Palmerston North

Palmerston North has a population of 80,000, is the seventh largest city in New Zealand and is the largest provincial city in the region.
It's the home of the largest campuses of Massey University and the Universal College of Learning (UCOL) and also the Institute of the Pacific United (IPU), making Palmerston North a student-oriented city home to 18,000 students. It is also the home of the Linton Military Camp and has the Air Force Base, Ohakea, close by. The Adidas Institute of Rugby, based at Massey University, focuses on improving the skills of the All Blacks, the national rugby union team, though sightings of them there are rare.
Originally named Palmerston, the city was renamed Palmerston North in 1871 by the Post Office to distinguish it from the town of Palmerston in the South Island.

Visitor information

• Visitor Information Center

  phone: +64 6 350 1922
  address: The Square

By plane

• Palmerston North AirportThe airport has scheduled domestic operations, charter flights and general aviation. Road access to the airport is from either Airport Drive or McGregor Street. Air New Zealand Link operate flights from Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton and Wellington. Jetstar operates flights from Auckland, but this will cease after 30 Nov 2019.

By car

Palmerston North is 7 hr by car from Auckland and 2 hr from the capital, Wellington. The city is located on State Highway 3 (SH 3), with State Highways 56 and 57 passing close by.

• From Auckland, follow State Highway 1 south to Sanson, then follow State Highway 3. You'll approach the city from the north.
• From Napier and Hastings, follow State Highway 2 south to Woodville, then follow State Highway 3. You'll approach the city from the east.
• From Wellington, follow State Highway 1 north, turning off onto State Highway 57 just south of Levin. North of Shannon, you have two options - continue following State Highway 57 to approach the city from the south, or turn off onto State Highway 56 to approach it from the west.

By bus

• Intercity offers the cheapest land transport option into Palmerston North with fares starting at $1 if you book early enough.

By train

Palmerston North is on the main railway line between Auckland and Wellington.

• Northern Explorer, several days a week. See the article on rail travel in New Zealand for more detail.

Palmerston North is built around The Square. Railway lines used to run through the Square to the station, goods and shunting yards on Main Street west. This proved to be extremely impractical so the station was moved in 1964-66 and the site was turned into a park, known as the Railway Land. The roads radiating outwards from the Square are so wide because they used to accommodate the railway tracks.
Most places are easily accessible by foot.

By bus

Horizons Regional Council has local bus timetables.

By bicycle

One of the advantages of Palmerston North is that it is compact, flat and easy to cycle around. The main educational institutions have cycle-lanes from the city centre. The main route to Massey University along Fitzherbert Avenue is packed with cyclists every morning.

• Massey University

• Universal College of Learning

• Te Manawa

  phone: +64 6 355-5000
  address: 396 Main St
  Combines a museum, art gallery and interactive science center, to create a fusion of life, art and mind.

• New Zealand Rugby Museum

  phone: +64 6 358 6947
  address: 326 Main St
  Tour and rugby groups by arrangement. Contains NZ's biggest and most comprehensive collection of rugby memorabilia and records.

• Central Library

  phone: +64 6 351 4100
  address: 4 The Square
  'New' award-winning Central Library in the old DIC department store building.

• David Warnock Medical MuseumMuseum showing medical instruments and equipment

• Centrepoint Theatre

  phone: +64 6 354 5740
  address: Pitt & Church St
  Performances on Tu at 6.30PM, W-Sa 8PM, no performance M. Stages a wide variety of plays. Has a fully-licenced bar plus coffees and desserts.

• Lido Aquatic Centre

  phone: +64 6 357 2684
  address: Park Rd
  Indoor facility open M-Th 6AM-8PM, F 6AM-9PM. Public holidays and weekends 8AM-8PM. Outdoor facilities open during the summer months M-F 6AM-7PM, weekends and public holidays 8AM-8PM. Covers an area of 1.62 hectares with indoor and outdoor pools, spa pool, toddlers' pool, a diving tower and two hydroslides.

• Regent on Broadway

  phone: +64 6 350 2100
  address: 63 Broadway Ave
  Stages many plays. Stunningly refurbished.

• Ruahine AFCPalmerston North's best youth football games.

• Victoria EsplanadeBeautiful gardens (including a stunning rose garden), conservatory, walks, strolls along the Manawatu River, picnics, an aviary, playground for the kids, paddling pool, free electric BBQs and a scenic railway. Victoria House, a historic building (the original Palmerston North's post office) is situated in the grounds.

