Length of stay: 1 day
Visited: April 2025
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand. It’s situated near a number of active fault lines and has experienced several significant earthquakes, most recently in 2010 and 2011. But it’s also known as the Garden City from its abundance of parks and green spaces. It’s also lively city with a vibrant art scene.
We woke up to blue skies and sunshine and were eager to start the day to get in as much as we could before M’s nap. After eating breakfast, we packed up and checked out. We had a bit of running around to do, which included picking up a few more groceries as well as a hot plate. Most of the places we stayed at so far have had a small kitchenette with a stove or cooktop, which made it very convenient to make our own meals. But the next few places we were staying at would only have a fridge, toaster and microwave. With some research we managed to find a travel-sized one that wasn’t induction and therefore was compatible with our camping pots and pans that we brought from home.
We were most looking forward to visit the Christchurch Botanic Garden, so we headed there first. Admission is free, but we had to pay a small fee for parking. But at least it was in the shade. The gardens are extensive and include a large collection of exotic and native plant species. This includes a New Zealand garden, rock garden, water garden, azaleas and magnolias, among others. It was a little chilly first thing in the morning, but it was quickly warming up in the sun. And it sure looked like the middle of fall with many of the trees changing color.
There are also several different conservatories to explore that contain tropical plants; cacti and succulents; orchids and carnivorous plants like pitcher plants. There was also a fern house.
We were saving the best for last with the Central Rose Garden. Many of the roses were still in bloom and looking pretty.
From the botanic garden we walked to Quake City, a special exhibition that shares some stories from the Canterbury earthquakes that had devastating impacts in 2010 and 2011. The region sits on the boundary between two tectonic plants and a magnitude seven earthquake typically occurs on average about once every ten years somewhere in New Zealand. And in 2010 that somewhere was Christchurch. And then six months later a major aftershock followed with a 6.3 magnitude earthquake, causing extensive damage throughout the city. The 2011 earthquake in particular was one of New Zealand’s worst natural disasters. It was estimated that 60% of the historic city centre was damaged.
The museum mostly contains displays that explain more about the earthquakes, the immediate and lasting impacts they had on the city, as well as rescue efforts. There were also a few videos of people who shared their experiences from the earthquakes. It was interesting, but I’m not sure it was worth the steep admission fee.
On the way back to the car we walked along the Avon River, passing the Bridge of Remembrance. It was built to commemorate those that served in both World Wars and other conflicts. It sustained significant damage during the 2011 earthquake, but has since been repaired and strengthened.
We also passed the Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial located along the river. It was built to honour those who were killed or injured during the 2011 earthquake. The wall on the south bank includes the names of all 185 people who died.
Once back at the car we drove towards the Cardboard Cathedral, passing the Christchurch Cathedral on the way. It was severely damaged during the 2011 earthquake and is still in the process of being repaired and restored.
The Cardboard Cathedral was built two years after Christchurch’s 2011 earthquake by a Japanese architect who designed a cardboard church following an earthquake in Kobe, Japan. It was constructed of thick cardboard tubes, local wood and steel. It serves as a transitional cathedral until the Christchurch Cathedral can be rebuilt.
We were hoping to take a peak inside, but our little one had fallen asleep in the car. And so we decided to head to Arthur’s Pass where we planned to spend the night.
L
Those gardens are gorgeous! So much colour and love the changing of the leaves of the trees. Interesting facts about the earthquakes there. I had no idea that it destroyed that much of the old city and that they are still rebuilding the damaged church. Looks like the weather has turned out beautifully for this part of your trip!
It didn’t feel or look like fall in the North Island. So it was a lovely surprise to see so many leaves changing colour in Christchurch. I remember hearing about the 2011 earthquake on the news, but didn’t realize how big of an impact it had until we visited. We could still see signs from the earthquake over 20 years later. It’s amazing how much they’ve been able to rebuild and restore though. They also made significant changes to their building codes to ensure this level of destruction during an earthquake doesn’t happen again.
