Discover North Canterbury
Plan your visit
The North Canterbury Wine Region has everything you’ve been looking for to fill up your one-day or one-month itinerary. Meet the people putting the region on New Zealand’s wine and food map, dine inside nationally acclaimed restaurants, forage for your dinner, wake up surrounded by panoramic views, and experience things you never knew existed in this emerging land…
Discover the best cellar doors across North Canterbury.
Explore great places to eat, from casual bites to standout fine-dining experiences.
Explore places to stay across North Canterbury.
Taste world-class wines at over 20 cellar doors and meet the passionate makers behind them.
Cellar Doors
Our Services
Get up and personal with the country’s most diverse and unique range of wine, grown and produced in the very heart of North Canterbury. Visit over twenty cellar doors and meet the people behind our region’s family-owned wineries and vineyards…
Restaurants
Experience the food
In North Canterbury, food and wine are in harmony. With a rich abundance of produce growing throughout the region, our people are known for foraging, gathering and hunting to create beautiful dishes that hero real, fresh and seasonal ingredients. Find out what makes North Canterbury an award-winning culinary destination…
Accomodation
Somewhere to stay
Our home is your home. Escape to breathtaking Waipara vistas as the evening sun sets fire to the rolling hills and romantic country barns surrounded by Akaroa Harbour sights. The region is full of relaxing pockets – to put up your feet and rest your head (with a glass of local wine close by).
Explore
Experience the action
Come for the wine and food, stay for so much more. Whether you’re here for the day or for weeks on end, we’ll have your itinerary chockfull of good stuff in no time.
Cycle or walk the Waipara Valley Vineyard Trail, let your hair loose on a jetboat, cast out your rods and catch your dinner, carve up the wild surf, sail around the harbours, be charmed by second-hand vintage shops – and that’s not even the half of it.
Here's a few recommendations…
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There are endless opportunities to get on your bike and experience the wider North Canterbury region on two wheels, from Waipara to Hanmer, Cheviot and beyond.
The Waipara Valley Vineyard Walking and Cycling Trail is the most well-known of them all and allows you to soak up the scenery and atmosphere of the Waipara Valley and Vineyards, while never missing a wine tasting on the way!
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The Weka Pass Railway is a historic rural railway using both vintage steam and diesel-electric locomotives through the unique limestone beauty of North Canterbury. The Weka Pass Railway is a totally voluntary organization, whose members are dedicated to the preservation of New Zealand’s rail heritage.
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Breathe in the wild air of North Canterbury and walk amongst the vast rolling hills and beautiful vistas of Waipara and Waikari Valley as well as further north towards Hanmer and Cheviot. Hiking up to the Maori Cave Drawings in Waikari is a must!
See visithurunui.co.nz/hiking for more places to wander by foot.
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A line up of top quality goods from local artisan producers makes this a great Saturday morning ritual for locals as well as visitors. Enjoy live music, takeaway food and coffee and delicious products to fill your picnic basket or pantry for the week ahead.
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Visit the popular Waikuku Beach and Gore Bay for surfing, or the local fishing village and beach of Motanau.
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Hanmer Springs has a long history in relaxation and recuperation – fun fact: this town was the very site of the South Island’s Military Hospital where New Zealand Troops were sent for restoration after both World Wars. Nowadays, the mineral rich thermal waters at Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools are still exceptionally rejuvenating, as well as the world class spa treatments.
