The Top Places to Visit Near Invercargill
You’ve made it all the way to the bottom of the South Island; now what? While Invercargill has some pretty cool attractions within the city, it’s well worth staying a while to make it your base for some epic day trips. Explore The Catlins Coast, fly to Stewart Island, go to the less-visited southern Fiordland National Park and much more. We cover the Southland highlights with this guide to the best day trips from Invercargill.
For more trip-planning wisdom, head over to The Complete Guide to Invercargill.
5 Best Day Tours from Invercargill
Before checking out the self-drive day trips from Invercargill, consider some of the alternative day tours that depart from Invercargill. They take out the hassle and self-driving that comes with organising your own day trip.
Guided Day Tours from Invercargill
- Stewart Island Big Day Tour with Stewart Island Helicopters (more info on Viator and Tripadvisor)
- Stewart Island Flight and Bus Tour with Stewart Island Flights
- Discover Catlins Coast Tour with Lynette Jack Scenic Sights
- Fly Fishing Tour with Southland Fly Fishing Guides
- Fly Fishing Tour with NZ Guided Fly Fishing.
© UnsplashThe Catlins
The Best Day Trip from Invercargill for Budget Travellers
Travel time by car: 50 minutes to 2 hours one-way
Leave the city behind and travel east to the rugged coast of The Catlins, which spans between Fortrose and Balclutha. The coast offers stunning waterfall walks, lake walks, cave walks, lighthouse walks, sea lion encounters, penguin encounters… In short, a whole lot of nature!
Start planning your day trip from Invercargill using the 10 Incredible Things to Do in The Catlins.
© NZPocketGuide.comStewart Island
The Best Day Trip from Invercargill for Luxury Travellers
Travel time by car and ferry: 1h20mins one-way
Travel time by flight: 20 minutes one-way
While we always recommend at least staying overnight on Stewart Island, a day trip is certainly doable. Take the ferry or a quick flight to the island, arriving in its only town, Oban. There are short walks to enjoy from the town, while a quick ferry trip to the wildlife sanctuary of Ulva Island is highly recommended.
Find out more about activities on this day trip with the 10 Incredible Things to Do on Stewart Island.
© UnsplashRiverton and Colac Bay
The Best Day Trip from Invercargill for Foodies
Travel time by car: 35 minutes one-way
Invercargill’s neighbouring coastal town has plenty to entice. Visit the revered Te Hikoi Culture Heritage Museum, venture through the forest and a historic goldfield on the Long Hilly Track, and do some of the most southern surfing you’re ever likely to do at Colac Bay. Riverton also has its fair share of quaint cafes.
Learn more about this day trip from Invercargill in the 5 Fun Things to Do in Riverton.
© NZPocketGuide.comTuatapere
The Best Day Trip from Invercargill for Families
Travel time by car: 1h10mins one-way
Travel further from Riverton and you’ll come across the town of Tuatapere. This is the southern gateway to the Fiordland National Park and a popular base to sample the Hump Ridge Track – day walk options are available. Nearby is also the free glowworm caves of Clifden Caves, while driving further to Lake Hauroko for hikes and jet boat tours is worth the extra journey.
Check out the 7 Amazing Things to Do in Tuatapere for more information on these experiences.
© NZPocketGuide.comGore
The Best Day Trip from Invercargill for Couples
Travel time by car: 45 minutes one-way
This rural town has a quirky character that’s best expressed at the Hokonui Moonshine Museum. On the other hand, Gore also has some surprises between the astonishing African art in the Eastern Southland Gallery and the impressive array of aircraft at the Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre. Gore is also a go-to for brown trout fishing.
Find out more about Southland’s second-largest town in the 10 Things to Do In and Around Gore.
More About Invercargill Day Trips
That’s it for our guide to the best day trip from Invercargill. For more day trip inspiration, check out the following guides:
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Road and transport tips - Updated [2024])
- DriveSafe (Road safety - Updated [2024])
- Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
- Department of Conservation (Tracks, hikes, campsites and more - Updated [2024])
- AdventureSmart (Know before you go - Update [2024])
- Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2024])
- Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2024])
- Tourism Export Council New Zealand (Tourism trade association - Updated [2024])
- TIA (Independent tourism association - Updated [2024])
- NZ Māori Tourism (Official Māori Tourism platform - Updated [2024])
- Immigration New Zealand (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2024])
Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
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