The Christchurch Botanic Garden is just amazing. The roses, cacti, the colored plants, and trees please my eyes. It must be refreshing to wander such a stunning place, Linda.
Baby M sounds like enjoying her nap.
Your adventures are always enjoyable to read. Keep exploring.
The botanic garden was lovely. While many of the flowers were no longer in bloom, the trees were putting on a dazzling show as the leaves were changing colour. We could have easily spent the entire morning there. And yes, baby M enjoys her morning nap. We tried to work our schedule around that as much as we could. So as soon as she’s ready for a nap we hit the road!
Spectacular nature and pics
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. The scenery in Christchurch is lovely in the fall. And I’m glad we had nice weather to enjoy it!
Very beautiful gardens and architecture! 😊
Oh I know! We could have easily spent our entire morning exploring the gardens. Most cities in New Zealand have a botanic garden and they are typically free to visit.
Such an interesting and enjoyable post, Linda. Thanks for sharing. I read about the cathedral and the efforts to repair and “quake proof” it (and other buildings) for the future. There are some amazing innovations occurring. The botanical garden looks wonderful. I would have found it hard to leave.
Thanks for your kind words. It’s remarkable how much of the city they were able to rebuild after the earthquake destroyed so much. And it’s great to hear that they’ve changed their building code to better withstand any earthquakes in the future. The botanic garden was very lovely, especially on a beautiful day. We could have spent the entire morning there, but had limited time given M likes to go down for a late morning nap. So we made due with the time we had.
Christchurch has long been a favourite of ours, since we took our little one there in 1988. He now has a little one of his own. Too bad you did not make it inside the cardboard cathedral. It is amazing as are the people who provide the religious services. I hear they are still indecisive if they want to spend so much money to restore the old stone cathedral. I think it is a point of defiance now to raise it again after so many gave so much to the quakes. Happy Tuesday Linda. Allan
I can see why you like Christchurch. We were initially planning to spend another day there but ended up taking a day trip to Akaroa the day before in the hopes that M would nap on the drive (since she didn’t sleep on the plane). It’s unfortunate that we weren’t able to go inside the Cardboard Cathedral. I’ve seen pictures online and it looks quite lovely. But we’re on toddler M’s schedule. Something to add to the list when we return someday, along with a few other museums and street art that we had to skip.
If the toddler is happy, everybody is happy. I recall driving through the Columbia Gorge with our little one in 1987 and making the mistake of thinking I could pullover for a photo. Wrong. He woke up and it took another hour of driving for him to fall back asleep. We might only spend 1 day in Christchurch this fall.
We’ve learned that lesson the hard way too. Our little one is such a light sleeper. I’ve had to try taking pictures along the drive and just hope for the best. Enjoy finishing up your NZ itinerary. I bet you’re excited to return!!
Looks like a wonderful place, thank’s for share Linda.
Thanks for reading and for your lovely comment. We didn’t have much time to explore Christchurch, but we made the most of it. And we couldn’t have asked for nicer weather to wander around.
The botanical garden is beautiful – and how lucky that you were able to visit it in sunny weather. The earthquakes have definitely had a huge impact on Christchurch, but it’s nice to see that most of the damage has been repaired (or is in the process of being repaired like with the cathedral). Although we were in NZ for four months, we never visited the South Island (shame, right)! I look forward to exploring it through your eyes.
We had beautiful weather for wandering around Christchurch. And it was definitely feeling and looking like fall, my favourite time of the year. It was heartbreaking to hear about the earthquakes, but it’s remarkable how they managed to repair and rebuild much of the city. It’s too bad you weren’t able to explore the South Island. But at the same time, it’s pretty amazing you were able to spend four months in the North Island! Goes to show how there’s so much to do in New Zealand!
