The Solo Scale:

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Getting the highest view of a city is almost always the best thing to do. In Wellington, you can achieve that with a more unique form of transportation using the Wellington Cable Car. Once you’re at the top, there’s even more to do, making this lookout one of the best uses of time in Wellington.

It is a commuter route with stops that will bring people to their homes. That means that you’ll be sharing your car with locals. If you go around sunset, like I did, you might even be seeing people commuting home from work. However, it’s a great ride up to the top of an already hilly city in a unique fashion. Plus, because it’s a normal commuting option, it keeps the price from being too high. The journey itself is only about five minutes long. You’ll be at the top in no time, even with stops.

Throughout your journey, you’ll also pass through tunnels which have been strung up with lights. Even if the sun it still up, you’ll get to experience this as you cross into the dark of the tunnels.

What will you find at the top?

You’ll get off at Kelburn Terminal at the top — this is the last stop before the Cable Car begins its descent. Here, you can find places to eat, but also the Kelburn Lookout, Wellington Botanic Gardens, and more!

Within the Botanic Gardens are multiple observatories (including Carter and the Dominion Observatory). You can visit inside Carter Observatory through Space Place to explore and get great views. While you can visit the outside of Dominion, it’s privately leased and you won’t be able to go inside.

Visit the Wellington Cable Car website to learn more about the hours, ticket prices, and more. There’s no huge advantage to buying tickets ahead of time, so you can wait until the day of. Be mindful of the last car of the evening, which is usually around 9PM, but you can check when you’re there.

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