Driving the Southern Scenic Route: Best Places to Stop - See the South Island NZ Travel Blog

The Southern Scenic Route, connecting Dunedin and Queenstown via the southern coast, is the most famous touring route in New Zealand’s South Island. The whole thing is just over 600km and takes in some of the island’s top coastal scenery as well as some stunning inland vistas.

Southern Scenic Route

The Southern Scenic Route starts in either Dunedin or Queenstown and there are several small towns to stay the night along the way plus heaps to see in terms of scenery. In this post I’ll show you the best places to stop and give you some tips to make your journey a little easier.

Dunedin

You can easily fill a few days before or after the Southern Scenic Route in Dunedin. It’s the most interesting city in the South Island for sightseeing, especially if you’re a fan of beaches, coastal hiking trails, viewpoints high on the hills and historic city streets. We live in Dunedin and love exploring — check out our Dunedin Travel Guide if you’re keen to spend some time there.

Dunedin to Waihola

The sights start quickly on the Southern Scenic Route — the first place to visit is only a few kilometres from Dunedin city centre! Tunnel Beach is probably the most interesting beach on this route — it’s a bit of a hike down and up (one hour) but the views and history make it a must visit (maybe try and visit the afternoon before setting off on the Southern Scenic Route if staying in Dunedin).

Tunnel Beach is on the southern outskirts of Dunedin along the coast road — from there you drive along the coast towards Brighton and Taieri Mouth. There are some good views by the road near Blackhead and a very long stretch of beach at Waldronville.

I’d push onto Brighton though and hang out there for a bit. It’s one of the better beaches in Dunedin and there are several short tracks and viewpoints where you’ll get a good look at this section of the Southern Scenic Route from above.

At Taieri Mouth there’s a riverside walk that’s worth a look — you don’t have to do the whole thing just walk up to the viewpoint pictured below if you’re a keen on a short, sharp walk. After Taieri Mouth you’ll drive inland and soon meet State Highway 1 close to Waihola.

Waihola to Balclutha

The Waihola to Balclutha section is probably the least interesting in terms of views (it’s inland), but Waihola, Milton and Balclutha provide decent places to eat or spend the night. Lake Waihola is pretty if you strike it in the right conditions and there’s a highly rated fish and chip shop there.

Balclutha to Invercargill via the Catlins

Once in Balclutha you’ll turn towards the coast, with Kaka Point/ Nugget Point and Owaka the first stops. There’s heaps to see in the Catlins, especially if you don’t mind some short walks. Beaches, waterfalls, wildlife and rugged coastal scenery are never too far away, and if you can’t walk far you’ll still see plenty near the roads and car parks.

If you aren’t stopping it’ll take around three hours to drive between Balclutha and Invercargill via the Catlins, or 90 minutes via the main (not scenic) road. With a day to explore the Catlins I’d seek out a couple of waterfalls (Purakaunui Falls / McLean Falls), some beaches (Cannibal Bay, Tautuku Bay and Curio Bay) and Nugget Point.

Definitely stay longer if you can — Kaka Point, Owaka, Papatowai and Curio Bay all have accommodation and there are other places to stay scattered around the Catlins. We’ve written heaps of posts about the Catlins — the one below is the best place to start if you’re planning a trip.

Invercargill to Riverton

Invercargill is the obvious place to spend the night, although it’d also be a good idea to stay somewhere in the Catlins and explore that region over two days. It’s the 4th largest city in the South Island and has a pretty low reputation around New Zealand. It’s a nice enough place for a night or two and it’s close to some beautiful nature (especially Stewart Island, a short flight or ferry ride away).

Bluff is a small port town only 20 minutes from Invercargill and is where the Stewart Island ferries depart from. Drive or walk up Bluff Hill for some of the best views in the region.

You won’t see much on the road between Invercargill and Riverton but that soon changes as the road hugs the coast most of the way between Riverton and Tuatapere.

Riverton to Te Anau

Riverton is one of our favourite coastal towns in the south. It features some stunning beaches and viewpoints and is a good alternative to stay in if Invercargill doesn’t excite you. Otherwise stop for lunch and a look around on your way towards Te Anau.

After Riverton, the road heads along the southern coastline, with several beaches to explore (Colac Bay, Cosy Nook, Monkey Island and Gemstone Beach). McCracken’s Nest is good place to stop and enjoy the views. Soon after McCracken’s Rest you’ll head inland towards Tuatapere. There isn’t much reason to stop there unless you’re doing the Humpridge Track (unless you need somewhere to stop for the night).

There isn’t too much to see between Tuatapere and Te Anau. Clifden Suspension Bridge/ Cave makes for a good stop — especially if the coffee cart is open.

You’ll want to do the detour to Lake Hauroko if you’re keen for a hike. It’s the deepest lake in New Zealand and you can get an awesome view of it from the Lake Hauroko Lookout Track.

The road to Te Anau passes passes close to Manapouri (scenic village next to a lake) and then it’s only 20 minutes to Te Anau. There’s far more happening in Te Anau but Manapouri is also a good option for the night, particularly if you’re doing the Doubtful Sound cruise the next day (or the Circle Track above Lake Manapouri).

Te Anau to Milford Sound

The road to Milford Sound is a detour from the Southern Scenic Route but it’s one you won’t want to miss. It cuts through Fiordland National Park, with beautiful views in all directions.

This is some of the most iconic scenery in New Zealand and there are lots of walks, hikes, viewpoints and roadside lookouts where you can take it all in before reaching Milford Sound. If you only have a day you won’t be able to see it all, check out the post below if you’re having trouble choosing!

Te Anau to Queenstown

It should take around two hours to drive between Te Anau and Queenstown. The first hour or so is nowhere near as scenic as you might expect, but once you arrive in Kingston that changes. Driving the section between Kingston and Queenstown, around the glistening Lake Wakatipu is a special way to end the Southern Scenic Route!

Queenstown

Queenstown doesn’t have to be the end of your adventure. Explore the hiking trails around town, do some scenic drives (we highly recommend the road to Glenorchy), go on a boat trip on Lake Wakatipu or fill-up on food and drink in the many bars, cafes and restaurants.

From Queenstown you could drive back to Dunedin via Central Otago. This is a great option if flying in and out of Dunedin, and the inland route between Dunedin and Queenstown is full of interesting history and some lovely vistas.

Southern Scenic Route FAQs

How many days do you need? It depends on your appetite for driving and sightseeing. You could spend two nights on the road (Invercargill and Te Anau) and see a good amount in-between. If you have longer you could add a night in the Catlins, Milford Sound, an extra night in Te Anau or a detour to Stewart Island.
How much driving is it? The road is around 600 km, so if you split that into three days you’d be doing 200 km per day (add some kms in for detours). Not too demanding and there’s always somewhere to stop and explore.

How to organise flights? If you’re planning a trip to the south to do the Southern Scenic Route it’s easy to organise flights. Fly into Dunedin, pick up a rental car, drop it off in Queenstown then fly out from there. You might want to book a night in Dunedin and/or Queenstown depending on flight times. Of course you can also do it in the opposite direction if flying into Queenstown or fly in and out of one of them and do the whole loop (Southern Scenic Route then Queenstown to Dunedin via Central Otago.

Are you planning to drive the Southern Scenic Route? Let us know in the comments below!

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Jon Algie

I'm a South Island local -- born in Timaru and raised in Dunedin. I left the island in 2006 and returned 10 years later. Having seen a good chunk of the world I realised how special this place is -- the most beautiful island in the world! Seven years (and almost 400 posts) later I'm still helping locals and tourists alike plan their trips around the South Island.

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