Things to do in West Coast
60 places worth stopping for and 24 places to stay on a road trip through West Coast.
See and do
- Walk
Walk · Punakaiki
Pancake Rocks and Putai Blowholes
Layered limestone stacks and blowholes on a short boardwalk loop at the coast.
Hot pool · Fox GlacierHidden gem
Welcome Flat Hot Springs
Free natural hot pools at the end of the Copland Track, in a remote alpine valley.
- Town
Town · OkaritoHidden gem
Okarito (Ōkārito) village and lagoon
Tiny seaside village with a big lagoon, kayak trips and kōtuku.
Walk · Karamea
Oparara Arches
Giant limestone arches and a mossy forest stream, a short drive inland from Karamea.
- Walk
Walk · Franz Josef
Franz Josef Glacier Valley walk
Easy valley walk to a viewpoint of the Franz Josef Glacier front.
- Lake
Lake · Fox Glacier
Lake Matheson
Mirror lake with Aoraki and Mount Tasman reflected on calm mornings.
Walk · Hokitika
Hokitika Gorge
Short walk to a swing bridge over a gorge with milky-turquoise water.
- Scenic drive
Scenic drive · Punakaiki
Great Coast Road (SH6 Westport to Greymouth)
Winding coastal highway between Westport and Greymouth, with beaches, bluffs and cave stops.
- Wildlife
Wildlife · WhataroaHidden gem
White Heron Sanctuary tour (Whataroa)
Boat trip to the only nesting colony of white herons (kōtuku) in NZ.
- Activity
Activity · KarameaHidden gem
Honeycomb Hill Cave guided tour
Guided trip into a cave system with fossil bones of extinct birds, including moa.
- Beach
Beach · Fox GlacierHidden gem
Gillespies Beach
Wild black-sand beach with seal colony, old gold diggings and Alps views.
- Scenic drive
Scenic drive · HaastHidden gem
Jackson Bay (Okahu) and the wharf
End-of-the-road drive to a remote fishing wharf with views to the Southern Alps.
- Walk
Walk · NgakawauHidden gem
Charming Creek Walkway
Old coal tramway through a gorge with waterfalls, swing bridges and a tunnel.
- Walk
Walk · Westport
Cape Foulwind Walkway and Tauranga Bay seal colony
Cliff-top coastal walk to a seal colony and the Cape Foulwind lighthouse.
History · ReeftonHidden gem
Waiuta ghost town
Deserted gold-mining village with overgrown ruins deep in bush.
Walk · Bruce BayHidden gem
Monro Beach walk
Forest walk to a beach where Fiordland crested penguins can nest.
- Hot pool
Hot pool · Lewis Pass
Maruia Hot Springs
Outdoor rock-lined hot pools and a Japanese-style bathhouse in the Lewis Pass beech forest.
Beach · Karamea
Kohaihai and Scotts Beach
End of the road at the Heaphy Track: a river mouth, nikau palms and a wild beach.
History · Westport
Denniston Plateau and Incline
Windswept ghost town site on a coal plateau, with the steep Incline drop down to the valley.
- Walk
Walk · Fox Glacier
Fox Glacier Valley walk
Valley walk to a viewpoint of Fox Glacier and Peters Pool on the way.
Walk · KarameaHidden gem
Mirror Tarn and Box Canyon Cave walk
A quieter loop in the Oparara Basin with a mirror-still tannin pond and a cave.
Walk · PunakaikiHidden gem
Truman Track
Short bush walk to a beach with rock arches and a small waterfall.
Walk · PunakaikiHidden gem
Pororari River Track
River gorge and nikau palms with a rocky bend a short way up the track.
Lake · MoanaHidden gem
Lake Brunner (Moana)
Big forest-fringed lake with trout fishing, boating and wide lawns.
- Lake
Lake · HokitikaHidden gem
Lake Kaniere and Dorothy Falls
Big clear lake with picnic bays, short walks and a waterfall near the road.
- Lake
Lake · Franz JosefHidden gem
Lake Mapourika
Still lake with Alps reflections and a sunset picnic stop off SH6.
- Beach
Beach · HaastHidden gem
Ship Creek
Beach with dune forest walks, a lookout and driftwood tangles.