The Botanical garden looks gorgeous, especially in the fall. I had read about the temporary cardboard cathedral. What an interesting construction. Maggie
We could have easily spent the entire morning strolling through the different gardens. It was very lovely, especially with such beautiful. It’s too bad we didn’t have enough time to take a peak inside the Cardboard Cathedral as its reputed to be quite beautiful. But it was more important that our little one takes a nap.
Understood, naps are everything 😊
Absolutely! I try to sneak in a nap every so often! They’re good for all ages!
So so beautiful. I was surprised to see cacti. Roses gorgeous. Thanks for another vicarious trip. 🌺🙂🌺
The Christchurch Botanic Gardens were lovely. We were pleasantly surprised to still see so many roses in bloom considering the time of year. Goes to show how resilient they are.
This is such a wonderful post, Linda. It looks like the biggest city in the South Island of New Zealand is more than just an entry or exit point. I love how it offers a blend of urban attractions, natural beauty, and unique experiences. I also love the Botanical Gardens and how there are the manicured lawns and colourful flowerbeds. We’ve also missed visiting a good few attractions due to our little one falling asleep in the car; it’s just one of the factors to consider when planning a trip and maintaining a sense of normalcy for the baby and their sleep schedule. I’ve stopped stressing myself out trying to make our little ones fall asleep at their normally scheduled nap time or by trying to keep them asleep for their “normal” nap length. Instead, I let them drift in and out of sleep as they please. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Thanks for your kind words, Aiva. We had a wonderful time exploring Christchurch. The botanical garden was lovely. Even though some of the flowers were no longer in bloom, the trees were starting to change colour, which looked very pretty. I can only imagine how much work is involved with maintaining the grounds though!
While it would have been nice to spend more time in Christchurch, our schedule revolves around our little one and her nap times. You’re absolutely right (and wise) to not stress about scheduled nap times. It’s something I wish I learned earlier. But we’re more than happy to go with the flow and let her nap when she’s ready … otherwise no one has much fun in the afternoon!
Thanks for reading. Enjoy the rest of the week. Linda
As our youngest one is just two years old, our daily schedule and activities are still largely dictated by the need to accommodate her naps, even more so when we are on the road. It often involves timing outings and social engagements around nap schedules, but I wouldn’t have it any other way, because travelling with a baby/toddler, while challenging, is a fantastic way to create lasting memories and foster positive development. I hope your summer is going well xx
Same! And I couldn’t agree more about how travelling with your kids helps create memories, new experiences and is good for development (for both them and us)! I still can’t believe that the summer is half over. We’ve been enjoying the warmer weather, but I’m very much looking forward to the fall. Hope your summer is going well too. Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
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The Botanical Gardens look beautiful and so good that the roses were still in bloom. I remember reading about the catastrophic earthquake that caused extensive damage to the centre of Christchurch but I was unaware of a cardboard cathedral! How unusual and that it can withstand rain. I’m glad the weather was sunny for you too.
I was surprised to still see so many roses in bloom considering we were visiting in the fall. It was heartbreaking to hear about the aftermath from the earthquakes. But it’s remarkable how much they were able to rebuild though. The city ended up changing a lot of their building codes to help prevent this level of structural damage in the event of another major earthquake. The Cardboard Cathedral has such an interesting story. And yah, makes you wonder how it’s able to withstand the elements. It’s supposed to be quite beautiful inside. It’s a shame we missed it.
Sad to read about that destructive earthquake. Thank you for sharing highlights from your visit. Love the roses and lilypond. The first time I saw one was six years ago in Canada. Gorgeous! 🪷
It was sad to hear about the aftermath from the 2011 earthquake. But it was also inspirational to hear how much the city has been restored and that many of their building codes have been improved. People (and nature) can be pretty resilient.
Resilient, yes. Truthful and often quite amazing. Thank you and have a beautiful day!
You as well! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Thank you! It’s a lovely morning right now.
