The 21 best things to do with kids in Picton

A must visit especially if you want to learn about your ancestors and how they came to New Zealand. Very interesting and lots of information about the ship that bought many of our ancestors to New Zealand. Interactive, good for kids and very interesting video. Worth spending at least an hour looking through. Staff were very knowledgeable and keen to help. Good variety of merchandise for sale.

A small museum dedicated to the preservation (rather than restoration) of the Edwin Fox ship. Museum features friendly staff, several panels displaying information about the ship and seafaring of the era, numerous nautical artefacts, as well as paintings and models of the ship in her prime. The ship itself is located in a separate building, and was unfortunately closed to visitors during our visit. Despite this, we could easily examine the exterior of the ship. Well worth a look if you happen to be in Picton, my visit left me curious about the damage caused by ship worms.

Wow this was a gem we didn't expect. A lovely museum full of stuff, a really interesting short movie about the Edwin Fox - and seeing a real 1853 convict ship in real life is one of those once in a lifetime things! Well worth the entry fee. Thankyou .

Edwin Fox was a great little find - I visited this while on holiday from Aus and loved the history, ship collection, artwork and video of the preservation of this ship. From peeking at it outside, getting in and seeing the size of the ship up close was amazing. I also love how they're working to preserve, not restore/replace the original state of this ship. Very well worth the visit for any maritime or history loving people :)

It may not seem like much from the outside but this quite an interesting museum with well researched and well organized exhibits. The centerpiece is of course the ship Edwin Fox itself. But the story behind the ship how it came to be, what it was involved with during its heyday and through its subsequent demise as an ocean going vessel to become a stationary hulk was endemic of sail ships of that era. The information presented was extremely educational. Very impressive museum and highly recommended.

Thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the Edwin Fox. The small museum is well laid out and very informative, going through the entire history of the ship. The 40-ish minute film is interesting and great watching, however I think it should be in a separate room to the exhibits as it can be distracting. Having the opportunity to walk on the actual ship at the end is fantastic and unique. Worth the $10 discounted Bookme entry fee (book in advance) to experience and learn about an amazing piece of history. I spent around 2 hours there.

Outstanding exhibit of CONSERVATION and the history of the EDWIN FOX. The arrival and lovely advice cost and exhibit features encouraged us to view Thoroughly enjoyed the video and historical walk in museum and below deck Thanks so much to all involved...and really recommend a visit when you're in PICTON

Viewed from the outside, at Queen Charlotte Drive, view of the Port Log area also. This and Quail all flitting about in a short walk.

Had a nice walk around the free sanctuary after catching a water taxi ($80 return for 1-4 people) there. We were welcomed by a seal waiting at the jetty! Gave him plenty of room so he could get back into the water before we went through the gate and up to the path. Didn't see as many birds as we hoped, but did manage to see both a kereru and some fantails, and we heard bellbirds and tuis. Made for a good walk, but probably should have allowed more than the hour and a half that we did before the water taxi was due back, so we could have had a bit more of a leisurely stroll (and perhaps seen more birdlife!). Great views of the sound as we moved around the loop track.

A really nice way to spend half a day. Nice scenic walk with so many birds. $25pp there and back, a bargain. We all want to go again 😍

Absolutely and totally not worth it. The price to get to this peninsula (its not an island) is extortionate as you have to get here via boat. You walk around for an hour or so in a circle and then you're done. You dont see any birds that you cant see from the mainland, and as nice as the views could be on a clear day, you seldom find a photo opportunity spot. The track is well maintained so its just about suitable for a baby stroller, but dont be fooled, this is just an hour's walk in the country which you can do for free all across New Zealand, only this one is $40 per person minimum price depending on which boat company you choose. Extortionate. What a rip off!!!!! AVOID!!!

Beautiful place and great moment, you need to take a taxiboat around 40$ per person

So near and yet so far. Take a Beachcomber taxi trip and then walk the island. Stunning natural bush and walks.

Wonderful trek to spot local birds and marine species while cruising there. Went with E-Ko Tours.

My friend and I recently did the half day sea kayaking tour. We were lucky and had a glorious sunny day, which meant that it did not get too cold despite it being quite windy at times! Our tour guide, Hannah, was very knowledgeable and she did an excellent job teaching us about the local area and ecosystems while we kayaked up and down the sounds! If you’re in the Picton area I would definitely recommend adding this to your list of activities!