- Cave
Cave · PunakaikiHidden gem
Fox River Cave
Backcountry limestone cave you walk into on the Inland Pack Track.
- Wildlife
Wildlife · HokitikaHidden gem
Hokitika Glow-worm Dell
Free bush glow-worm spot just off SH6, best seen after dark.
Walk · OkaritoHidden gem
Okarito Trig walk and Three Mile Pack Track
Steep bush climb to a trig with views of the Alps, lagoon and sea.
- Walk
Walk · Franz JosefHidden gem
Tartare Tunnels
Historic gold-mining tunnels with glow-worms, a short walk from town.
Viewpoint · Haast
Knights Point Lookout
Roadside lookout over a rugged coastline with sea stacks and surf.
- Wildlife
Wildlife · Franz Josef
West Coast Wildlife Centre
Kiwi hatchery and tuatara centre in Franz Josef, doable in any weather.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · KumaraHidden gem
Carew Falls
An easy hour return to a waterfall and immense granite boulders.
Walk · Fox GlacierHidden gem
Minnehaha Walk
A stream and rainforest walk, with glow worms after dark.
Viewpoint · Franz JosefHidden gem
Canavans Knob
A short climb with views of the glacier, mountains and river flats.
Lake · Franz Josef
Peters Pool
A 25 minute return to a kettle lake with glacier valley reflections.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Franz Josef
Sentinel Rock
A short steady climb for views of the glacier, valley and Waiho River.
Museum · ReeftonHidden gem
Blacks Point Museum and Reefton goldfields
Heritage museum and old mine site telling the story of the town's gold and the first power.
Museum · RossHidden gem
Ross Goldfields Heritage Centre
Small gold-rush town with a heritage centre and a short historic walk.
History · Greymouth
Shantytown Heritage Park
A re-created gold-rush town with a steam train ride and gold panning.
Town · KumaraHidden gem
Kumara and the Theatre Royal Hotel
Small gold-rush town with a heritage pub and a gold-rush walk.
Distillery · ReeftonHidden gem
Reefton Distilling Co
Small-batch distillery in the old gold town, with tastings.
- Hot pool
Hot pool · Franz Josef
Glacier Hot Pools
Bushside hot pools in Franz Josef for soaking after a glacier day.
Beach · Bruce BayHidden gem
Bruce Bay beach
Pebble beach by SH6 where locals leave painted stones in the sand.
- Beach
Beach · KarameaHidden gem
Karamea Beach and lagoon
Quiet driftwood beach near Karamea with long sunset views and few people.
History · GreymouthHidden gem
Brunner Mine Site
Ruins of the mine where a deadly disaster changed West Coast history.
- Walk
Walk · HokitikaHidden gem
Lake Mahinapua Walkway
Easy wetland walk along an old tram line beside a calm lake.
- Town
Town · Haast
Haast township and Haast Visitor Centre
Remote town at the end of the highway with DOC visitor centre and a few services.
Waterfall · HaastHidden gem
Roaring Billy Falls
A short bush walk to a loud waterfall on the Haast Highway.
Cave · PunakaikiHidden gem
Punakaiki Cavern
Free little cave right by SH6 with limestone formations and glow-worms.
- Walk
Walk · GreymouthHidden gem
Rapahoe and Point Elizabeth Track
Coastal bush walk with sweeping beach views north of Greymouth.
Roadside oddity · Hokitika
Hokitika Beach driftwood sign
Beachfront spot with a giant driftwood HOKITIKA sign and an evening sunset.
- Walk
Walk · Franz JosefHidden gem
Callery Gorge walk
Rainforest track to a rushing gorge with a 'bridge to nowhere'.
Waterfall · Haast Pass
Thunder Creek Falls
Tall waterfall beside SH6 you can see from a short walk.
Gallery · Hokitika
Hokitika greenstone and glass studios
Watch pounamu carvers and glassblowers working in the Hokitika studios.
- Scenic drive
Scenic drive · Lewis Pass
Lewis Pass summit
High mountain pass with beech forest and walks starting at the road.
- Walk
Walk · Hokitika
West Coast Treetop Walk
Elevated steel walkway through rimu forest canopy near Lake Mahinapua, with a lookout tower.
- Walk
Walk · KarameaHidden gem
Big Rimu Walk
A 40 minute return to a 36 m rimu tree near Karamea.
