Destination guides > Pacific Islands > New Zealand > Marlborough > Blenheim
Blenheim
Blenheim is the largest town in the Marlborough region and it is the commercial centre for New Zealand’s top wine producing district. Marlborough wines – particularly sauvignon blanc – have an excellent reputation internationally and the locally produced Cloudy Bay is considered one of the best.
The attraction for many budget travellers is the abundance of work in the vineyards, especially during the grape harvest. The managers of the local backpackers’ hostels are a tremendous source of knowledge when it comes to looking for work.
Practical information
Blenheim i-SITE Visitor Centre
Blenheim Railway Station, Sinclair Street, Blenheim
Tel (03) 577 8080
Website www.destinationmarlborough.co.nz
Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-4pm
Coming & going
AIR
Blenheim Airport, on State Highway 6 near Renwick, handles Air New Zealand (tel 0800 737 000) flights to Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington and Air2there (tel (04) 904 5130) flights from Wellington and Paraparaumu.
Both airlines’ service to and from Wellington is a good alternative to the ferry.
BUS
Blenheim lies on State Highway 1, which runs down the east coast of the South Island. State Highway 6 starts in Blenheim and goes to Invercargill via Nelson and the West Coast.
It is well served by coach and shuttle bus services linking Picton with Kaikoura and Christchurch as well as Nelson and the West Coast. These include Atomic Shuttles (tel (03) 349 0697), InterCity Coachlines (tel (03) 365 1113) and Naked Bus. Buses stop at i-SITE Visitor Centre/train station on Sinclair Street.
TRAIN
The TranzCoastal train linking Christchurch and Picton stops at Blenheim. The train station is on Sinclair Street in the town centre.
Hostel accommodation
Arrow Backpackers
107 Budge Street, Blenheim
Tel (03) 577 9857
BKH Limited
71 Budge Street, Blenheim
Tel (03) 578 4599
Cherrycamp House
52 Budge Street, Blenheim
Tel (03) 579 5445
Copper Beech House
73 Maxwell Road, Blenheim
Tel (03) 579 2246
The Grapevine
29 Park Terrace, Blenheim
Tel (03) 578 6062
Honi-B Backpackers
18 Parker Street, Blenheim
Tel (03) 577 8441
Jack’s Backpackers
144 High Street, Blenheim
Tel (03) 578 7375
Koanui Backpackers
33 Main Street, Blenheim
Tel (03) 578 7487
Leeways Backpackers
33 Landsdowne Street, Blenheim
Tel (03) 579 2213
The Station Backpacker
1a Dillons Point Road, Picton
Tel (03) 577 6737
Swampys Backpackers
2 Ferry Road, Spring Creek, Blenheim
Tel (03) 570 2180
Sightseeing, museums & tourist attractions
Marlborough Musem
This large regional museum has exhibits of local history and culture. A new gallery with displays about Marlborough’s wine industry is scheduled to open in 2009.
Brayshaw Park, 26 Arthur Baker Place, Blenheim
Tel (03) 578 1712
Website www.marlboroughmuseum.org.nz
Admission $5
Open 10am-4pm daily
Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre
The excellent Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, 5km south of Blenheim, is home to a large collection of rare aircraft.
93 Aerodrome Road, Omaka
Tel (03) 579 1305
Website www.omaka.org.nz
Admission $18
Open 10am-4pm daily
