Timaru sits roughly halfway between the South Island’s two largest cities — Christchurch and Dunedin. It’s a common stopover when driving State Highway 1, but there’s plenty to keep you busy for a day or two if you decide to stay. There are also heaps of places to sleep, eat and drink — we’ll give … Read more
Geraldine certainly isn’t the most iconic tourist town in New Zealand, and if you’re a traveller from overseas you’ll likely pass right through it on your way through the mountain regions of the central South Island. It’s a popular weekend spot for Cantabrians though, being a short drive from Timaru (and not too far from … Read more
Looming high above farmland and the foothills of the Southern Alps, Little Mount Peel is a fun mountain to climb in South Canterbury. It seems like one of the easier mountain hikes, but it’s still a mountain, and with about 1000 metres in elevation gain it’s tough in parts. We did the hike to the … Read more
If you’re making the journey to Peel Forest then you’ll likely want to see a waterfall. It’s so much better walking through the bush when there’s something to see at the end of it all! We did the walk to Emily Falls recently and it was the perfect preparation for our hike up Little Mount … Read more
When you think of Timaru and beaches, one place comes to mind – Caroline Bay. But are there any other good beaches, or coastal walkways with beautiful views, away from Caroline Bay? I headed to Jack’s Point Lighthouse to find out. A Clifftop Path When arriving at the car park for Jack’s Point Lighthouse (Tuhawaiki) … Read more
As a kid growing up in Timaru, I have vague memories of visiting Peel Forest. It’s a big tract of forest in the otherwise farming intensive plains of South Canterbury. You’ll see plenty of trees, some waterfalls and there’s even some mountains to climb (Little Mount Peel, Big Mount Peel). I ventured back there for … Read more
Waimate is a small town in South Canterbury hidden from the main road. It’s a bit of a detour to reach, meaning only those who really want to visit will end up going there. Should that be you? Maybe this post will help you decide! We visited recently and reckon these are the best things … Read more
Timaru is a town most people pass through rather than spend the night. But even if you’re visiting on the way to somewhere else (most likely somewhere better) there are still some fun things to do in Timaru. Most of these centre on Caroline Bay, one of the better “city beaches” in New Zealand, but … Read more
Caroline Bay is Timaru’s version of an inner city beach, kind of like Waikiki Beach in Honolulu (only nowhere near as tropical). It’s one of the main reasons to stop in Timaru, especially on a warm summer’s day. You can easily walk down to the beach from the main street and there is quite a … Read more