Introduction
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Hamilton travel guide

Hamilton Tourism | Hamilton Guide

You're Going to Love Hamilton

With a population of 152,641, Hamilton is the largest city in Waikato, New Zealand by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Hamilton has to offer.

When to visit Hamilton

Hamilton in August
Estimated hotel price
$51
1 night at 3-star hotel
Hamilton in August
Estimated hotel price
$51
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Hamilton in February, when the average temperature is 66.2 °F, and the highest can go up to 77 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is June, when it can get as cold as 41 °F, with an average temperature of 48.2 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in May, when precipitation is around 4.7″. In contrast, March is usually the driest month of the year in Hamilton, with an average rainfall of 2.8″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Hamilton

Plane

When flying to Hamilton, you’ll arrive at Hamilton (HLZ), which is located 6 miles from the city center. The shortest flight to Hamilton from the United States departs from San Francisco and takes around 20h.

Car

Another option to get to Hamilton is to pick up a car rental from Auckland, which is about 71 miles from Hamilton. You’ll find branches of EZI and Firefly, among others, in Auckland.

Plane

When flying to Hamilton, you’ll arrive at Hamilton (HLZ), which is located 6 miles from the city center. The shortest flight to Hamilton from the United States departs from San Francisco and takes around 20h.

Car

Another option to get to Hamilton is to pick up a car rental from Auckland, which is about 71 miles from Hamilton. You’ll find branches of EZI and Firefly, among others, in Auckland.

Airports near Hamilton

AKLAuckland Intl
HLZHamilton
TRGTauranga

Airlines serving Hamilton

KLM
Good (1,405 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,555 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,004 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,496 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,031 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,778 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,007 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,004 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,402 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,661 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,409 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,285 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,560 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,243 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,053 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,335 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,391 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (889 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (278 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,907 reviews)
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Where to stay in Hamilton

Average rates range from around $72 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $84 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Hamilton, with prices from $42 to $567 per night. Frankton is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Hamilton are about 10% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Hamilton

Most booked hotels in Hamilton

See all
Novotel Hamilton Tainui
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1984 reviews)
$143+
View
Heartland Ambassador Hotel Hamilton
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 1755 reviews)
$85+
View
Ventura Inn & Suites Hamilton
3 stars
Good (7.9, 2347 reviews)
$92+
View
Backpackers Central Hamilton
2 stars
Good (7.6, 2177 reviews)
$37+
View
Ramada By Wyndham Hamilton City Center
3 stars
Good (7.1, 2308 reviews)
$55+
View
Vr Hamilton
4 stars
Good (7, 3243 reviews)
$42+
View

Renting a car in Hamilton

Expect to pay $6.06 per gallon in Hamilton (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $72.68 and $96.91. The most frequently booked car type in Hamilton is Standard (Mitsubishi Outlander or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Kia Stonic or similar) are, on average, 53% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Expect to pay $6.06 per gallon in Hamilton (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $72.68 and $96.91. The most frequently booked car type in Hamilton is Standard (Mitsubishi Outlander or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Kia Stonic or similar) are, on average, 53% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Find car rentals in Hamilton