Things to do in Southland
47 places worth stopping for and 24 places to stay on a road trip through Southland.
See and do
- Town
Town · Milford Sound
Milford Sound foreshore
End-of-the-road fjord with Mitre Peak and boat cruises.
- Scenic drive
Scenic drive · Milford Sound
Homer Tunnel
Hand-hewn 1.2 km tunnel with curious kea around the car park.
- Walk
Walk · Te Anau
Lake Marian
Waterfall-streamed climb to an alpine lake in a hanging valley.
- Walk
Walk · Te Anau
Key Summit
Alpine tarn walk above the Divide with 360 degree mountain views.
- Lake
Lake · MossburnHidden gem
Mavora Lakes
Remote beech-forest lakes reached by gravel, used as Lord of the Rings scenery.
- History
History · Waikawa
Curio Bay petrified forest
160-million-year-old fossil forest on a rock platform.
- Activity
Activity · Manapouri
Doubtful Sound crossing from Manapouri
Boat and bus trip to one of Fiordland's quieter, bigger fjords.
Walk · Milford SoundHidden gem
Gertrude Saddle
Steep, rewarding climb to a saddle looking out over Milford's valley.
Walk · Te Anau
Mirror Lakes
Boardwalk loop to ponds that mirror the Earl Mountains on still days.
- History
History · ClifdenHidden gem
Clifden Suspension Bridge
1899 wooden suspension bridge across the Waiau River.
- Lake
Lake · TuatapereHidden gem
Lake Hauroko
New Zealand's deepest lake, reached by gravel on a long back road.
- Walk
Walk · Milford Sound
The Chasm
Ten-minute walk to water-carved rock bowls on the Cleddau River.
- Walk
Walk · Te Anau
Kepler Track at Brod Bay
Lakeside start for a Great Walk with easy day-walk options.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Bluff
Stirling Point
Southern end of SH1 with the famous signpost to the world.
- Beach
Beach · Waikawa
Porpoise Bay
Sandy bay where Hector's dolphins swim close to shore.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · Hollyford Road (Fiordland)Hidden gem
Humboldt Falls
A short rainforest climb to a lookout over Humboldt Falls at the end of the Hollyford Road.
Waterfall · Hollyford Road (Fiordland)
Marian Falls
A 20 minute walk to the tumbling Marian Falls off the Hollyford Road.
- Lake
Lake · Te AnauHidden gem
Lake Fergus
Alpine lake with a quiet picnic spot above the Hollyford turn-off.
- Beach
Beach · OrepukiHidden gem
Gemstone Beach
Pebble beach where visitors fossick for semi-precious stones.
- Beach
Beach · TuatapereHidden gem
Te Waewae Bay
Long, wild beach where Hector's and Maui dolphins can be spotted from shore.
- Beach
Beach · Colac BayHidden gem
Colac Bay surf beach
Curved surf beach with a relaxed seaside village feel.
- History
History · FortroseHidden gem
Waipapa Point
Lighthouse point with sea lions and a shipwreck memorial.
- Walk
Walk · Te Anau
Lake Gunn nature walk
Gentle forest loop to Lake Gunn through moss-hung beech.
- Town
Town · Riverton
Riverton
Oldest European settlement in the South Island, with a harbour feel.
- Beach
Beach · Invercargill
Oreti Beach
Wide sandy beach just outside Invercargill.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · BluffHidden gem
Bluff Hill lookout
Hilltop look over Foveaux Strait, Stewart Island and the harbour.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Waikawa
Slope Point
Southernmost point of mainland South Island, reached across farmland.
- Wildlife
Wildlife · Te Anau
Te Anau Wildlife Centre
Free-entry bird park with takahe and native birds on the lakeshore.
Viewpoint · Milford Sound
Milford Sound lookout track
A 20 minute walk to a lookout over Milford Sound.
- Walk
Walk · Dean Forest (Lillburn–Monowai Road)Hidden gem
Big Tōtara Walk
A short forest track to very large old tōtara in Dean Forest.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · Hollyford ValleyHidden gem
Hidden Falls (Hollyford Track)
Flat valley walk to a waterfall and a hut, away from the Milford crowds.
- Beach
Beach · RivertonHidden gem
Riverton Rocks beach
Quiet beach just outside Riverton, popular for walks and picnics.
- Garden
Garden · Invercargill
Queens Park
Large city park with gardens, aviary and a small animal area.
- Roadside oddity
Roadside oddity · InvercargillHidden gem
E Hayes and Sons hardware
Historic hardware store known for its motorbike connection.
Museum · Invercargill
Bill Richardson Transport World
Large Invercargill transport museum with over 300 classic vehicles, a cafe and a family fun zone.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Lake MonowaiHidden gem
Lake Monowai lookout
A pleasant half-hour return through beech forest to a lake lookout.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · TokanuiHidden gem
Waipohatu Waterfalls Track
Rough rainforest tramp to two Catlins waterfalls, well off the main drive.
- Walk
Walk · OrepukiHidden gem
Monkey Island (Orepuki)
Walk out to a small island at low tide for lookout views over Foveaux Strait.
- Museum
Museum · WaikawaHidden gem
Waikawa Museum
Small local museum and information stop.
