Things to do in Wagga Wagga
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Wagga Wagga
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best overall months, warm without extremes, everything open and the festival calendar at its densest.
Summer heat with regular days above 35 degrees, best for Wagga Beach, Lake Albert water and early starts.
Properly cold winters with frost and river fog, lifted by Comedy Fest and Festival of W in July.
Autumn racing season and mild golf and walking weather, anchored by the Gold Cup Carnival.
What's on
- Riverina Harvest Festival March
A celebration of Riverina produce at harvest time.
- Wagga Wagga Food and Wine Festival March
A long running showcase of Riverina food and wine in the city centre.
- Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Carnival early May
The premier two day race meeting with the Town Plate and Gold Cup.
- Wagga Comedy Fest June
National stand up across the Civic Theatre and smaller venues.
- Festival of W July school holidays
Winter festival of ice skating, lights, night markets and live music in the centre.
- Spring Jam late September
Large free outdoor childrens festival at the Botanic Gardens.
- Gears and Beers Festival early October
Cycling challenge rides finishing in a craft beer festival in the centre.
- FUSION Botanical Usually a Saturday in mid October
Multicultural food, music and dance festival in the Botanic Gardens.
Best things to do in Wagga Wagga
Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens
Themed gardens on Willans Hill with a free zoo, a walk through aviary and peacocks, best paired with the museum next door.
Wagga Wagga Art Gallery - National Art Glass Gallery
The national studio glass collection and a strong print collection, free in the Civic Centre precinct.
Wagga Beach
A sandy Murrumbidgee river beach with lawns, barbecues and a big playground, minutes from the CBD.
Museum of the Riverina
Two free sites telling the Riverina story, with a Wiradjuri gallery and a Sporting Hall of Fame.
Borambola Wines
Owner hosted tastings of cider, wine and beer with a cheese platter, looking over vines and valley.
Marrambidya Wetland
A restored Wiradjuri wetland with boardwalks and bird hides, best in the early morning light.
Cadell Place Murals
Large laneway murals by the river that link into the Fitzmaurice Street heritage walk.
Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre
The city main stage for touring comedy, theatre and music, and the hub of the June Comedy Fest.
Where to stay in Wagga Wagga
CBD - Fitzmaurice, Baylis and Morgan Streets
first trip, no car, dining on foot
Walk to galleries, museum, theatre, beach track and the densest dining cluster in the city.
Turvey Park and Botanic Gardens edge
families and quiet longer stays
Leafy streets by the gardens, zoo and museum, with easy parking and a short drive to CBD dining.
Lake Albert
golfers and active mornings, car required
Stay for sunrise lake loops and Country Club golf, and drive to dinner in the centre.
Think twice about
- North Wagga Wagga
Isolated across the river with minimal services, and its access is among the first cut when the Murrumbidgee floods.
- Sturt Highway and Edward Street motel corridor as a walking base
Noisy highway strip that is dead at night with nothing to walk to, fine for a car based overnight but not an evening neighbourhood.
- Forest Hill and airport area
Safe but entirely isolated by the base and airport, with no walkable centre for a leisure stay.
Best restaurants in Wagga Wagga
The Charles Dining Room
Wagga white tablecloth room, European influenced and produce led, inside The Charles hotel.
The Oakroom Kitchen and Bar
A polished modern Australian dining room and bar, the other splurge dinner in the centre.
Magpies Nest Restaurant
Seasonal local produce cooking with rural views, the best all round dinner recommendation in Wagga.
Thaigga
The Thai kitchen locals argue for most, generous and properly hot when you ask for it.
Cottontail Wines
A long winery lunch overlooking vineyards and countryside, with estate wines by the glass.
Thirsty Crow Brewing Co.
House brewed beers, woodfired pizzas and pub meals in the liveliest casual room in the centre.
Uneke Lounge
A styled cafe lounge for slow breakfasts, brunch and lunches, with good gluten free options.
The Pot 'n' Kettle Coffee House
Build your own breakfast with local eggs and your choice of sides, plus seriously good coffee.