Did the one day mountain bike trip from ship cove to punga bay. Bikes were good quality and well maintained and communication was good. The ride was really fun with great views. Their description of the difficulty of the ride is accurate, there is quite a lot of climbing and the whole track is bumpy so it is a tiring ride, but worth it!

Our 5 day walk through Queen Charlotte Pass was superb and very well organised. Great communication and overnight accommodation. Highly recommend MS Adventure Company and the walk with a rest day.

Had the best morning out on the Marlborough Sounds with George as our guide. The team were super helpful and responsive when we booked last minute, George was so knowledgeable and friendly, and the trip itself was absolutely stunning. Highly recommend!

Easy booking process. Good communication prior to trip. Competitive pricing. Friendly personal service. Happy to use them again for our next adventure.

Outstanding service accompanied by a truly exceptional team, who adeptly accommodated our last-minute booking at an incredibly reasonable price. While I was on a cruise ship, I found that the tours offered there were significantly more expensive, yet provided less time on the water, making this experience not only more cost-effective but also more enjoyable. Our guide was supportive and very knowledge about the area and made the journey so much fun and relaxing

We felt very looked after on our 5 day (non guided) kayaking trip. Communication prior was great, and the team was super accomodating to get us dropped off and picked up near Havelock — even including a complimentary relocation of our car onwards to Picton. Was very impressed, and would definitely recommend. Good work team!

Had a marvelous time here Exploring the aquarium, the tour lady was absolutely 💯% awesome, we so enjoyed seeing alot of things here and also learnt new stuff. Glad we got to see this place before it closes down, we'll done guys, awesome service.

Firstly, very expensive, $52 for two adults. The aquarium has very nice and informative signposts but not much too see in terms of interesting animals or fish. Pretty bleak experience that is over in half an hour. There are so many awesome aquariums in the the world so you can skip this one and go to see the neighbouring museum, Edwin Fox, instead.

I was impressed with the amount of interest that this held with the kids. There was contact time with a tuatara and some rock-pool regulars, as well as quite a few larger species. I wouldn't have guessed any of that from the outside.

For a town the size of Picton, this aquarium is quite interesting. There's plenty of displays, touch tanks, feeding tours, and other animals such as rabbits, birds and reptiles. Definitely worth a visit.

This is a awesome way to spend time with your family they are always happy to answer any questions you may have it was also awesome being able to hold some of the animals its also really cool watching them feed the animals

Cute aquarium in Picton, one of the few interesting things to visit in the small town. Was a bit pricy for what it had offered, but you had unlimited re-entry for the day. Had few cute blue penguins on exhibit.

A great little aquarium! We were their for hours. If you can be there for feeding time, do it. They will take you round and explain about all the creatures.

Worth a roam around outside if you don’t want to pay the entrance fee.

It's quite small for a museum but it very informative for people who want to learn more about whaling industry in the past. They also exhibit many medical artifacts which are really interesting. btw just $3 for students.

Great museum Worth to visit, and will learn a lot local cultural and whaling history Picton town is so small. If you have a hour to spend. Recommend to try this museum It only cost $5. But definitely worth

Amazing Display of Whaling History and Old Whale Catching Equipment. Also a section about Picton General History.

Such a lvly place to visit. Learnt loads more of our history...took me back to my school day teachings of Kupe and the foreshore. Dustless museum. Recommend highly to visit or re-visit this amazing place of history. $5 entry per adult. So worth it. Thank u Picton Museum 😊

Great museum and well worth a visit to read about the Peranos whaling operations.

Great spot, should have come for a look earlier....Stephanie was lovely.

Small ISH car park, spaces when we attended. Great walk from here along the ridge line to the lookout. Would 100% recommend but view from car park excellent even if no time for the walk!

Pretty good view from here! Honestly would be a great place to pull up a park and watch the sunset. We walked in further for the view, but felt like the view at the start was almost just as good.

Su h a nice walk with many nice viewpoints. You don't have to walk too much, 30min will be enough to have great view of the Queen Charlotte sound.

Nice walk with many lookout points so you can go as far as you like without needing to go the full length. Note that the road is one way, so enter via Sussex St. Google maps doesn’t seem know it is one way so if it brings you around the other way then you’ll need to loop around to the entrance.

