Camping Grounds

Camping Around Wine Country

The standout option near Blenheim is the Spring Creek Holiday Park - next to a crystal clear spring-water creek with tame eels wandering about, and well set up for wine tour access. If you want to get off the beaten track a bit more, Whites Bay campsite is arguably the best of the lot - private little nooks amongst the trees, but note that wine tour shuttles won't pick you up there. Rarangi campsite is right on the beach and does get tour pickups, which makes it a pretty sweet combo. There's also Clairvale Garden and Vineyard if you want something a bit more tucked away in the vineyard surrounds.

Picton and the Sounds

If you're coming off the ferry and need a base, there are a few solid options on Waikawa Road - away from the main Picton traffic and right next to a beautiful marina bay. The Picton Tasman Holiday Parks is well placed if you just need a clean, easy stopover walkable to town. Over in Havelock, Havelock Holiday Park does the job nicely as a base for exploring the Pelorus Sound. The Sounds also have a huge number of basic DOC-style sites - many only reachable by boat or kayak - if you're after something genuinely remote.

Don't Skip Pelorus Bridge

On the drive between Marlborough and Nelson, the Pelorus Bridge campground is a proper good stop. Lush riverside setting under big old kahikatea trees, amazing aqua-coloured swimming water when the weather's been dry, and a fun little swing bridge walk nearby. It gets absolutely rammed in NZ holiday season, so go at other times if you can.