History · RossHidden gem
Ross Goldfield walkway
Old gold mining relics and 360 degree views near Ross.
Food stops
- Pub
Pub · BlackballHidden gem
Blackball Salami Co and village pub
Old mining village where the miners' union movement began, with a salami shop and a historic pub.
- Café
Café · PukekuraHidden gem
Bushman's Centre
Roadside cafe on the Coast known for venison and possum pies.
Café · Punakaiki
Pancake Rocks Cafe
Handy coffee and pancake stop beside the Pancake Rocks car park.
Places to stay
Campground · OkaritoHidden gem
Okarito Community Campground
Community-run camp in the tiny lagoon village of Okarito, with great Southern Alps views.
Campground · KarameaHidden gem
Kohaihai campsite
DOC campsite at the Heaphy Track roadend, a short walk from the river mouth.
Holiday park · RapahoeHidden gem
Rapahoe Beach Holiday Park
Old-school beachfront camp 11 km north of Greymouth with a school pool and board games.
Lodge · BlackballHidden gem
Blackball pub and lodge (formerly the Blackball Hilton)
Old 1910 pub in Blackball with 16 rooms and six powered motorhome sites.
Holiday park · RossHidden gem
Ross Beach Top 10 Holiday Park
Shipping-container pods, glamping domes and a hot tub 500 m from the Wilderness Trail end.
Backcountry camp · Kahurangi National Park
Scotts Beach Campsite
This is a walk-in campsite on the Heaphy Track.
Backcountry camp · Kahurangi National Park
James Mackay Campsite
This is a walk-in campsite on the Heaphy Track.
Backcountry camp · Kahurangi National Park
Heaphy Campsite
This is a walk-in campsite on the Heaphy Track.
Backcountry camp · Kahurangi National Park
Katipo Creek Shelter Campsite
This is a walk-in campsite on the Heaphy Track.
Campground · Hokitika
Hans Bay campsite (Lake Kaniere)
DOC lakeside campsite with a jetty, 19 km from Hokitika, popular for lake swimming.
- Glamping
Glamping · PunakaikiHidden gem
Te Nikau Retreat
Bush retreat near Punakaiki with cabins and tent sites in nikau forest.
- Campground
Campground · MoanaHidden gem
Iveagh Bay campsite
DOC campsite on the shore of Lake Brunner with a short walk to the water.
- Campground
Campground · OkaritoHidden gem
Okarito campsite (DOC)
Simple DOC campsite in Okarito, first come first served.
- Campground
Campground · Franz JosefHidden gem
Lake Mapourika campsite (Otto Macdonalds)
Lakeside DOC campsite beside the lake, 15 minutes from Franz Josef.
- Lodge
Lodge · Lake MoerakiHidden gem
Lake Moeraki and Wilderness Lodge
Remote lodge on the Moeraki river with nature walks and penguin watching.
- Holiday park
Holiday park · SeddonvilleHidden gem
Seddonville Holiday Park
Community holiday park on the Mokihinui River at the Old Ghost Road trailhead.
Campground · KarameaHidden gem
Karamea Domain Camp
Community camp in Karamea with a heated lounge, free showers and 14 powered sites.
Campground · MoanaHidden gem
Lake Brunner Motor Camp
Locally run camp on Lake Brunner with trout fishing, bike and boat hire.
- Campground
Campground · MōkihinuiHidden gem
Mōkihinui Domain Campground
Beach-and-river domain camp where the Mōkihinui meets the sea.
- Holiday park
Holiday park · Franz Josef
Rainforest Retreat
Treehouse-style park in the middle of Franz Josef village, with a sauna and bar.
Campground · HokitikaHidden gem
Lake Mahinapua campsite
Lakeside DOC campsite south of Hokitika with swimming and walks.
Holiday park · Punakaiki
Punakaiki Beach Camp
Beachfront camp a short walk from the Pancake Rocks.
Holiday park · Fox Glacier
Fox Glacier Top 10
Well-equipped holiday park in Fox Glacier, handy for the glacier and Lake Matheson.
- Holiday park
Holiday park · Carters Beach
Carters Beach Top 10 Holiday Park
Beachfront Top 10 near Westport and Cape Foulwind, with a safe swimming beach.
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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