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Texas ISD School Guide
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Travel in Australia and New Zealand

Visiting Christchurch, New Zealand

Christchurch is the New Zealand's second-largest urban area, and the largest South Island city. Located north of Banks Peninsula, you'll find it a third of the way down the east coast of the south island. It's a beautiful city, with the scenic Avon River flowing through the city's center, providing the perfect scenery for the parks along the banks. If you spend any time in New Zealand, you should take the time to visit Christchurch, as there is much to do and see.

The Garden City
Christchurch has been called "The Garden City" for good reason. The city has an expansive park and public garden system, including the beautiful Botanic Gardens, the central Hagley Park, Victoria Square, and many beautiful gardens along the Avon River. The city also hosts two floral festivals every year, which are popular events to attend in February and March. If you love nature, you'll enjoy visiting the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, as it features some of the best of New Zealand's native and exotic plants. These gardens are open every day at 7 a.m. and are free to attend. You'll also find many walking paths throughout Christchurch, which take you through coastal dunes, the wetlands, pine forests, native bush, and rocky open areas. These walkways pass through the city's expansive park system, as well as along the city's four rivers: the Avon, Styx, Halswell and Heathcote. You'll find walking paths that will take you only around ten minutes to complete, or those which you can enjoy for the entire day.

Art, Culture and Museums
The Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu is a beautiful building with many exhibits to enjoy. It is the South Island's largest art gallery and houses many important collections. The Court Theatre offers quality live entertainment throughout the year to enjoy. If you enjoy museums, there is also the Canterbury Museum, which is within walking distance of the Botanic gardens. This museum is a great way to explore the rich cultural heritage of New Zealand. The Akaroa Museum features the rich history of Banks Peninsula, Akaroa, and New Zealand. The Okains Bay Maori and Colonial Museum is also very interesting, as it gives a view back into what early colonial life was like in New Zealand.

Gateway to the Antarctic
Christchurch is also the starting point for many expeditions to the Antarctic. The International Antarctic Centre, located across from the Christchurch International Airport, has many interesting and educational attractions and exhibits. There is a Penguin Encounter, where you can view rescued Little Blue penguins, which is a unique opportunity. Indoor attractions include an aquarium display, the Snow and Ice Experience, which is an indoor polar room complete with an icy slope and cave, a wind chill machine, and the Antarctic Storm, which simulates an Antarctic blizzard. You can even ride in a Hagglund all-terrain vehicle to see what it might be like to travel across the Antarctic. You'll find a trip to the Antarctic Centre to be very enjoyable as well as educational, and a great way to spend some time in the beautiful New Zealand city of ChristChurch.

Jessica Ackerman of WallDecorandHomeAccents.com, is an interior designer who illustrates how simple it can be to use fish metal art and trees wall art.






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