• DIY Guided Bike ToursBike while enjoying a fully supplied audio guide commentary

• Indoor paintball and go karts

  phone: +64 6 353 5092 (paintball), +64 6 353 5082 (go karts)
  address: 23 Bennett St
  Fun whatever the weather.

• Manawatu Gorge walking trackEnjoy the beauty and diversity of the New Zealand bush, and views of the spectacular gorge along the way.

• Check out the specialist boutiques along George Street.

• Downtown Complex

  phone: +64 6 358 3305
  address: 42-60 Broadway Avenue
  Incorporating Event Cinemas (8 screens)

• The Plaza

  phone: +64 6 358 1989
  address: 84 The Square
  90+ stores, including anchors Countdown, Kmart, Farmers and JB Hi-Fi.

Palmerston North has more eating out places per head of population than anywhere else in NZ.

• Barista

  phone: +64 6 3572614
  address: 59 George St
  Innovative and interesting casual dining. Best coffee in town.

• Breakers Cafe & Bar

  phone: +64 6 952-7700
  address: 168-190 Rangitikei St
  Small NZ chain of 9 restaurants across the North Island.
• Downtown Centre Foodcourt. Wide selection.

• Eon Cafe

  phone: +64 6 354 5124
  address: 737 Main St
  Sandwiches and other snacks.

• Kruo Thai

  phone: +64 6 355 1222
  address: Square Edge Courtyard
  Thai.

• Lone Star Restaurant

  phone: +64 6 355 1986
  address: 36 The Square
  Tex-Mex restaurant well known for its large meals.

• Monsoon Asian Kitchen

  phone: +64 6 359 2919
  address: 200 The Square
  Asian. Small. Tasty food.

• Mr India Tandoori Restaurant

  phone: +64 6 354 5075
  address: 79E George St
  Pakistani

• Pompeii's

  phone: +64 6 359 0059
  address: 355 Ferguson St
  Italian. Go for the pizza.

• Restaurant De Coree

  phone: +64 6 354 1444
  address: 94 Fitzherbert Avenue
  Serves delicious Korean meals.

• The Stage Door Cafe

  phone: +64 6 359 2233
  address: King St
  Coffee, great food, and retro furniture. Very popular with students from UCOL.

• Stage Door Cafe now also has a Mini cafe in the UCOL Atrium.

Thai House Restaurant

phone: +64 6 357 0883

address: 88 Fitzherbert Ave

Good authentic food.

Yatai Japanese Izakaya Restaurant

phone: +64 6 356 1316

address: 316 Featherston St

Warm and welcoming. Great Japanese food and drink.

Zumak Sushi Bar

phone: +64 6 353 5441

address: 406 Main St

Japanese and Korean cuisine. $1 off all meals over $10 on Tuesdays.

• Rose and Crown Olde English Pub

  phone: +64 6 355 3660
  address: 743 Main St

• The Brewers Apprentice- Monteiths Bar

  phone: +64 6 358 8888
  address: 334 Church St
  Stylish and respectable.

• Pavilion Motel

  phone: +64 6 357 1131
  address: 262 Fitzherbert Ave
  17 modern units including studio and 1-bedroom units. All with microwaves and a kitchenette, and 2-bedroom apartments with full kitchens. Most units have spa baths.

• Avenue Motel

  phone: +64 6 356 3330
  address: 116 Fitzherbert Ave
  On a quiet back section. Private spa pools, and free wifi.

• Hotel Coachman

  phone: +64 6 356 5065
  address: 140 Fitzherbert Ave
  72 hotel & motel rooms with SkydigitalTV, mini bar. Some studio motel rooms have cooking facilities. Pool, gymnasium and a sauna. Has a bar and facilities suitable for weddings and functions. 24 hr reception&room service, guest laundry. Incorporates La Patio Cafe restaurant.

• Railway Hotel Backpackers

  phone: +64 6 354 5037
  address: 275 Main St

From centrally located Palmerston North it's an easy 2-3 hr drive to the wineries of Martinborough and Hawke's Bay, the skifields of the Central Plateau and the Art Deco buildings of Napier.

• Dannevirke and Hawke's Bay with its wineries
• Feilding – nearby to the north
• Shannon – nearby to the south-west
• Masterton and on to the Martinborough wineries in the Wairarapa
• Whanganui
• Central North Island - Whakapapa and Turoa skifields, and on to Taupo