Otago, Invercargill, and Stewart Island
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Otago, Invercargill, and Stewart Island - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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21. Speight's Brewery Heritage Centre
For a tasty indulgence, head to the Speight's Brewery Heritage Centre for a 90-minute tour of the South's top brewery, which dates back to 1876 on this very same site. Here you can see the various stages of gravity-driven brewing, learn the trade's lingo such as wort and grist, and taste the results. Speight's makes several traditional beers, the most common being its Gold Medal Ale. The company claims that this is the drink of choice for every "Southern Man," which isn't far from the truth. Watch a video of various Speight's iconic television ads and learn to say the tough Southern way, Good on ya, mate.
200 Rattray St., Dunedin, Otago, 9016, New Zealand03-477–7697Sight Details
Rate Includes: NZ$25, Reservations essential -
22. St. Clair Beach
The sea at Dunedin can be a little wild; in summer an area between flags is patrolled by lifeguards. St. Clair has some good surfing, and hosts some prestigious competitions. Don't be too spooked by the shark bell on the Esplanade: a fatal attack hasn't occurred for 50 years (although nonfatal attacks have occurred at least once a decade). Local residents show what they're made of at the annual "midwinter plunge" held on the beach at winter solstice. If the ocean is too cold for you, try the Hot Salt Water Pool at the southern end of the beach (NZ$7 admission). South of town is the Tunnel Beach Walkway, a sandstone tunnel cut in 1870 by Edward Cargill so that his family could get down to the pretty beach below (this walk is closed from August through October for lambing). Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; walking.
Beach St., Dunedin, Otago, 9012, New Zealand -
23. Taiaroa Head
Overlooking the albatross colony at Fort Taiaroa is the world's only restored Armstrong "Disappearing" Gun, a 6-inch-caliber artillery piece installed during the Russian Scare of 1886, when Russia was making hostile maneuvers through the Pacific. The gun was shot in anger only once, during World War II, when it was fired across the bow of a fishing boat that failed to observe correct procedures. Tours range from 30 to 90 minutes and can include albatross viewing, Fort Taiaroa, and an Albatross Insight presentation.
Taiaroa Head, Otago, New ZealandSight Details
Rate Includes: Combined tour with Albatross Colony NZ$62 -
24. Taieri Gorge Railway (The Inlander)
A route along the now-closed Otago Central Railway (now christened The Inlander) runs from Dunedin to Pukerangi and Middlemarch, home of the annual Middlemarch Singles' Ball; each year this very train imports young city gals up to a dance with lonely Otago sheep shearers. The highlight of the trip is the run through the narrow and deep Taieri Gorge, with 10 tunnels and dozens of bridges and viaducts, all of which can be enjoyed from open-air viewing platforms. Also available is a seasonal Seasider route from Dunedin up the coast to Palmerston. The train runs every day; check the timetable for its destination. Reservations are essential. Cyclists can connect at Middlemarch to the wonderful Otago Central Rail Trail.
Dunedin Railway Station, Dunedin, Otago, 9016, New Zealand03-477–4449Sight Details
Rate Includes: From NZ$91 -
25. The Mole
The Mole, which splits the picturesque white-sand beach at the end of the Aramoana Peninsula, is a 1-km-long (½-mile-long) artificial breakwater protecting the entrance to Otago Harbour. A walk atop the breakwater is especially exciting when there is a big running sea. The beach and sand dunes to the east are known as Shelly Beach, while to the west, Big Beach extends for more than 2 km (about a mile). At points along this stretch, steep rock faces come down to the waterline and are popular with rock climbers. Seals can be found sun bathing on the rocks.
New Zealand -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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26. The Octagon
The city's hub is the eight-sided town center, lined with several imposing buildings, and a smattering of market stalls, cafés, and bars with tables spilling onto the pavement. In summer it's a meeting place, and it's also the site for the occasional student demonstration. Dunedin City Council provides free Wi-Fi in this grand arena. A statue of Robert Burns sits in front of St. Paul's Cathedral, a part-Victorian Gothic, part-modern building with an imposing marble staircase leading up to a towering facade of Oamaru stone. On Stuart Street at the corner of Dunbar, check out the late-Victorian Law Courts. Their figure of Justice stands with scales in hand but without her customary blindfold (she wears a low helmet instead).
New Zealand -
27. Toitū Otago Settlers Museum
Documents, works of art, technological items, and forms of transport tell the stories of all Otago settlers, from Māori and early European and Chinese to later Pacific Islanders and Asians. The museum hosts changing exhibits and events, with a charge for some events.
31 Queens Gardens, Dunedin, Otago, 9016, New Zealand03-477–5052Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
28. Water Tower
The tower is an exceptional example of Victorian architecture that can be seen peeking above the city's gentle landscape. Built in 1889 to pressurize the water supply, the structure was recognized by New Zealand's Historic Places Trust as one of the country's most outstanding industrial monuments. This ornate landmark is still completely functional. On Sunday afternoon you can sometimes scale the internal staircase of the 139-foot-tall structure.
Doon St., Invercargill, Southland, 9810, New Zealand
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