Scenic, easily accessible, not crowded. Low spots can get muddy after rain. Need to do a better job on maintenance.

Gorgeous views with well positioned seating. Track basic for a great natural bush walk with views of the sounds.

The beginning of the track from the car park is quite exposed/sunny and gets shady once you get to the mountain. There is a nice view from the Queen Charlotte Viewpoint, it takes 2hr return from the car park if you are only travelling to this lookout (it will be a longer walk if you go to the Snout Track Head). There is a toilet at the Queen Charlotte Viewpoint but no tap to refill water.

The two of us stayed here for a few days to escape the heavy rain. We booked one of the cabins, and it was just right. Very cozy and practically furnished. The kitchen is well-equipped. The heating works perfectly and reaches the desired temperature quickly. The shower is great, with a powerful jet and hot water. The staff is very friendly and helpful. There are also some beautiful hiking trails along the coast in the area. A good place for short or long stays; I can recommend it to anyone!

The camp site is so neat and tidy. The rooms are huge and there is so much to do there. Spa pools play grounds and more. 10 out of 10. The staff are also the most kind and accommodating people ever. I was having a couple of issues along the way on our trip and they were so nice to my kids and I. Really helped put a smile back on my face. I can’t recommend this place enough 🫶🏼

Easy to book, arrival check-in was super easy and staff friendly. Amenities were clean and hot water in the shower was perfect! Kitchen and bbq area maintained and lots of space for many people. Play area looked fun and can imagine children of all ages enjoying the park, games and space. Camp grounds were green and well cared for. Didn't use the rooms (but could see inside them - not occupied at the time) and they looked comfortable, clean and spacious. Dump point and water for campervans was so cool (I know - not something that gets mentioned but hey/)

We arrived late and discovered that our camper van company had given us the wrong power cable. Despite the hour, Dahna (I believe that was her name) at reception was incredibly helpful and went out of her way to assist us. Her kindness and support were truly appreciated! The room we were provided was also lovely—thank you for a great experience.

Amazing place, Amazing person ! We arrived 5min after reception closing (we know, not nice but happened sometimes) The receptionist (Who I believed is also the park manager) opened the office to Check us in (we did not have a booking and where ready to go somewhere else) ! She was amazingly nice and we felt welcome in the park this night ! The place itself is really nice with nice grass and really quiet ! The price is also really good, and I think one of the cheapest one we did in NZ, with all the facilities included (Free hot and unlimited showers, wifi, full serviced kitchen) Amazing again Thank you !

The host was super warm - friendly and more than accomidating, such a pleasent place to stay, mant thanks - kids did love the RJ factory as reccomended :) Many thanks

FALSE ADVERTISING. Absolutely terrible, I encouraged 3 families to stay here opposed to where they suggested we stay based on the 27° swimming pool, spa and trampoline that the kids would enjoy, NONE of these things were available so we paid over $500 for one night. False advertising, no offer of refund. Not a good place to bring kids for a holiday!!!

Amazing day out in the sounds. Walked from Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge. With this tour you get about 6h to complete this and you definitely need at least 5 to finish the 17km track. It's not challenging but still a fair bit of walking. Mostly you walk though native bush, the viewing points are outstanding.

Absolutely amazing afternoon spent out on the boat. Great commentary from the skipper! We got to see dolphins as well as orca's. Seeing the whales was certainly unexpected! The boat was clean and comfy, with most time spent on the upstairs deck, but was warm and comfy down below when wanting to get out of the sun/wind for brief periods. 100% recommend!

My partner and I had an amazing time last weekend (08/02/25) on Beachcomber’s “Day in the Sounds at Furneaux Lodge” tour. We left at 9am on the Tiri Cat boat, and we couldn’t have asked for a better day trip! All the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful, and our skipper was very knowledgeable and funny. The cruise itself was comfortable and smooth, and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. My partner and I also really enjoyed the brief stop at Ship Cove. We opted to do the 12.7km hike from Furneaux Lodge to Punga Cove, and we are so happy we did! The hike itself isn’t too challenging and you are given plenty of time to complete it at a reasonably relaxed pace. The views that you get as you walk along the Queen Charlotte Track are 100% worth it! The return boat was punctual picking us up from Punga Cove Resort and we arrived back to Picton on time. We would highly recommend Beachcomber Cruises and look forward to sailing with them again next time we’re in the Marlborough Sounds! 😊

