[sbinder]

I know there have been many postings on the topic of choosing Christchurch or Wellington, but most seem to focus on family-friendly qualities: good schools and child-safe neighborhoods. I have job offers in both Christchurch and Wellington, but as I am in my late 20's and single, these are not the qualities that I value highly. I have put together a list of what I am looking for, and my best guesses as to which city may better suit each quality, based on what I have read in this forum and other sources. Please expand upon/criticize/debate any points here!

Singles Scene - ??
Variety of Eating & Drinking - ??
Public Transit Coverage - ??
Culture (symphony, museums, etc) - Wellington
Accessibility to Summer Sports (tramping, hiking, kayaking, etc) - Christchurch
Accessibility to Winter Sports (skiing, snowshoeing, etc) - Christchurch
Bike-ability - Christchurch
Jogging - ??
Dog Facilities (off-leash parks, vets, dog-friendly businesses) - Wellington?
Accessibility to International Travel - ??

[Moorf]

I haven't been to Wellington, but from what I've heard from friends that live there and from what I know about Christchurch, I'd say Wellington was the better option - it's a much more happening place than Chch as far as I can make out.

[Anita & Marco]

Okay, I know I am somewhat biased, but definitely Wellington overall, although for winter sports you would be betterin Chch.

Anita

[pleccy2000]

Welly

[Joanne100]

Not that we dont want u here! , but i feel Welly would be best for u.

[sbinder]

I was afraid that Wellington might be the answer. From a different perspective - the weather - I think Chch wins hands-down. I am leaving Seattle partly to get out of our weather up here - 7-8 months of unremitting gloominess and precipitation - and I have seen a lot of comparisons between Seattle and Wellington. Granted, being in a happening city does make life somewhat more exciting, but enough to overcome this depressing weather?

[IanW99]

I was afraid that Wellington might be the answer. From a different perspective - the weather - I think Chch wins hands-down. I am leaving Seattle partly to get out of our weather up here - 7-8 months of unremitting gloominess and precipitation - and I have seen a lot of comparisons between Seattle and Wellington. Granted, being in a happening city does make life somewhat more exciting, but enough to overcome this depressing weather?

Would suggest you talk (PM) to skibumwa regarding the comparison of weather between Seattle and Wellington as he was from that area.

From what I remember of Seattle, Wellington is nothing like it and the weather certainly can't be described as gloomy (most of the time).

Ian

[sbinder]

Would suggest you talk (PM) to skibumwa regarding the comparison of weather between Seattle and Wellington as he was from that area.

From what I remember of Seattle, Wellington is nothing like it and the weather certainly can't be described as gloomy (most of the time).

Ian

Thanks! I will give that a shot.

[veronica]

Going by the reaction of most of our backpackers who stay here either of them rather than Auckland.

[Pookeko]

Hallo...

Here are my thoughts (incl personal opinion disclaimer...) =)


Singles Scene - ??
There's going out to be had in both towns ;)
Hopefully it has changed but Chch always seemed to me to have a much younger singles scene than Wellington (as in Uni age, whereas Welly had a wider age range)...

Variety of Eating & Drinking - ??
Lots in both, I think Chch used to have more places to eat per capita than Welly, not sure if this has changed. I would say Wellington is probably more cafe scene than Chch.

Public Transit Coverage - ??
I like the bus system in Chch, and I really like the time limit thing so you can ride on one ticket there and back if you are within 4 hours or something. Great :nice1 Most of the buses are towncentre to suburb, I think it's only the Orbiter that goes around the suburbs in a big... well... orbit.
Welly is more commuter orientated so there is a bus and train network. I think it's quite good? Train gets you to most outer suburbs or if not then by connecting bus service. Inner suburbs are all serviced by bus.

Culture (symphony, museums, etc) - Wellington
Yes, definitely Wellington. But Chch isn't a complete no-hoper, it's just not as good as Wellington in my opinion.

Accessibility to Summer Sports (tramping, hiking, kayaking, etc) - Christchurch [QUOTE]
There are hill-walks around the Wellington hills (for example Karori Wildlife Sanctury, Mount Kaukau, Eastbourne, also Kapiti Island Nature Reserve, Rimutaka Forest Park...). You can kayak in the harbour if it's calm. The Malborough Sounds are only a ferry ride away for access to superb tramping, kayaking etc.
These things don't readily leap to mind in Chch. Except maybe around Banks Peninsula??

[QUOTE]Accessibility to Winter Sports (skiing, snowshoeing, etc) - Christchurch
Chch thanks to the big long chain of mountains on the doorstep :nice1 , but Wellingtonians can go up to Whakapapa in central North Island

Bike-ability - Christchurch
CHCH!! If it weren't for the abundance of poor drivers it would be even better hehe
Bike = Wellington = crazy people!
Wellington has some good mountain biking tracks, but so does Chch (around the Port Hills for example).

Jogging - ??
Do you want to jog on the flat... or not? =)

Dog Facilities (off-leash parks, vets, dog-friendly businesses) - Wellington?
Chch? Chch has lots of parks, not sure if they are dog-off-leash parks.

Accessibility to International Travel - ??
Chch has an international airport - I can fly there direct from UK. I don't like flying in or out of Wellington - the wind makes it all too exciting. It also seems to suffer from a lot of fog in winter and flights get cancelled (where is the wind when you need it?).

Congrats on the job offers :nice1

[sbinder]

Pookeko-I am curious: where did you spend more time (thus, potentially biasing your two cents? :)), Wellington or Christchurch? Also, is it a pretty far drive to Whakapapa? I get the impression it wouldn't make for a quick day of skiing.

