.78. The most frequently booked car type in Hamilton is Compact (Mitsubishi ASX 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, 61% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Hamilton costs $136 per day, on average, or $271 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 31% cheaper than airport locations in Hamilton.

Expect to pay $2.68 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 $32.09 and $42.78. The most frequently booked car type in Hamilton is Compact (Mitsubishi ASX 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, 61% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Hamilton