Outdoor things to do in Wagga Wagga
Wagga Wagga Country Club
The region championship 18 hole course on Lake Albert shore, with a clubhouse overlooking the water.
Wagga City Golf Club
A friendly, unpretentious golf club with 18 and 9 hole options that welcomes beginners.
Wagga Par 3 & Driving Range
A casual par 3 course and driving range for families, first timers and mixed ability groups.
Wiradjuri Walking Track
A 42 km city loop best done in sections, especially the river, wetland and Lake Albert stretches.
Lake Albert
A flat 5.5 km lake loop for walking and riding, with paddling, swimming and picnics in season.
The Rock Nature Reserve - Kengal Aboriginal Place
A 364 metre granite summit hike 30 minutes south, with farmland views and rich birdlife.
Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory
A 1930s flour mill making licorice and chocolate, with tours and giant freckle making for kids.
Coolamon Cheese Co.
Artisan cheese tastings and cheesemaker workshops in a handsome heritage main street town.
Best hotels in Wagga Wagga
The Charles Boutique Hotel
Wagga flagship boutique hotel with large rooms, a pool and the city best dining room downstairs.
Mercure Wagga Wagga
The reliable full service chain hotel in the centre, with a pool, restaurant and free parking.
International Hotel Wagga Wagga
Modern central rooms and apartment style space that suits families and groups wanting room to spread out.
Quest Wagga Wagga
Serviced apartments with kitchens and laundry, best for longer stays and travelling families.
Mantra Pavilion Hotel, Wagga Wagga
A distinctive design led hotel in the centre, part of Wagga deep and competitive mid range.
St Hugh Hotel Wagga Wagga
A small central boutique hotel with styled, spotless rooms and rain shower bathrooms.
Junction Motel Wagga
A clean, quiet, owner run motel south of the centre, the value pick reviewers return to.
Ingenia Holidays Wagga Wagga
Cabins and powered sites for families and groups, including pet friendly self catering stays.
Is Wagga Wagga expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | A$110 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | A$190 a person |
| Splurge | A$340 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Borambola Wines: a few days ahead
- Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre: a few days ahead
- Wagga Wagga Country Club: a few days ahead
- Coolamon Cheese Co.: a few days ahead
- The Charles Dining Room: a few days ahead
- The Oakroom Kitchen and Bar: a few days ahead
- Magpies Nest Restaurant: a few days ahead
- Cottontail Wines: a few days ahead
- Book rooms months ahead for Gold Cup, Festival of W, FUSION, Gears and Beers, CSU graduations and Kapooka march outs.
- Book The Charles Dining Room, Oakroom and Magpies Nest on weekends year round.
- Book Borambola tastings, Coolamon Cheese workshops and Civic Theatre touring shows ahead.
Is Wagga Wagga safe?
- At Wagga Beach the river is fast, cold and snagged, so swim close to shore and supervise children constantly.
- Warm month tracks are snake habitat, so stay on track and watch foot placement.
- Slow down for kangaroos on country roads at dawn and dusk, and never swerve for them.
- Emergency number in Australia is 000.
Wagga Wagga travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Do not walk the full 42 km Wiradjuri loop expecting all beauty, do the river, wetland and lake sections instead.
- Trail Street Coffee Shop reviews are mixed since it changed hands, so reset expectations to current reviews.
- Cottontails reviews vary on consistency, so go for a long lunch and the vineyard setting.
- The older Wagga Wagga Tourist Park reviews far worse than the Ingenia park and the town's better motels.
Getting around Wagga Wagga: public transport and more
- The CBD core is flat and walkable, but gardens, lake, wineries and all day trips need a car.
- Wagga is about 455 km from Sydney, 245 km from Canberra and 460 km from Melbourne, so plan it as a regional trip.
- Hire a car at Wagga Wagga Airport, about 10 km east at Forest Hill, if you fly in.
- Taxis and rideshare are thinner than in capital cities, so book airport and late night rides ahead.
Who Wagga Wagga suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Wagga Wagga your trip
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