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. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Hamilton has to offer.
When to visit Hamilton
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.
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 New Zealand Discount Car Rentals and Autounion Car Rental, among others, in Auckland.
Airlines serving Hamilton
Where to stay in Hamilton
Average rates range from around $123 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $131 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 $53 to $811 per night. Frankton is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Hamilton are about 32% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Where to stay in popular areas of Hamilton
Most booked hotels in Hamilton
Hiring a car in Hamilton
Hiring a car in Hamilton costs $55 per day, on average, or $165 if you want to hire it for 3 days.
It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 36% cheaper than airport locations in Hamilton.
Expect to pay $2.66 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 $31.92 and $42.55. The most frequently booked car type in Hamilton is Economy (Mazda Demio or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size car hire (Nissan Altima or similar) is, on average, 26% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.