A truly professional team and I cannot thank Greg and Donna enough for sorting out my mishap, and turning it into a great adventurous day. I missed my stop in the morning from Furrneaux Lodge to Punga Cove, and ended up back in Picton. But thankfully, Greg was doing the afternoon Mail Run and I got to jump on the tour, deliver mail, give biscuits to cute doggos, and learn all about the Queen Charlotte Sound. I love being on the water, and the weather was spectacular, so it was a great day cruising around, albeit I didn’t get back to Punga Cove until after 5pm to meet my hubby - on Valentine’s Day!! Thanks team, you are absolute professionals and I highly recommend anyone travelling to Picton that they book themselves on the Mail Run - 10 stars!!!

Missed my Picton mail run because I was late, but staff switched to a different tour next day no charge so I was happy to fit a sound tour in. Weather wasn't cooperative on an overcast day, but I still enjoyed the outing, watching dramatic skies, moody misty hills, looking out for wildlife, and the commentary on the local area. Any time on the water is fine to me. I'll be back, I hope, for that mail run.

I can't recommend this buisness highly enough. Informative skipper, safe journey, heaps of wildlife and experiencing how people live in this part of the world. Thanks Beachcomber!

We have booked a 1 day Queen Charlotte Track. We had a very nice cruise in the Sounds. After that we started our walk at Furneaux lodge. We had enough time to do the 12 km until Punga Cove Resort. It was such a great scenic walk. The Beachcomber crew was very friendly and professionnal. The price is fair too! We highly recommend this company.

Came as a guest of a berth holder. I hadn't been to Waikawa in a couple of years and WOW the development is phenomenonal! The toilet/shower/laundry facilities are just amazing, clean and well maintained. Security was great as well with protection from randoms wandering down the fingers or having access to the facilities.

You gotta go for a walk here. Lovely seeing all the boats.

Just stunning to have a stroll around.

Great facility, with good amenities. Significant improvements to amenities. A safe place to have a mooring.

Nice to sit having cup of tea

Awesome facilities. The only problem was there are no taxis in Picton and Waikawa quite a hike to Picton town and supermarkets. There is a restaurant at the marina which had good pub food.

We had a brilliant afternoon at the jolly Roger restaurant great service and amazing weather

Short steep walk down to a beautiful view with a picnic table. If you time the tide right it is a fun walk back to Picton along the shoreline.

A short but scenic walk that will take you to a small & rocky stretch of beach. So accessible from the the main Picton Bay - it made for a perfect slow morning stroll. Slightly steep in some parts but I took a very leisurely pace.

To enjoy this amazing view of the bay you need to be physically fit. The surrounding area has lots of climbing and descends as well as super quite. It is one of the places where i want to spent my holidays without any second thought. Every scenery is breathtaking! One can spend the whole day only by enjoying the magnificent view.

Great hike. Not very difficult and plenty of places to end the track. You can walk as far as 2 hours each way. There is an upper track as well as along the water so you can hike it as a loop. There are also many bike paths if you are more comfortable on 2 wheels instead of your feet!

Excellent walk if you have stepped off cruise boat and want to get a taste of the Sounds/ beauty of the area without getting too hot and sweaty! Nice sunny day take towel and bathing costume.

Really fun walk to the reserve , especially would recommend the lower walkway, since you're rewarded with great views from here

No rubbish, so only take what you are prepared to take back with you. It's part of a nature reserve so please don't litter. Toilet is a long drop type. Moderately difficult paths to get there and back. Upper track access from road just before Snout track car park is short but very steep and a little rough. A little less steep but longer track from Shelly Beach, Picton. Beach walk needs low tide to get through and even then you have to walk on the rocks.

Marcella was a super nice tour leader, chauffeur, lot stories, good sense of humour and powerful, positive vibes. 🤗 Visited 4 wineries, small, mostly family run business and not the big ones. Amazing places and wines. 😋 Our last stop was a surprise, so don't spoiler, you need to book and you'll see 😉

We had a lovely afternoon with our guide, Chris, and so glad we booked this wine tour! We visited 3 wineries and the staff were all so friendly and welcoming. Chris had great knowledge and we really enjoyed his company for the afternoon! Would highly recommend this tour, and Chris :)

A fun afternoon with a great guide Marcella . We visited 4 small wineries all a bit different and tried 4 different wines at each so definitely eat before you go and drink lots of water . At our last stop we bought a lovely cheese platter to stop the munchies too . All the wines were lovely and some were available to export too !

