Content > Wellington Car Hire > Grandpa’s guide to Driving in Lower Hutt

 

Hi there, youngsters! This is your Grandpa Ben. It’s way past my bedtime and my son insists I sleep already. I remember the time when it was me who told him to go to bed, not the other way around. Oh, the ironies of life.

 

I left my journal downstairs and it seems like such a bother to retrieve. Might as well tell you guys about my trip to Lower Hutt, New Zealand.

 

Lower Hutt’s located in the Wellington Region, the tenth biggest city in New Zealand. That is, in terms of population. But if you also want to know how big it is, well, it spans across an area of 376.74 km². Pretty vast, huh?

 

Lower Hutt was named after Hutt River, a major feature of the city. And get this, that river was also named after Sir William Hutt! He’s a very prominent man, being the founding member, director and chairman of the New Zealand Company. If you’re that important, it’s inevitable that you’ll get rivers and cities named after you.

 

This place has a lot of surprises in store and if you want to circle the city, renting a car is one of your most practical options. Get smart and click HERE http://www.vroomvroomvroom.co.nz to get a chance to land yourself the sweetest deals around. You’re one click away from driving through Lower Hutt in class. So click on that link now!

 

Like any city in New Zealand there are tourist hotspots that you must see and experience.

 

1. Hutt River

Start off by taking a drive to Hutt River. It’s one of the city’s main attractions and takes up most of the lower regions of its flood plain. Just the sight of the water alone is enough to send you into pleasant states of nostalgia.

 

Stop over and let the view of the Hutt River flood your senses.

 

 

 

 

2. Vogel House

After the river, it’d be a good idea to drive by the Vogel House. The structure, which is a national landmark, was built some time in the 1950s and is considered the best example of the architecture of that era.

 

The two-storey wooden residence exudes early colonial New Zealand architecture drawing in locals and tourists alike. Try seeing it for yourself and you won’t wonder why New Zealand’s Prime Ministers for most of the 20th century used to live it in it.

 

 

3. TheNewDouse

Your next destination is Lower Hutt’s cultural hub, TheNewDouse. The gallery, which is situated at 45 Laings Road, exhibits tasteful collections of the country’s contemporary culture. Fashion, multi-media presentations and expertly-crafted ceramics, it’s all here at TheNewDouse.

 

Besides the visual galleries, TheNewDouse offers creative posts for willing visitors who want to roll up their sleeves and get in touch with their artistic side. While you’re here you get a chance to leave a little masterpiece behind. Now, how about that? You can have your work in an exhibition and it’s as easy as one, two, three!

 

4. The Christ Church

Historic places are undoubtedly interesting places to visit. They speak of old stories that always sound new each time they’re told. The Christ Church, built of wood in 1854, is one of those places.

 

It’s a resilient piece of work since it withstood a horrible fire that almost brought it down in 1989. After a tough restoration, the Church now stands as strong as ever and still holds the title of the oldest church in the Wellington area. It’s always awe-inspiring to come face to face with a magnificent structure that conquered time and nature the way the Christ Church did.

 

5. Huia Pool

You might wanna splash about in cool waters and just unwind after all that sight-seeing. Drive towards central Lower Hutt to Huia Pool, a nationally heralded indoor pool that’s 25 metres of pure, pristine water.

 

A cool thing about this pool is that it has a moveable floor! It can move higher or lower, from 0.8 of a metre to a depth as low as 2 metres. Think of it as riding an elevator underwater! If this technology was available centuries ago then the lost city of Atlantis wouldn’t have gotten lost in the first place!

 

You can end your journey here, when you’ve got time to kill. Spend a day getting rid of those travelling kinks. Get a tan and sit yourself in one of the pool’s sunbeds. Or have a relaxing spa session and let your entire body be catered for. You’re sure to be energised and pumped the next day when you’re homeward bound!

Be prepared to hear ‘you look good’ compliments when you get back to your hometown. I know it might sound crazy. How can a place make you look good? But believe me, Lower Hutt has that effect on people, especially visitors. That’s just one of the perks of visiting this part of New Zealand!

Okay, one final tip. Just make it a point to savour your time in Lower Hutt and you can do no wrong! It’s all about the contentment in the moment, people.

Oh my! I was supposed to be hitting the hay, right? I better go now, before my son throws a fit. Haha! Alright, I’m signing off now. Be safe! Live long and prosper!

 

- Grandpa Ben