The Steepest Street in the World
Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand is the steepest street in the world. We didn’t know this ahead of time, but when Andy and I changed our plans and decided to go there, we had to do some quick research to find out what to do in Dunedin. The steepest street in the world seemed like the silly type of thing we would enjoy seeing.
Baldwin Street Dunedin: Steepest Street in the World
After figuring out the correct bus, we hopped on board and checked with the driver that he was stopping near Baldwin Street. Buses can be tricky because you can’t always tell when they’ve arrived at your stop, so I’ve found it helpful to let the driver know where I’m going. Often they will let you know when your stop is coming up, especially if you sit near the front. Luckily it worked this time, and we arrived with no problems.
It turns out Baldwin Street attracts quite a few tourists who want to climb up the steepest street in the world. I am not a fan of climbing steep things, so I was content to admire it from the bottom. (Why isn’t there a bus that drops you off at the top? I’d walk DOWN the steepest street in the world.) However, Andy did want to walk up it, so I took pictures of him at various points along the way. Here’s Andy about halfway up. Note that the sidewalk is basically a staircase because of the steepness.
And here’s Andy at the top. I’m glad I have a good zoom on my camera.
Odd sights near the steepest street in the world
On our way back to the bus stop, we noticed a little museum where you could go in and get a certificate showing you walked up Baldwin Street. Andy decided this was unnecessary, so we didn’t go in. We also saw a few other odd things at the base of the street. Trees wearing socks:
And a sign (actually two, one on each side of the pole) from someone searching for a missing mitten:
“Very precious mitten is missing its partner.” Really?! And the sign had been up there for five months at that point.
So it was a very entertaining day exploring Baldwin Street, Dunedin, the steepest street in the world. If only we could’ve found that mitten.
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May 10, 2012 @ 8:55 AM
We really wanted to do this but it rained most of the time we were there. I was surprised that San Francisco didn’t have the steepest street in the world!
May 10, 2012 @ 10:38 AM
I’m sure there’s something in San Francisco that comes close. And they do have that weird windy street.
May 10, 2012 @ 8:58 AM
For some reason I thought the steepest street in the world was somewhere in California… how cool that you just happened to come along this. I so would want to walk all the way up and down it too. But yeah a bus up would be nice though…lol. Oh & that photo of the missing mitten is a fucking riot… I couldn’t stop laughing. I wanna frame that. It’s too cute.
May 10, 2012 @ 10:40 AM
Thanks Jaime! Yeah, even more funny to me was that there were 2 signs on the same pole, one on each side!
May 10, 2012 @ 9:04 AM
I so want to go!!! I love the missing mitten too! Once in college an army guy ran after me to return a mitten I’d dropped. I’d have been devastated to lose it!
May 10, 2012 @ 10:41 AM
Thanks Val! Yeah, this fits right in with your Silly America stuff, just wrong country! Hilarious about the army guy with your mitten.
May 10, 2012 @ 11:48 AM
They have all sorts of events on Baldwin St including a jaffa race (a round lolly). Good times in NZ haha.
May 10, 2012 @ 6:06 PM
I’m sure it draws a lot of people, interesting location for events! Thanks Cole!
May 10, 2012 @ 1:05 PM
Fun! I love quirky attractions like this.
May 10, 2012 @ 6:06 PM
Me too, it was neat to see this street!
May 28, 2012 @ 3:59 PM
Yep that’s the steepest street in the world. I wonder how many skateboarders have taken it upon themselves to skate down it?
May 29, 2012 @ 2:45 PM
Watching skateboarders skate down it would probably be very entertaining!