Land Activities

Wine Country on Two Wheels (or With a Guide)

The Marlborough wine region is the obvious draw for land-based activity here, and the honest answer is that a guided tour beats biking if you want to see the best of it. The guides know the winemakers personally, get you into parts of the vineyard bike tourers don't access, and you won't arrive half-knackered. Wine Tours by Bike is still a genuinely good time though - wind in your hair, five wineries, done. Both options offer pick-up from your accommodation, which matters a lot when you're in a campervan. If you're doing a guided wine tour, the promo code RANKERS gets you 10% off, which is a win when you're already spending on tastings.

Promo code RANKERS - good deal done!

Beachcomber Fun Cruises

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4.6 80 reviews

Hop ‘n Grape Tours

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4.9 7 reviews

Pelorus Bridge is the Walk Worth Stopping For

On the drive between Marlborough and Nelson, Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve is a genuine stop, not just a stretch-your-legs break. The aqua-coloured river is the thing - heaps of swimming spots if it hasn't rained recently. My pick for the walk is the Circle Walk with its swing bridge, easy enough for kids and genuinely lovely. If the main swimming spots are too busy, pull into the Totara Flat Picnic Area just south of the bridge for a quieter dip.

The Queen Charlotte Track is also worth knowing about if you want something more serious in the Sounds. It's less busy than Abel Tasman and the scenery delivers. A water taxi like Cougar Line can drop you at a trailhead so you don't have to walk the whole thing - use promo code RANKERS to save a bit on the water taxi side of things.