Things to Do in Christchurch in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Shoulder Season · Good Value
December Weather in Christchurch
Long-run averages for December
69°F (21°C)
High Temp
50°F (10°C)
Low Temp
1.9 inches (48 mm)
Rainfall
67%
Humidity
7
Rainy Days
10
Sunny-Day UV
⚠ Very high UV on sunny days: use sunscreen and seek shade at midday
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + Summer peaks in Hagley Park where the Garden Festival packs 150+ stalls and night markets that reek of wood-fired pizza and fresh basil.
- + You get 15+ hours of daylight, enough to pedal Summit Road at 8pm and still watch golden hour spill across Lyttelton Harbour.
- + Strawberries rule the roadside: pull over on State Highway 1 and buy punnets so ripe the juice tattoos your fingers scarlet.
- + Sumner's main beach warms to 20°C (68°F) before the pre-Christmas hordes land, sea and sand to yourself.
Considerations
- − The UV index punches 8, 9; skip SPF 50+ and you'll fry in 20 minutes, on the bald Port Hills.
- − Accommodation rates leap 40% from mid-December when Kiwi holidaymakers lock in their summer leave.
- − Once school breaks up, snagging a table at The Bicycle Thief means calling two weeks ahead.
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
Banks Peninsula Dolphin Swimming Tours
December lures Hector's dolphins into Akaroa Harbour in their biggest numbers. Board the 8am tour and you'll see them breakfasting in the shallows while the water clears to 15m (49 ft) thanks to summer's dry skies. The 90-minute boat ride includes a plunge into 18°C (64°F) brine, cold enough to jolt you awake, mild enough for a half-hour wetsuit splash.
Booking Tip: Reserve 48 hours out for the morning run, afternoon trips are canned 30% of the time when the sea breeze kicks up. Pick operators that flash Department of Conservation permits on their hulls.
Port Hills Sunset Cycling Routes
Christchurch Adventure Park's 50km (31 miles) of trails bake bone-dry in December, so the 45-minute grind to Godley Head earns every panorama. Sunset clocks off at 8:45pm, gilding the crater rim while the city glitters below. The downhill run back through thyme-scented tussock tastes of salt and summer.
Booking Tip: Grab the Christchurch Cycle Trail app, locals refresh trail conditions live. Full-suspension rigs wait at the base hut.
Waipara Valley Wine Harvest Tours
December kicks off pinot noir harvest. At Pegasus Bay you can pop grapes straight from the vine and watch the sorting table rumble into action. The valley sits 15°C (59°F) cooler than Christchurch, courtesy of the Pacific draught, so midday tastings stay civilised. Buy a bottle and most cellars drop the tasting fee.
Booking Tip: Hit the valley Tuesday, Thursday, before winemakers vanish into harvest logistics. The 45-minute dash north on State Highway 1 strings three cellar doors across 5km (3.1 miles).
New Brighton Beach Night Markets
Each Friday in December the quake-scarred pier morphs into 40+ food trucks dishing whitebait fritters and Korean fried chicken. Sea fog drifts in about 8pm, carrying salt spray and the thump of local bands on a thrown-together stage. Bring cash, half the vendors shun plastic and the ATM queue punishes the unprepared.
Booking Tip: Markets fire up 5pm, 11pm rain or shine. Leave the car at the library, free after 5pm and a three-minute stroll to the pier.
Southern Alps Helicopter Glacier Landings
December's clear skies deliver 85% flight visibility to Aoraki/Mount Cook, the year's sharpest odds. Touch down on the Tasman Glacier and you're crunching across 600-year-old ice that glows electric blue beneath your boots. The 45-minute dash from Christchurch crosses three fault lines you can trace from the air.
Booking Tip: Lock in morning flights before thermals start bucking. Afternoons cop the most cancellations, choose outfits that refund inside 24 hours.
Christchurch Tramway Restaurant Dinner Tours
The 1920s heritage tram dishes three-course dinners while clattering through the rebuilt CBD. December nights are warm enough for the open-air deck, where jasmine drifts up from Victoria Square as you roll by. Drivers who survived the quakes spin the commentary over the 2.5-hour loop.
Booking Tip: Dinner runs Wednesday, Sunday, book 5, 7 days out. The 5pm departure nails golden hour over the Avon.
Where to Stay in Christchurch in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
Public Holidays in December
Dates that affect opening hours, transport and crowds
Christmas Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Boxing Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Christmas Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Boxing Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Westland Anniversary Day
A public holiday in these regions only: NZ-WTC.
Christmas Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Boxing Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
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View Christchurch Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
C1 Espresso serves the city's best flat white at 7am, watch the pneumatic tubes fire orders while locals beat the tourist rush.
Park free at the Christchurch Gondola base and march the Bridle Path, same summit views, 45 minutes of stair torture, zero fare.
Wednesday is locals' night at Smash Palace, the quake-born container bar pours $15 jugs and live music minus the visitor surcharge.
Load the MetroInfo app, December boosts Akaroa and Waipara buses. But timetables shift weekly with tourist demand.
The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial glows after dark, swing by after 9pm when the last tour buses roll away and you can stand alone with the lights and the silence.
Avoid These Mistakes
Northern-hemisphere winter skins get scorched fast: 22°C (72°F) feels gentle. But the South Island UV doesn't care and day-one sunburn is almost guaranteed.
Kaikoura plus Akaroa in a single daylight push is a rookie error, those coastal bends turn a map's 150 km into a five-hour shuffle. Sleep in Akaroa instead.
Wait until mid-December to book and you'll watch prices rocket while every bach, motel, and farm-stay vanishes, Kiwis lock in their Christmas breaks early.
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Top-rated things to do in Christchurch this December
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