*Make reservations at least a month ahead of time.*…read more We booked the 90 min 5:00 pm dinner as our last dinner in New Zealand and I am so glad we did! It was such a fun, unique adventure! We were seated in a small table in the tram. Food (5/5): You were seated and immediately received a full glass of sparkling wine to enjoy. We had our appetizer (bruschetta) while we looked at the menu. The 5:00 pm seating only had three options for dinner - salmon, lamb and a pasta. We had the salmon and the lamb. I was so impressed that they were able to expertly serve the meals, which were warmed somehow in the very small kitchen area. The salmon was good and the lamb was cooked perfectly. We had the cheese plate for dessert and it was delicious. Service (5/5): The waiter was really kind and came by often to see if needed anything. They timed everything perfectly, even to collecting the wine glasses after the dessert. With such a small space, they made everything work effortlessly. Ambiance (5/5): It's a tram and it's so much fun to eat while setting the city. My favorite part was at the end, where you go through New Regent Street, where the tram is just inches from the diners. Some say it's arguably the cutest street in New Zealand. Take the time before or after the tram to explore this area.

As cheesy as it may seem, you will actually have a very good meal while riding about downtown…read moreChristchurch in an old-fashioned tramway car. Reservations a must! We got on-board just steps from our hotel and had an absolute jam riding around with a local friend of ours telling us about all the sights and happenings. The food was way better than expected under such cramped circumstances and the servers and tram crew could not have been more friendly. Was it touristy? Of course it was! But was it a great time and an excellent meal? You bet! When in Christchurch if you don't arrange for this excursion you are cheating yourself out if a great way to see the downtown area and a total blast of an urban dining experience. As those Nike folks used to like to say..."Just do it!"

This was a fun day with a variety of informative, entertaining activities. You travel across…read moreseveral areas of the city in a comfortable bus, and learn about old and 'new' Christchurch. If you do the tram on the same day -- you can do it later, if you'd like -- the total trip is about 6 hours. Our guide was excellent -- friendly, knowledgeable, patient, and adaptable. (I wish I'd written his name down so I could remember it several weeks later to give him a shout-out, because he was amazing!) One note that lunch is on your own during your time at the top of the Christchurch Gondola. I would definitely recommend this tour!

Canterbury Trails is a very conscientious company, and has a variety of interesting tours around…read morethe region. (In an example of their conscientiousness, they delivered a letter for us to our hotel the day before our tour, welcoming us, reminding us of the logistics, and passing on additional clothing suggestions.) If their staff is anything like our guide, Tia, they have some of the best staff members around. We did the Akaroa Day Tour with Nature Cruise, which was a wonderful day trip even though we were not able to do the nature cruise due to inclement weather -- sleet, hail, high winds, snow, and heavy rain. Despite the latter hitch, we still had an outstanding day, thanks to New Zealand being beautiful, fun New Zealand, and to our wonderful, responsive, friendly, warm, knowledgeable guide Tia. We started out with a pretty drive through the mountains -- with amazing views before then snow rolled in, but then still pretty -- on the way to Akaroa, where we wandered the wonderful tiny town, shopping at excellent stores recommended by Tia in response to our interests, and had an excellent lunch at Bully Hayes. Afterward, in lieu of the boat trip (which was cancelled in late morning), Tia recommended the Antarctic Center -- which was great fun! -- and took us to a couple more unique shops in response to our interests, all while keeping up friendly discussions and telling us informative stories about Christchurch and New Zealand. I know I keep raving about her in this review instead of the broader company, but Tia was our primary representation of the company. Beyond our tour being excellent, my family all thought that our time with Tia felt like spending a day with a friend who was a tour guide as opposed to 'just' a friendly tour guide -- that meant a lot to us.

From the owner: Wings Over Whales Kaikoura provide whale watching flights, scenic air tours and private aircraft…read morecharter. Our professional and experienced team deliver a friendly flying experience, where the comfort and safety of each passenger is paramount. Whale watching by aeroplane offers a unique perspective and the opportunity to view whales and dolphins in their natural environment. From the air passengers can experience the true magnitude of the world's largest mammal, the whale. These animals can reach an impressive 18 metres in length and weigh up to 60 tonne! Wings Over Whales Kaikoura operate high-winged aircraft, which allows each person their own window seat and optimal, unobstructed viewing.

This is the perfect tram ride to experience while in Christchurch. The conductor gives you the…read moreentire history of the town. It takes you around the entire town and you can get off and on through out the day. It's a great way to experience ChristChurch.

The perfect hop on and hop off tour of Christchurch, the tram takes about an hour to do its circuit…read morearound the city. Stops at Cathedral Square and Victoria Square and the Botanic Gardens and the bus interchange and more. The tram pass is a one-day unlimited ride and it's only NZD$35. You won't want to do a full circuit all at once - the seats aren't that comfy. But jump on and jump off as you get to sites that you find interesting! [Review 385 of 2024 - 38 in New Zealand - 21418 overall]