What a perfect weather day to visit the Christchurch Botanic Garden!! That’s interesting that the Cardboard Cathedral was constructed with cardboard tubes.
Oh I know! We couldn’t have asked for better weather. The Cardboard Cathedral is fascinating. Makes you wonder how long it’s supposed to last though given that part of its structure is built using cardboard tubes.
This is beautiful. It’s on my bucket list to go someday.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I hope you’re able to see Christchurch and the rest of New Zealand with your own eyes. It’s such a lovely country.
The gardens are rather reminiscent of UK, they could easily be pictures of English country gardens. Earthquakes however, are not!
We found that most cities in New Zealand have a botanical garden that are typically free to visit. We tried to visit as many as we could as they’re quite lovely. And yes, earthquakes on the other hand, not so much. Minor ones occur quite regularly there, but thankfully we didn’t notice any.
My friends had been in Christchurch just a few days before the earthquake in 2011. A close call. I’m glad to see the city has recovered. The botanical gardens look amazing.
Oh gosh!! Close call indeed. Glad to hear your friends left Christchurch just before the earthquake. It’s pretty amazing how much the city was able to rebuild and repair. And the botanical gardens were just lovely.
I am fascinated by the cardboard cathedral. I would love to see inside it. Gardens are a favorite location when traveling so love to see the botanical gardens. Looking forward to future posts in New Zealand.
It’s pretty amazing how the church is made of cardboard tubes. Makes you wonder how long it’s supposed to last though. We’re such suckers for a nice garden. Most cities in New Zealand have a botanical garden and we always found time to check them out in the places we were staying.
A whole room of ferns? Sign me up! I remember hearing about the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, but I didn’t realize they’d caused so much damage, or that some of that damage was still being repaired so many years later.
I love ferns. I’ve tried growing them at home with limited success, which makes me like them even more. It was heartbreaking to hear about the aftermath of the earthquakes, but it’s pretty amazing how the city was about to rebuild and move forward. They also changed a bunch of their building codes so that the city would be more seismic resistant. So here’s hoping they never experience that level of damage and destruction from an earthquake again.
I visited Christchurch shortly before the earthquake, so I was very shocked to see the damage. I can see from your photos that it’s getting better, but the scars will remain visible for a long time to come.
It must have been such a strange experience to visit shortly after the earthquake. I can only imagine how different the city looked. You’re right, while they’ve been able to rebuild so much, there are still reminders all over the city.
That cardboard cathedral seems very interesting, so I went down a rabbit hole before I came back to comment. I totally remember being awed by the big one that was earth quake damaged. Too bad that the earthquake display was so badly damaged but good they are being innovative with building repairs.
The cardboard cathedral is fascinating and it’s supposed to be even more beautiful inside. Allan mentioned that the city is still indecisive if they want to spend/raise more money to restore the original cathedral. So we’ll see.
Christchurch looks like a wonderful place. The gardens a re stunning and it is such a shame about the cathedral but also fascinating to hear about the cardboard one. Great post!
Thanks for your lovely comment. We couldn’t have asked for nicer weather to wander around Christchurch and explore the botanical gardens. The cardboard cathedral is supposed to be even more beautiful inside. It’s too bad we weren’t able to take a sneak peak inside, but we travel by our little one’s nap schedule these days!
Those gardens are really beautiful. How sad though about the earthquake and the damage it caused throughout the city. But to create a cardboard cathedral shows real grit and creativity out of need.
It was heartbreaking to hear about the aftermath from the earthquakes and how extensive the damage was. But it’s pretty amazing how the city and the people were able to rebuild. The cardboard cathedral and what it symbolizes is really beautiful. And yes, very creative!!
Christchurch looks beautiful and I enjoyed your tour of the two gardens. I do remember the devastating earthquake. Hard to believe it’s been almost 15 years! It’s wonderful that they built a beautiful memorial to remember the lives of those who perished. I can’t imagine living in such a precarious environment but I guess it’s a small price to pay for living in such a beautiful place like Christchurch!
