The road travellers arrival and departure point for the South Island is Picton.
This quaint seaside town hosts a variety of activities including, shopping, fishing, swimming with dolphins, walks and much much more. Often just used as a quick stop before leaving or after arriving the South island, I believe that it is a grossly under utilised location.
Take time to stop, stay and explore. Go out on a cruise, drive around the bays to the East and West, or simply stay in the town and soak up the local facilities.
Our favourite place to stay is the Waikawa Marina Caravan Park which offers camping sites, motel units or cabins. They also have a swimming pool and bouncy pad and are located within an easy 10 minute walk from the Waikawa marina. There is a walking/cycle track behind the camp, accessed from down by the marina or the next street south. This is a relatively easy bike ride to the Picton marina and joins other trails up
We arrived in Picton after a very enjoyable journey on the Bluebridge. We decided to stay at the Picton Top 10 camping ground as it is an easy 10-15 minute walk to the town centre. This place is very clean and tidy with great facilities. The ablution blocks are very neat and smart. Shower pressure is awesome. They have a number of additional features like games rooms, internet kiosk and a heated outdoor pool. It is very quiet here, away from loud traffic noise, trains etc.
Picton offers a variety of food choices. One NOT to try is the takeaway in the main street with the sign that says “best burgers in town”, they are disgusting. If you want the best takeaways, in our opinion, is the Bay Takeaways, along Waikawa Road approx 4 klm’s on the left. Doesn’t look like much from the road, but believe me it is well worth trying.
The picturesque bays around Picton/Waikawa are worth exploring with plenty of safe swimming beaches.
Rarangi Beach, a beautiful spot to watch the sunrise.
If you want a good day or half day out, take the time to drive from Waikawa to Rarangi Beach, by following the road north through Waikawa and continuing around all the bays until you come to Rarangi Beach. Allow plenty of time. There is so much to explore, see and do with historic sites scattered along this road. It is very twisty and narrow in places.
South of Picton, north of Blenheim is a beach known as Rarangi. There is a Department of Conservation camp site and this is an amazing beach from which to watch the sunrise.
Video view of Rarangi Beach
The Marlborough Sounds are located right at the top of the South Island and offer a huge variety of places to explore. One such place is the Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds and in particular Portage. This small seaside village boasts a world famous hotel/resort and some amazing walks, beaches, craft stores and much more. The road to Portage is sealed, narrow and very twisty.
Pelorous Bridge The only one way bridge between Blenheim and Nelson. Well worth stopping at the cafe and then crossing over the road to walk down to the river.
The road is suitable for all vehicles, however if you are towing or driving a large motor home, drive with extreme care.
From Picton you can choose a number of routes. West to Nelson, South to Kaikoura or Christchurch or South West to the West coast. As at June 2017, the road south (State highway 1) is closed so you will need to go down State highway 6 which adds a good 2-3 hours to your journey. The road is expected to reopen by the end of 2017. The main road (State highway 1 is now open, but expect long delays as work is continuing on improvements 2019)
Travelling to Nelson you can bypass Blenheim, however it is a town worth visiting if you have time. There are a number of very interesting activities, including a river cruise or a walk along the river bank.
A very popular stopping point is Pelorus Bridge. This is the only one lane bridge on the road between Picton/Blenheim and Nelson. This spot is well worth a short or longer stop over. The clear Pelorus river runs through and is ideal for swimming in, although it can be a little cool. There are a number of short bush walks and some longer walks as well. There is a cute cafe and rest rooms are available on both sides of the road. For those with larger vehicles there is plenty of parking. Take the time to stay and explore as there is plenty to see and do here.