Welcome to Hamilton, New Zealand

Hamilton Attractions

The centre of the city, on the Waikato River, is a bustling retail precinct. The entertainment area is quite vibrant due to the large student population. The 2008 Lonely planet guide states that "the city's main street has sprouted a sophisticated and vibrant stretch of bars and eateries that on the weekend at least leave Auckland's Viaduct Harbour for dead in the boozy fun stakes." Hamilton has the second-largest collection of cafés in the country second only to Ponsonby Road in Auckland. An affectionate nickname is "Hamiltron: city of the future".

As of 2010, the city continues to grow rapidly. Development is focused on the northern end of the city. Traffic congestion is increasing due to population growth, though road development and planning has kept up with the rapid growth in most places[citation needed]. State Highway 1 runs directly through the city, which contributes to congestion. A bypass is planned, but Transit New Zealand, the national road funding agency, has repeatedly delayed this project to the dismay of Hamilton residents .In August 2009 $1Billion was allocated to fast track the Waikato Expressway from Auckland To Cambridge which includes design work on the Hamilton bypass.

The rapid growth of Hamilton has brought with it the side effects of urban sprawl especially to the North East of the City in the Rototuna area. This type of growth is likely to continue consuming Waikato's profitable farmland as Hamilton City does not have a natural or legislated growth boundary.