Oh I know! I remember hearing about the 2011 earthquake on the news. It was neat to see how much the city has recovered though, even though some scars still remain. I’m not sure I’d want to live on an active fault line either. But on the other hand, New Zealand is pretty amazing.
The gardens are lovely, and I like that they’ve made a permanent memorial to the earthquake victims. Looks like perfect weather for a bit of city exploring as well 🙂
You bet! Wandering around on foot is always the best way to explore a city. Thankfully we had lovely weather for it. It was interesting to learn more about the earthquakes and their lasting impacts. The city has since made significant structural changes to their buildings in the hopes that they can better withstand the next big quake. But here’s hoping that’s not for awhile (or ever).
A building made partly from cardboard. Amazing.
By the way, I normally read articles in the WordPress Reader. For some reason, your photos from this article don’t appear in the Reader. So I went to your actual website to see the photos.
Neil S.
I know! I couldn’t help but wonder how sturdy the cathedral is given that it’s constructed from cardboard tubes, but it seems to be holding up okay. And the interior is reputed to be even more beautiful.
Thanks for letting me know about my photos not appearing in WP Reader. How strange. Hopefully the issue resolves itself as I have no idea how to fix it!!
Enjoy the rest of your day and have a wonderful weekend. Linda
The gardens are incredible ! Matt and I went to botanical gardens when we went to Virginia. I really enjoyed them. There was this moth that mimicked a hummingbird. It was so neat! Magnitude 7 !!! That’s scary that, that happens every 10 years. That would scare me if I lived there but the nature looks absolutely stunning. I’m glad the bridge was repaired. It would be a shame for such a memorial to be destroyed. I love memorials. Remembering and honoring history is so important and it’s a beautiful thing to learn, even the scary bits.
One of the neat things about New Zealand is that most cities have their own botanical garden which are typically free to visit. They’re all very well maintained and are a lovely place to go for a stroll and enjoy nature. Good to know there’s a nice one in Virginia.
Living on an active fault line would scare me too. After the 2011 earthquake Christchurch made significant changes to their building codes to better withstand earthquakes. Here’s hoping that works when the next big one hits. Agreed, memorials are a great way to remember history, even the bad and scary bits.
Wow, there are botanical gardens in most cities ?! That’s amazing . I’m glad they are trying to reinforce their buildings. I hope they can withstand it, too. I think it’s like how people who live in tornado valley view it. They know they live somewhere dangerous but still live there. I am not that brave lol
I’m convinced every city should have a major park or botanical garden. That would be nice! I’m very risk adverse too and have no interest in living somewhere like tornado valley or along the hurricane belt. Especially with climate change, these massive storms that happened once in a lifetime, seem to be occurring much more frequently.
I’ve noticed that too, like all the Canadian fires and flooding. It’s really scary. I always worry about you when I hear about the fires 🙁 I’m so grateful you guys are ok. I like where I live, too. Pennsylvania is nice. There are a lot of nature parks and trails. Although, I’m afraid of the Appalachian trails. So many people disappear on that ! But I heard it’s beautiful. If I went with a group of people, then Id venture onto it. There’s a place called the https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-m&q=columcille%20megalith%20park columcille park. You would love it. There are so many beautiful sights there. It’s very short but great for photos and a sense of peace.
We’ve had a really bad season for wildfires this year. It’s actually the second worst on record in Canada in terms of how much forest has burned. And the worst season wasn’t too long ago, it was in 2023. It’s concerning as experts are saying this could become the new normal in Canada because of climate change.
We’ve done a bit of hiking on the Appalachian Trail, only day hikes though. And they’ve been challenging! Scary to hear about people disappearing. Columcille Megalith Park looks lovely. I’ll have to keep it in mind when we’re in Pennsylvania. We’ve been meaning to visit at some point as there’s a bunch of places we’d like to explore, especially Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater.