- Museum
Museum · BluffHidden gem
Bluff Maritime Museum
Local museum about the south's seafaring and oyster story.
- Roadside oddity
Roadside oddity · Gore
Gore brown trout statue
Giant fish sculpture celebrating Gore's trout fishing fame.
- Museum
Museum · GoreHidden gem
Hokonui Heritage Centre
Museum covering illicit whisky distilling in the Hokonui Hills.
- Roadside oddity
Roadside oddity · Mossburn
Mossburn deer statue
Roadside giant deer in the country's self-styled deer capital.
- Walk
Walk · MonowaiHidden gem
Borland Nature Walk
A 40 minute family loop in Fiordland forest.
- Roadside oddity
Roadside oddity · OrepukiHidden gem
Cosy Nook
Tiny rocky cove with old fishing baches on the Southern Scenic Route.
- Walk
Walk · Te Anau DownsHidden gem
Lake Mistletoe Track
Easy loop to a quiet wetland lake on the way to Milford.
- Roadside oddity
Roadside oddity · Gore
Giant brown trout, Gore
A giant brown trout statue celebrating Gore's fishing fame.
Food stops
Places to stay
Campground · Curio BayHidden gem
Curio Bay camping ground
Clifftop camp beside the fossil forest and yellow-eyed penguin colony at Curio Bay.
Campground · Te AnauHidden gem
Kiosk Creek campsite
Small campsite at Knobs Flat with big views of the glacial moraine.
- Campground
Campground · MossburnHidden gem
North Mavora Lake campsite
Basic lakeside camping at the north end of the Mavora Lakes, with tussock hills and beech forest around.
Backcountry camp · Rakiura National Park
Māori Beach Campsite
This is a basic Great Walk campsite on Stewart Island/Rakiura. Situated in a grassy clearing with sand dunes and the beach in front of it.
Backcountry camp · Fiordland National Park
Iris Burn Campsite
This is a walk-in, Great Walk campsite in the Iris Burn valley, on the Kepler Track in Fiordland National Park. Bookings required in the Great Walks season. Kea are frequent visitors.
Backcountry camp · Fiordland National Park
Brod Bay Campsite
This is a walk-in, Great Walk campsite beside Lake Te Anau, on the Kepler Track in Fiordland National Park. Bookings required in the Great Walks season.
Backcountry camp · Rakiura National Park
Port William Campsite
This is a basic Great Walk campsite on Stewart Island/Rakiura. It is on a grassy area with Magnetic Beach directly in front of it. It is protected from the prevailing westerly winds by forest.
Backcountry camp · Rakiura National Park
North Arm Campsite
This is a basic Great Walk campsite on Stewart Island/Rakiura. It is a short distance from North Arm Hut and is surrounded by forest.
Campground · Te AnauHidden gem
Walker Creek campsite
Tiny riverside campsite on the Eglinton River with only a handful of sites.
- Campground
Campground · Te AnauHidden gem
Mackay Creek campsite
Quiet valley-view campsite with fly fishing and short walks.
Campground · Te AnauHidden gem
Deer Flat campsite
Grassy riverside campsite among pockets of beech forest.
Campground · Te AnauHidden gem
Upper Eglinton campsite
Three-site camping area near walks with strong valley views.
Campground · ClifdenHidden gem
Monowai campsite
Peaceful five-site campsite beside Lake Monowai, good for fishing.
Campground · ClifdenHidden gem
Thicket Burn campsite
Remote basic campsite at the edge of Fiordland National Park.
Campground · Te Anau
Cascade Creek campsite
Big Milford Road campsite at the foot of Lake Gunn, good for larger vans.
Holiday park · Te Anau
Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park
Holiday park on the lake edge in Te Anau.
Lodge · Milford Sound
Milford Sound Lodge
The only private lodge at Milford, with riverside chalets, a restaurant and campervan sites. Book early.
Campground · Te Anau
Henry Creek campsite
Small private sites in beech forest on the shore of Lake Te Anau.
Campground · Te Anau
Tōtara campsite
Sheltered beech-forest campsite that suits bigger vans, just south of Mirror Lakes.
- Holiday park
Holiday park · Te AnauHidden gem
Fiordland Great Views Holiday Park
River-side park above Te Anau with free storage while you walk the Fiordland tracks.
- Holiday park
Holiday park · MossburnHidden gem
Mossburn Country Park
Farm-park halfway between Queenstown and Te Anau with animals to feed and dark skies.
- Holiday park
Holiday park · Te Anau
Tasman Holiday Parks Te Anau
Lakeside five-star park two minutes from the Te Anau centre, with sauna, hot tub and heated bathrooms.
- Campground
Campground · BluffHidden gem
The Bluff Camping Ground
Harbourside ex-army base in Bluff, watching freighters and oyster boats slip past at night.
- Holiday park
Holiday park · Te Anau
Te Anau Top 10 Holiday Park
Most central holiday park in Te Anau, with a hot tub, log-fire TV lounge and tour booking desk.
Plan the drive, not just the stops
Roadtrip works out what the drive costs in fuel for your car, splits it into days with the best stops and places to sleep, and finds the cheapest fuel on the way.
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