We had a lovely afternoon visiting boutique wineries. All the cellar doors staff were so friendly and informative. Sam, our host / tour guide was very knowledgeable and charming. Would highly recommend this tour.

We had an excellent half day wine tour with the option of a lunch prior to the tour. Our hosts were exceptional, the lunch, wine and chocholate tastings were fun and very well run. Everyone on our wine tour, eight of us in total got on fabulously. I would recoment this tour to anyone.

Driver + Guide: Mr. Andy (the BEST) We elected to join the half-day wine tour (Marlborough Sounds). We had Mr. Andy as our trip driver and guide. He is one of the most professional and ethical human being we have met in all of our travels. Very sharp and safe driver. He is professional, knowledgeable of his region and country, kind, helpful and most importantly, full of insights and surprise tid-bits of the vineyards, the people at the vineyards and the surrounding areas. He knows how to adapt and customize the commentary according to our personalities and preferences. My partner and I, were glad it was Mr. Andy that accompanied us around Marlborough Sounds. We felt safe and had a great time at the wineries knowing that we are safe with him. We went to 4 wineries and a surprise stop at Makana Confections chocolate boutique. It was a pleasant surprise for us chocolate lovers, and their chocolate is authentic and good. 4 Wineries visited: Villa Maria (3/5), Framingham (4/5), No.1 Family Estate (4/5), Whitehaven (5/5). We had a great time at each vineyard, the ratings attached are more the chemistry/sentiment we experienced at the relevant vineyards, and the range of wine we tried at each of them. My partner and I felt most comfortable and learned the most at Whitehaven (Katie at Whitehaven knows a lot about the grapes, the process, the history, and she had a lot to share to us laymen wine consumers, full of stories and anecdotes). Once again, a must do tour and recommend doing it with Sounds Connection. Their office is near the town center close to the waterfront. Enjoy.

Booked the half day wine tour via Get Your Guide and we had a really great time! Sam was our tour guide who was very informative and funny. We visited 4 wineries where the various staff were welcoming and passionate about their wine/ vineyards. Would definitely do again to try some different spots :)

Round 'a' Mini Golf is a perfect way to spend a sunny day trying to hit a small ball into a series of confusingly designed holes. At first, it's almost too easy—some holes are so straightforward you wonder if they're just testing your ability to stand upright and hold a club. But then you hit the back nine, where things get interesting, or perhaps just unnecessarily complicated. It's like the course decided to throw in a few challenges just to remind you that mini golf, much like life, can suddenly become baffling and unpredictable. The price is fair, considering you're basically paying to question your hand-eye coordination and decision-making skills. Overall, Round 'a' Mini Golf is a good option if you're in the mood for mild frustration disguised as fun. It's not Augusta, but for the price, it’s a decent way to spend an afternoon pretending you're better at golf than you actually are.

Recently got into mini golf we realised there was one here and had to have a go. It was a cool course! Some really hard holes but lots of fun! Lots of other people and families were there. Will be back next time we are in picton!

Well, we just had another great time here. Lovely place to go whatever the weather. Always clean, tidy and the staff are very welcoming. Dog friendly as a bonus. And to cap it all, our daughter had to buy the drinks after, because she lost, result! See you again.

Pretty chill fun mini golf course, great value for money

On a sunny day this is perfect, good vibes and a fun, unique course. Would recommend as a family activity.

Great course and in very good condition. The best so far in NZ!

Pretty good course with some challenging holes.

Beautiful harbour, plenty of food and drink, accommodation options. They did cancel Sounds are simply stunning.

Nice seaside feel, goodcafes and bars, great walks and bike rides!

Was not problem at all

Beautiful sailing in and this small place is a quite relaxing small town with friendly people and happy food try the restaurant on the promenade watching the water and just relax ,or catch a Marching band on some days

Lots of places to eat while waiting for your ferry. Nice views and places to rest.

Nice place

Nice Harbour surrounded by the hills.

