6 places to spend an afternoon.
Start your day climbing the spiral staircase to Nick von K in the La Gonda Arcade for pounamu set into bold silver, wander into Artspace Aotearoa for whatever's showing, then duck through St Kevin's Arcade to the courtyard stairs down to Myers Park. On weekends, Whammy Bar books the bands worth seeing in this city.
3 things to do, 3 shops, all in Karangahape Road (K'Road).
The cultural spine of Karangahape Road (K'Road) runs through St Kevin's Arcade, where Whammy, Double Whammy, and the Public Bar stack three live rooms under 1924 leadlight windows. Artspace Aotearoa holds down the old post office at East Street with free shows, and the arcade's back stairs drop you straight into Myers Park.
New Zealand's longest-running contemporary art space, free to enter, in the old central post office at K'Road and East Street. Four exhibitions a year, a public reading room, and shows that stay with you.
Three interconnected live music rooms inside St Kevin's Arcade - Whammy (the intimate original, 20 years running), Double Whammy (400-500 capacity after a 2024 expansion), and Public Bar for new talent. Drinks in plastic cups, bands you'll hear about later, and floors that have earned every bit of their stickiness.
Heritage arcade built in 1924 bridging K'Road down to Myers Park, with original leadlight windows above nearly every shop and a wide staircase that drops you into the trees below. Home to Bestie, Pici, Gemmayze Street, Whammy Bar, and Definitely Maybe - roughly 50,000 people pass through monthly.
K'Road's retail spine runs from Nick von K's studio-showroom in the La Gonda Arcade to Hailwood's flagship at 516, with Crushes pouring small-grower bottles somewhere in between. The shops on Karangahape Road still answer to actual owners, which is why the staff recommendations are worth taking.
Up a spiral staircase in the La Gonda Arcade, Nick Klarwill works his studio-showroom surrounded by taxidermy birds, octopus sculptures, and skulls. He sources pounamu himself on trips to Hokitika, setting it into bold sterling silver and custom gold pieces like the Octopus Ring and Celestial Tui pendant.
Tight little wine shop on K'Road with genuinely passionate staff who'll walk you toward the right natural bottle without making you feel like an idiot. No pretension, just good taste and honest recommendations.
Adrian Hailwood's flagship at 516 Karangahape Road, home base for a label that's been showing at every New Zealand Fashion Week since 2003. Bold prints, sequinned eveningwear, and theatrical pieces worn by everyone from Lorde to Tilda Swinton.
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The hotels worth booking in and near Karangahape Road.
Restaurants, bars, and cafes in Karangahape Road.