Introduction
What to do
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 October
Estimated hotel price
$52
1 night at 3-star hotel
Hamilton in October
Estimated hotel price
$52
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 flight to Hamilton from Australia departs from Sydney and takes around 3h.

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 New Zealand Discount Car 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 flight to Hamilton from Australia departs from Sydney and takes around 3h.

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 New Zealand Discount Car Rentals, among others, in Auckland.

Airports near Hamilton

AKLAuckland Intl
HLZHamilton
TRGTauranga

Airlines serving Hamilton

KLM
Good (1,451 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,777 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,728 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,180 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,213 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,870 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,112 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,274 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,731 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,514 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,679 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,707 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,393 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,360 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,160 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,875 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,452 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,893 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (192 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (958 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Hamilton

Average rates range from around $115 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $123 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 $37 to $801 per night. Frankton is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Hamilton are about 23% 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)
$93+
View
Atrium On Ulster
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$110+
View
Ashwood Manor Motor Lodge
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$90+
View
Anglesea Motel And Conference Centre
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
$82+
View
Backpackers Central Hamilton
2 stars
Good (7.5, Good reviews)
$49+
View
Vr Hamilton
4 stars
Good (6.9, Good reviews)
$58+
View

Hiring a car in Hamilton

Hiring a car in Hamilton costs $127 per day, on average, or $254 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 1% more expensive than at Hamilton.

Expect to pay $2.34 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 $27.99 and $37.31. Compact (Hyundai Kona or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Hamilton, while also 4% cheaper than other types, on average.

Hiring a car in Hamilton costs $127 per day, on average, or $254 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 1% more expensive than at Hamilton.

Expect to pay $2.34 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 $27.99 and $37.31. Compact (Hyundai Kona or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Hamilton, while also 4% cheaper than other types, on average.

Find car hire in Hamilton