The road between Christchurch and Picton is mostly inland from the coast, meaning there aren’t as many beaches and walks to do (and the ones that are there are often a fair distance from the main road). Despite not being the most exciting South Island drive there’s still heaps to see, including Kaikoura and the scenic route between Blenheim and Picton.
Christchurch to Kaikoura
The road north of Christchurch will take you past several rapidly growing towns including Kaiapoi and Pegasus. There isn’t much of interest for tourists, but if you’re keen to visit a beach you could take a quick detour. The area between Pines Beach and Waikuku Beach is basically one long stretch of beach — not especially exciting but it’s always there if you need it!
Beaches of North Canterbury
The first stop I’d advise most people to make is Gore Bay, a short drive in from the main road. The Cathedral Cliffs is unique piece of nature (sandstone cliffs with a great view of the coast) and the beach is decent too.
Further north is Manuka Bay and Hurunui Mouth. We camped at Hurunui Mouth a few years back and it’s a good, cheap place to stay if that’s what you’re looking for.
Kaikoura
The main road finally joins the coastline just short of Kaikoura. There are lots of places to pull over and enjoy the rocky beach scenery. Keep a look out for seals relaxing on the rocks.
South Beach is just south of Kaikoura and there’s an awesome track from there to Point Kean on the other side of Kaikoura Peninsula (with a seal colony at the Kaikoura end). If you’re keen to do one walk on the drive between Christchurch and Picton I highly advise this one (Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway).
Kaikoura is a good spot to stop for lunch and do some souvenir shopping or to do a whale watching tour. It’s a decent sized tourist town with all the eating (try the famous local seafood), sleeping and drinking options you’ll need — a great place to spend a night or two to break up the journey.
Kaikoura to Blenheim
The road north of Kaikoura passes another seal colony (and Nins Bin, a famous seafood shack) and then follows a stunning black-sand beach, although there aren’t many obvious places to pull in and reach it. After a while you’ll come to The Store (Kekerengu Beach) which is a good spot for lunch with a view of the beach. After that the road turns inland towards Blenheim, with sweeping vineyard views the highlight.
Blenheim
Blenheim sits in the heart of the Marlborough wine region. Wine and food are the main reasons to visit — those looking for more natural beauty should head straight for Picton. It’s a decent enough town though, with plenty of accommodation options, a walkable downtown area and some highly rated restaurants. I’ll be writing more about Blenheim soon!
Blenheim to Picton
There are two main routes between Blenheim and Picton. The main road takes around 25 minutes and isn’t too exciting. The other route takes you along the upper east coast, a part of the island many people miss. There are some cool places to visit along the way including Whites Bay and the viewpoints around Port Underwood. If you’re in a hurry to catch a ferry definitely take the main road.
READ MORE: Driving from Blenheim to Picton: The Scenic Route
Picton
You’ve finally arrived in Picton! Hopefully, the weather is good — it’s such a beautiful little town on a nice day. After a long drive you’ll probably want to relax — head to a café or restaurant with a view of Picton Harbour or maybe go on a cruise. There are also walks (Tirohanga Track is the best), scenic drives and lodges which are accessed by boat from Picton. Onward travel from Picton is likely to be to either the North Island by ferry or Nelson / Abel Tasman National Park by road to the west.
READ MORE: 12 0f the Best Things to Do in Picton
The Details
It should take around 4.5 hours to drive between Christchurch and Picton with minimal stops. Throw in a few longer stops and you’re looking at close to a full day of travel. I always advise people to take their time on drives like this as there’s lots to see. For this drive it’d be a good idea to spend a night or two in Kaikoura or at one of the camping grounds in North Canterbury. I’d also leave a night or two free in Picton before your ferry as it’s a fun town to explore.
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Jon Algie
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