Rarely has the advertising slogan “Let the train take the strain” been so appropriate! From the helpful staff at check-in to the service by the on-board team, the train travel experience was great. What a stark contrast to the UK… And I haven’t yet mentioned the effortless viewing of the land and seascape which unfolded as we made our way South along the coast to Kaikoura. I recommend seats 5A and 5B which face the direction of travel so the coast is to your left and you have an unobstructed view out of the window (we actually sat in 6A and 6B which have a pillar in one’s line of sight looking forward). This carriage A was next to the restaurant car and toilet, so it’s double-convenient. And in another invidious comparison with UK train operators, there was something worth eating and drinking! Not only that, having ordered at the counter the hot drinks were delivered to our seats - so no stressing about spillage! There’s an open viewing wagon which my partner tried for a minute - there’s windchill involved so do wear a coat - but I was perfectly content to see from my seat. All in all a great way to get from Picton to Kaikoura.

Beautiful Train Station. Kept in its original state. Some days there are vintage days where people dress up and all the vintage cars come out of the woodwork. Great location, Toilets, and staff.

Small station to catch the train, only for check in is offered here. Park across the street with toliets

Journey takes around 5.5 hours. The seats are comfy with plenty of leg room. Headphones provided for GPS activated commentary. Refreshments available were reasonably priced and a decent selection. No need to take a book - the ever changing scenery provides all the entertainment you need, especially along the Coastal section, where spotting the seals and searching for dolphins is fun. Staff friendly and helpful.

Nice we Railway station with a subway shop built in and start ponit for two scenic train journeys.

Needs more seats on the platform.

PRS is a quaint little station close to the Picton CBD located 3 doors away from the Apex Car Rental Office, and a stone's throw from the Atlantis Backpackers. If you don't wish to hire a rental car, try taking the train to Christchurch. You'll see more of the coastal views and enjoy a scenic trip this way.

Indoor playground with inflatable jumping castle and some arcade games. Few broken bits. Nice and warm. Supermarket and cafe in the same complex; Mariner’s Mall.

My kids really enjoyed it. Though it was seriously lacking attention/maintenance and a bit unclean. The ball pit was rather empty with alot of broken balls in it.

Play ground was FILTHY, the under 3s area had old crumbs on the carpet, puzzle pieces were missing , just junk really. The older area was just as grubby, obviously hadn't been cleaned for a long time. Disappointed, wouldn't recommend it.

Such a cool place! It's not huge which is perfect, a parent can just relax in a comfy chair while the kids are endlessly entertained, seriously, we were there for hours. Cool friendly management, facilities handy, totally recommend

Turned up after a small drives to find out it was closed. Waste of petrol and time need to update google hours if not open. Very disappointed child.

Average opening hours, went all the way over there from Blenheim and they had decided to close early even though there were kids playing, hours on the internet say 10-4pm on Wednesday but it is only open until 2pm (should have looked on their actual website, it is in there), just as well I rang first this time!

My kids love this place they could play all day and it's safe for them to the point were it makes my life easy not having to look for them or make sure they haven't run out to the road.

A long track steep in places that leads to a stunning view of ferries entering Picton. Also has mountain bike trails weaving in and out of the walking track. Bob's Bay is also worth a visit however it is a very steep section.

The hike was pleasant. I wore my KEEN sandals and regretted it because the path was gravel lined and dirt. There were areas where there were exposed tree roots. In February, there were no bugs surprisingly. The path is narrow, only allowing someone to pass you who is going the opposite direction from you. It is uphill all the way so grab a hiking pole or walking stick. At the top, there is a reservoir tank. Go left and around. There's a bench not far from the tank where you can sit and enjoy the views. We continued on the path thinking it would return us to the starting point but after 20 minutes, we decided to backtrack instead of continuing on the path.

Difficult to spot as Google maps doesn’t show the actual walking track just the road. After you go across the bridge look past the rowing club on the left and that’s the start of the walk. Reasonably steep but it wasn’t a particularly long climb. Once at the top keep walking past the water tank and then walk alongside the road until you spot the lookout. Amazing view of the area, though the ferry is obnoxiously loud as spoils the serene backdrop. Fellow hikers said not to bother going further as there are no other lookouts. We saw a few birds but nothing else. There’s a few mtb trails around this area as well.

Nice easy track, some stairs but not hundreds. Great views along the way and beautiful forests.

Nice track with good harbour views

A great walk. Took the dog on a leash. Great track. A few steep parts and steps.

perfect stunning views

This metal framed, wooden decked footbridge provides convenient pedestrian access across the entrance to Picton Marina. It also offers an ideal vantage point for tourists to get great views and photos Picton harbour. The wooden decking is fitted with metal strips to minimise the slip hazard when it is wet.

