Travel creator Finding Alexx discovers just how much can fit into one Hurunui road trip.
Travel creator Finding Alexx has returned to Hurunui with a guide connecting some of the district’s best-known places with plenty of the experiences that can be easier to miss.
Her route takes in the alpine landscapes of Hanmer Springs, the vineyards and food of the Waipara area, small North Canterbury towns and the Hurunui coastline — all within a region that can be explored without spending entire days in the car.
Start in Hanmer Springs
Hanmer Springs makes an easy base for travellers who like mixing adventure with time to slow down.
There are mountain-bike and walking trails through the forest, skiing in winter and adventure activities ranging from jet boating to rafting.
Then there is the obvious reward afterwards: a soak at Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa.
Finding Alexx recommends allowing around one or two days in the village rather than treating Hanmer Springs as a quick stop.
That gives enough time to experience both sides of the destination — active in the mountains and forest, relaxed around the village.
Follow the food south
From Hanmer Springs, the landscape gradually shifts towards wine country.
The Waipara area has become one of the strongest food-and-wine stops on the South Island road-trip circuit, with cellar doors, winery restaurants, artisan producers and accommodation surrounded by vines and farmland.
Finding Alexx highlights places including Black Estate, Pegasus Bay and a collection of smaller wineries and local food businesses.
There is enough here to justify a full day — or longer if the plan is to settle in rather than keep driving.
Keep going to the coast
One of Hurunui’s strengths is how quickly the landscape changes.
Continue towards Cheviot and Gore Bay and vineyard country gives way to rugged coast, dramatic cliffs and small rural settlements.
The Gore Bay Tourist Drive and Cathedral Cliffs create an easy detour from State Highway 1, while accommodation around the district ranges from campsites and motels to cabins, pods and secluded rural stays.
A road trip without one headline attraction
Perhaps the most useful thing about the Finding Alexx guide is that it does not treat Hurunui as a destination built around one must-see attraction.
The appeal comes from combining different experiences.
A morning on a mountain-bike trail can end in a thermal pool. A vineyard lunch can be followed by a quiet coastal drive. A small-town café can become part of the journey rather than simply somewhere passed on the highway.
That variety is what makes Hurunui work particularly well as a road-trip destination.
You can come for one part of it — mountains, wine, food or coastline — and usually discover several others before heading home.