[Pookeko]

Pookeko-I am curious: where did you spend more time (thus, potentially biasing your two cents? :)), Wellington or Christchurch? Also, is it a pretty far drive to Whakapapa? I get the impression it wouldn't make for a quick day of skiing.

I lived in Chch for 8 years about 7 years ago and I am from Wellington so my frequent return visits to NZ have been to family in Wellington and also my brother in Chch.

I didn't think I was biased :laugh - I hoped I'd presented both sides: Chch better for some things, Wgtn better for other things, sometimes they're equally as good/bad just in different ways.... =) I haven't been single for a while and my days of being fancy free were mostly spent in Chch rather than Wgtn. That could be my bias. ;) Unless it's changed there was a younger going-out scene in Chch than Wgtn. I distinctly remember feeling over the hill at 25 :p

Yeah it would be a LONG day to drive to Whakapapa and back. In Chch there's a* mini-van shuttle service to the mountains. I got this when I went snowboarding (which I've only done a handful of times). Picks you up from your house. I can't remember who runs that, might be through one of the ski shops??
*probably more than one but we always went with the same guy

[akp713]

I haven't been to Christchurch but I did spend some time in Wellington and it clearly had the best social scene, pubs, urban feel. I knew a lot of people in their 20s who visited Chch and were very disappointed. You are right about the weather though, very rainy and windy in Welington right through Christmas. I was there in late December and it was 12C and felt much colder with the wind. I've never been to Seattle so I can't compare but it was pretty gloomy while I was there. I have to disagree with Veronica though, I lived in Auckland and found that it had much better weather and all the urban social scene of Wellington, but perhaps less culture and certainly fewer winter sports. Most backpackers dislike Auckland because it's so spread out and lacking a good public transport system, combined with the fact that they arrive there jet-lagged and culture-shocked. But as your job offers are in Welly and Chch, I'd say Welly is your best bet.

[msleiners]

Nice comparison. This really helped me out!
Couple questions regarding snow sports.

Whakapapa. How much time would it take to get there from welly ?
How long does the winter season last there in mountains ?
Same for church. I wonder if i lived in church would i then be able to enjoy longer winter season ?

[ellenmelon]

Singles Scene - havent a clue..wellington seems to have a lot of lovely single people..and theyre more outgoing than chch folks to be honest.
Variety of Eating & Drinking - wellington. cafes per head is more than NYC i think! great range..love it even though i dont drink a lot of coffee
Public Transit Coverage - hmm theyre both about the same really
Culture (symphony, museums, etc) - wellington hands down
Accessibility to Summer Sports (tramping, hiking, kayaking, etc) - id say either actually
Accessibility to Winter Sports (skiing, snowshoeing, etc) - Christchurch
Bike-ability - Christchurch but people are known to bike here. if you live in the eastern suburbs etc you can bike with only a few hills that wont kill you :D
Jogging - both..wellington does have its flat parts believe it or not!
Dog Facilities (off-leash parks, vets, dog-friendly businesses) - theres a couple of "woof woof ruffs" here :D
Accessibility to International Travel - christchurch id say.wellington is getting better.

i lived in christchurch from 12-19 and i really liked it when i was there..but going back at age 22 i found it too spread out, and doesnt have its own personality. its hard to explain really. it is a nice city christchurch but a bit cold for me.wellington does have its negatives but for what i need right now its not doing too bad. im doing a theatre/stage/events management degree and we're spoilt for choice here i reckon..not to say that the rest of the country hasnt a lively arts and theatre scene. welly is just known for it :)

[msleiners]

Singles Scene - havent a clue..wellington seems to have a lot of lovely single people..and theyre more outgoing than chch folks to be honest.
Variety of Eating & Drinking - wellington. cafes per head is more than NYC i think! great range..love it even though i dont drink a lot of coffee
Public Transit Coverage - hmm theyre both about the same really
Culture (symphony, museums, etc) - wellington hands down
Accessibility to Summer Sports (tramping, hiking, kayaking, etc) - id say either actually
Accessibility to Winter Sports (skiing, snowshoeing, etc) - Christchurch
Bike-ability - Christchurch but people are known to bike here. if you live in the eastern suburbs etc you can bike with only a few hills that wont kill you :D
Jogging - both..wellington does have its flat parts believe it or not!
Dog Facilities (off-leash parks, vets, dog-friendly businesses) - theres a couple of "woof woof ruffs" here :D
Accessibility to International Travel - christchurch id say.wellington is getting better.

i lived in christchurch from 12-19 and i really liked it when i was there..but going back at age 22 i found it too spread out, and doesnt have its own personality. its hard to explain really. it is a nice city christchurch but a bit cold for me.wellington does have its negatives but for what i need right now its not doing too bad. im doing a theatre/stage/events management degree and we're spoilt for choice here i reckon..not to say that the rest of the country hasnt a lively arts and theatre scene. welly is just known for it :)

What are does negatives in welly ?

[ellenmelon]

What are does negatives in welly ?

the rent is pretty expensive, but if you're flexible with regards to location you can sometimes have better results.
car parking is at a premium. for some of us having a car is neccessary.
the only mall is out in the hutt..im not usually a big fan of malls but its nice to wander around one every once and a while.

bear in mind, with any city you're going to have the negatives..you just have to find somewhere that has more positives than negatives personally for yourself.

[msleiners]

the rent is pretty expensive, but if you're flexible with regards to location you can sometimes have better results.
car parking is at a premium. for some of us having a car is neccessary.
the only mall is out in the hutt..im not usually a big fan of malls but its nice to wander around one every once and a while.

bear in mind, with any city you're going to have the negatives..you just have to find somewhere that has more positives than negatives personally for yourself.

Thanks for info these certainly doesn't seem to be serious drawbacks. Rent is higher, but wage is higher also... so