If you are in Picton you must go to the coathanger bridge just by the town Wharf. It gives you a viewpoint across the bay and the hills. It puts Picton into perspective and an historical sense to show how sheltered it was.

Nice bridge on a nice day

A Perfect spot with nice view towards to the harbour and beautiful surroundings of mountains blend with coastal environment.

Amazing beautiful place

A lovely bridge to cross from one side of the marina to the other. It is easy to traverse as they have put anti-slip tracks down. Check out the padlocks attached to the bridge rail reminiscent of a bridge in Paris and the stingrays around the wharf.

Nice safe little seaside spot.

We are travelling through New Zealand from Toronto, Canada and Lochmara Lodge was recommended to us as a lovely place to relax and enjoy the area around the Queen Charlotte Sound. The recommendation was perfect and we loved our stay at Lochmara Lodge. We braved the walk to the Onahau lookout which was long and hard but you are rewarded with stunning views. The lodge itself has wonderful rooms (amazing beds), a great cafe and all of the staff was warm and friendly. The underwater marine life observatory was really cool (even for us 60 year olds) and kayaking around the bay was really beautiful. The jellyfish were mesmerizing. Niki and Chris have a gem here and I highly encourage anyone considering a visit to New Zealand and to the Queen Charlotte/Marlborough Sounds area to stay at Lochmara Lodge.

Stayed here for a rest day while walking the Queen Charlotte Track, and had a wonderful, recuperative experience. I was lucky enough to be one of only a couple of guests, as the lodge had only opened for the season a week earlier. This meant I got focused, VIP treatment from all the staff. They really went above and beyond, from ordering in vegan ice cream for me to giving me a private tour of the underwater observatory. I loved every moment at Lochmara, especially the bath house -- which was perfect for my hike-tired muscles

We absolutely love Lochmara, and return every spring, it's one of our favourite places in NZ. It's a great place to explore with kids. The food, coffee and service is always brilliant. The cafe, grounds and rooms are very clean and tidy, and the team are kind and friendly. See you again next time.

The coolest lodge in one of the most beautiful places far and wide! simply stunning!! go swimming at night and marvel at the wonder of plankton (dinoflagellaten)... there's nowhere more beautiful than here! ✨

The owners and staff were absolutely lovely. They were so welcoming and we enjoyed our stay. Definitely coming back!

We stayed for a night with my partner and I can say it was definitely a perfect choice to celebrate our anniversary. The most amazing surprise for us was that even though it wasn't advertised anywhere, we saw some bioluminiscence activity in the shore! It was surreal to see that and definitely what made this an unforgettable place. We went to the underwater observatory and we really liked this experience but definitely because our guide, Sophie, was very knowledgeable, educational and nice. She answered all of our questions and you could tell she genuinely loves animals. The other side of this is that we were dissapointed because the windows of the underwater observatory were dirty, even though they were last cleaned a bit more than a week ago. They told us they get dirty faster in summer. In our opinion if this is the build up you get in 1 week, the cleaning should definitely be done more frequently. What makes this an amazing place: - Friendly staff - Free kayaking - Hike nearby - Nice beautiful accomodation - Bioluminescence!! - Beautiful nice little beach Things that could improve: - Written tips or guidance on where to go kayaking with better maps. - Even though we really enjoyed lunch and breakfast, we had the special pasta of the day for dinner and it was so dissapointing.. it was flavorless, not good and not too bad either, it was just okay.. - Underwater observatory windows Edit: something important I forgot to mention, we wish they sold packages including dinner breakfast lunch and transportation, as there were only 2 package options and they didnt have transport and food at the same time.

My daughter and I stayed here for one of the nights of our Queen Charlotte Track walk. We shared a budget twin room. It was excellent for our needs, spacious enough, and very clean in both bedroom and ensuite bathroom. The price was reflective of quality and the remote location. The staff at reception and the cafe were all very friendly, informative, and helpful. The cafe menu was varied, the food was delicious, and again, the prices were perfectly acceptable. The environment had stunning scenery, a range of fun and interesting things to do,with a clear focus on sustainability and conservation. The track approach once entering the property was scattered with outdoor sculptures, a great first impression. I will definitely make an effort to return, next time with my husband, he will love it!