Óh my gosh. If you end up in the Scranton /Wilkes Barre area, let me know! We could definitely try to meet up 😁😁 . It’s really scary about the fires. I really hope that will not be the new normal. That’s sad. The climate change stuff is scary, too. I’m grateful you and your family are safe. Youve been on the Appalachian trail?? You are brave. I’m happy you only did day hikes. Please don’t ever camp there!! Columcille is gorgeous. You would love it. It’s small but beautiful and worth the sense of calm you feel.
Will do! Scranton would be fun to visit because of The Office! And agreed, it’s scary to think what the future will be like because of climate change. It’s not good. We have no plans to go backcountry camping or long distance hiking anytime soon with our little one. And I’m okay with that. I’ve gotten used to sleeping in a comfortable bed! It would be hard to transition back to a tent!
I could imagine. Cabins are nice, too but sometimes the beds in them aren’t the greatest. I’ll admit I’ve become a bit of a bed preferred kind of person, too. I haven’t camped in almost 10 years ! I would like to try it, again sometime but maybe not until things with the climate and fires and such calm down. It scares me too much
Same. We’ve also had some bad experiences with noisy neighbours while camping the last couple of times that’s turned us off from tent camping. I’d be more likely to go during the fall when it’s quieter and there are less bugs.
Wonderful photos, the thought of going to a museum that documents modern history sounds pretty interesting.
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. It was interesting to learn more about the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes that had such a huge impact on the city. I remember hearing about it on the news, but had no idea the extent of the damage. It’s amazing how the city and people were about to rebuild.
The botanic garden looks so beautiful, especially on a sunny day like when you went there! I remember reading about the earthquake. It’s really sad that a lot of the city’s historic center was completely damaged.
The botanical garden was very lovely and a great spot to spend our morning. We were a bit worried that there wouldn’t be much to see in the fall, but were pleasantly surprised to still see quite a bit of colour and that some flowers were still in bloom. I remember hearing about the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes as well. It made it feel so much more real after visiting Christchurch, even though it was 15 years later. It’s amazing how much they were able to rebuild and restore, and carry on with life.
Thanks for sharing nature’s beauty
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. We had fabulous weather for wandering around Christchurch. The botanical garden was a huge highlight.
Such interesting architecture and colors. The gardens look divine and I can’t get over how vivid the sky is. So brilliantly blue!
It was a glorious day to wander around Christchurch on foot. Fall was in full swing, which made the gardens look even more colourful.
Oh, how I yearn for fall. I’m so glad you had that experience.
Thanks! It’s starting to feel a bit more like fall in southern Ontario which has been very lovely. The nights are also getting cooler and longer. We’re approaching my favourite time of the year!
Fall is the very best season and October is especially pleasant. Oh for a world filled with Octobers!
Agreed. I could definitely go for a year full of Octobers. The days are still comfortably warm, but not too hot or humid, there are significantly less pesky bitey bugs, and then there’s the dazzling display of leaves changing colour. It always goes by way too quickly. Happy Friday and have a wonderful long weekend!
You enjoy your weekend too!!
Lovely botanical garden.
The botanical garden was the number one thing on our itinerary and I’m glad we started their first. I could have easily spent the entire morning wandering around.
I did not know about the devastating earthquakes, and the fault lines. I guess had they known, they would have built elsewhere. Yes, the Japanese know a thing or two about earthquakes. What a unique solution.
I remember hearing about the 2011 earthquake on the news. It’s pretty amazing how they’ve been able to rebuild much of the city, better than before, even if a few scars remain. And yes, there are definitely some lessons we can learn from Japan with it comes to earthquakes! It’s hard to imagine what it must be like to live with so many earthquakes, even if most of them are minor.
I was wondering if you saw a difference in New Zealanders in comparison to other UK countries?
Looks beautiful!