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dunedin - christchurch DUNEDIN - CHRISTCHURCH (Via Oamaru, Timaru & Ashburton) Driver Information Welcome to the final day of your South Island self drive tour. The final day of driving is relatively flat and easy going and sticks to the main state highways, however there promises to be plenty of great countryside scenery to be enjoyed, from the historic architecture and rugged coastlines of Otago to the Southern Alps of Canterbury and everything in-between! Some notable stops along the route to Christchurch include: OAMARU BLUE PENGUIN COLONY TIMARU TEMUKA ASHBURTON RAKAIA CHRISTCHURCH Christchurch is a very visitor friendly city and you will find navigating around the inner city and botanical gardens is easy on foot, or else hop on the historic Tram which runs a circuit throughout the day past the inner city and popular Arts Centre, Gallery, etc.
You wont go hungry when in Christchurch! The Strip and South Of Lichfield (SOL) are both popular areas, which are just restaurants, cafes and bars, while there are many seriously fabulous restaurants boasting an international flavour, from Italian to Mexican, to Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian and Cajun to name just a few. Highly recommended Christchurch tourist attractions include... International Antarctic Centre - Located across from Christchurch International Airport, this is a fun, interactive and informative family experience that includes an aquarium displaying actual specimens from the Antarctic ocean floor, displays, 14 minute sound and light show and much more. You can even chill out in the indoor polar room, slide down an icy slope, tackle the indoor Antarctic Storm, see live Little Blue penguins and experience a ride on the Hagglund - a genuine as-used-in-Antarctica all terrain vehicle. Cathedral Square - Located in the heart of the city, the Visitor Information Centre is located in ‘the square’. A multi-cultural feeling exists in this exciting part of town, always popular with tourists and lunch time dwellers. Be entertained by buskers, grab a coffee from Starbucks, or just watch life colourfully go by!
Christchurch Gondola - Enjoy spectacular 360-degree views of Christchurch, the Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps, Lyttelton Harbour and Pacific Ocean. Christchurch Botanical Gardens - Established back in 1863, today the gardens are a haven for roller blading, walkers, joggers, cyclists and dog walkers! 30 hectares of park-like gardens surrounded by the Avon River and a diverse range of gardens and flowers throughout… and it’s free! Punting On The Avon - Sit back and relax custom built punt as your friendly boatman guides you past the sights of the central city as you meander along the Avon River. Christchurch Tramway - The ultimate inner city tour that lets you experience the magic of the central city onboard a beautifully restored tram. The 2.5 kilometre track takes about 25 minutes to complete and allows you to take in many of the "must see' attractions. These include Cathedral Square, Aquarium of Discovery, The Arts Centre, The Art Gallery, Botanical Gardens, Canterbury Museum, Punting on the Avon, New Regent Street and Cathedral Junction. |
Travel distance is approximately 365kms (228 miles).
This busy service town is home to Temuka Homeware. Generations of New Zealander's have Temuka pottery products on their table or in their oven! The factory shop is located on Vine Street in Temuka and includes the Brix Cafe.
Accommodation is plentiful in the city and surrounds, from swanky inner city furnished apartments to motels, quaint B&B's, luxury hotels and the typical hotel chains.