Length of stay: 1 day
Visited: April 2025
Akaroa is a charming small town located on the Banks Peninsula on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island that was formed by two ancient shield volcanoes. It was once a French settlement in the 1840s but their influence can still be seen around town today. Akaroa contains historic houses, small shops and restaurants, a lighthouse and a walkable waterfront.
We spent the past week exploring Auckland and the Northland region in the North Island. This morning we were flying to Christchurch to explore the South Island for two and a half weeks. We had a very early start to the day. While we gained an extra hour due to the time change, no one got much sleep. Thankfully it’s a short flight from Auckland to Christchurch, just over an hour and a half, and we had an empty seat next to us.
We arrived in Christchurch around 9:30am. We were hoping M would nap on the flight, something she’s done many times before, and she did. Except it was when we were starting the descent. While we were initially planning to spend the day in Christchurch, after picking up our bags and rental car, we decided to take a day trip to Akaroa so M could take a proper snooze on the drive.
From Christchurch it’s about an hour and a half drive to Akaroa. And of course M didn’t nap. Once we reached the Montgomery Scenic Reserve we decided we could all use some fresh air and exercise. There’s a trail through the lush forest that leads up to the summit of Montgomery Peak. Along the way there’s a few viewpoints. The first one, after about half a kilometre, is at a giant totara, a relatively slow growing tree that’s native to New Zealand and is known for its durability and longevity. This particular tree is reputed to be over 2,000 years old.
We continued onward for a couple hundred metres to the second viewpoint overlooking the Akaroa Harbour. We turned around here as the terrain is reputed to become steeper and progressively more challenging.
Back at the car we had two options to get to Akaora. The shorter route along State Highway 75 or the scenic route along Summit Road. We opted for the latter. Summit Road is a paved and narrow road through the mountains that is filled with lots of twists. That seemed to do the trick to help M fall asleep. The drive provided wonderful views of the harbour and surrounding farm fields filled mostly with sheep. Fun fact: there are about 4.5 sheep for every person in New Zealand.
Parking can easily be found along the waterfront. We opted to walk around instead of drive, which is the best way to explore the small town. We headed to the Akaora Lighthouse, admiring the views of the shoreline and scenery.
On the way back to the car we meandered through the town to check out the historic houses and other points of interest, like the Banks Peninsula War Memorial.
It’s too bad we couldn’t stay longer. But it was time to head back to Christchurch. And we still needed to stop to pick up groceries. We checked into our motel and then got started on a late dinner. It was noticeably more chilly in the evening and the temperature was supposed to drop to 10°C overnight. This was quite the contrast from when we were in the Northland region and had the air conditioning running. It definitely feels like fall on the South Island.
L
The historic houses look amazing! Well, all of the photos are gorgeous. One day isn’t enough to be satisfied with the stunning views, for me. This is a wonderful adventure, Linda. Baby M will be happy seeing these photos when she grows up. Of course, some are hidden.🤩
Thanks for your words. We had a wonderful time wandering around Akaroa. Even the drive to get there was incredibly scenic. It would have been nice to stay a bit longer, but this ended up being a last minute day trip, so I guess I can’t complain!
Love all of your scenic photos and Akaroa also looks beautiful with its heritage wood clad buildings. Hopefully we’ll get to visit South Island one of these days.
Thanks! Akaroa is very charming and is very different compared to some of the other small coastal towns we visited on the South Island. I hope you’re able to visit the South Island someday as I think you’d enjoy it. The scenery is quite varied from the North Island and the mountains are so beautiful.
Thanks for including all these wonderful photos, Linda. It seems such a gorgeous region that yes, it’s too bad you weren’t able to stay longer. That can often happen with travel, though. We can’t know everything ahead of time. I hope you settled well and got some good rest for the next stage of your explorations.
There never seems to be enough time! But I guess it makes us more mindful of how we chose to spend our days. And you’re right, you don’t know everything in advance, including the weather. So you hope (and plan) for the best and try to enjoy the precious little time that we have. It’s funny because we were actually planning to spend the day in Christchurch, so if anything, our day trip to Akaroa was a bonus to begin with!
The scenery is stunning on the Banks Peninsula. I remember visiting Akaroa in 2002 when we took our boys. I may have to add it into our itinerary for this fall’s trip. Thanks for sharing your journey and your inspiring photos Linda. Happy Monday. Allan
I initially had a day trip to Akaroa on our itinerary, but I nixed it so we could spend more time in Christchurch. But then we ended up going there anyway in the hopes that toddler M would nap on the drive. It meant we had less time to explore Christchurch then, but I’m happy with how things played out. Akaroa is a lovely little town. And the drive to get there is beautiful. I hope you’re having fun putting together your NZ itinerary! Take care. Linda
Banks Peninsula looks like a beautiful and picturesque area, Linda. I love its rugged coastline, sheltered bays, beautiful lighthouse and scenic views. Our little one usually sleeps on the plane too, but on the last few flights, the descent was the point where she finally succumbed to tiredness. Travelling with little ones means embracing spontaneity and adapting to unexpected situations, as things rarely go exactly as planned with little ones. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Absolutely! Our schedule revolves around our little one and her nap time. So it always helps to have a back up (or escape) plan. While it would have been nice to spend a bit more time in Christchurch, the drive along the Banks Peninsula was beautiful and we really enjoyed wandering around Akaroa. We’re such a fan of small coastal towns. Thanks for reading. Enjoy the rest of the week. Linda
You are a gift for us armchair travelers! (PS: Always take the scenic route…)
You are too kind. And agreed, it’s so much better to take the scenic route, even if it’s longer. I’ve always enjoyed a good road trip!
Wow! Such gorgeous landscapes. M is already experiencing so much more than the average kid. She will appreciate it as she gets older.
I sure hope so! I’m glad we were able to share this experience with her. And it seems fitting since she was the main reason we were able to visit New Zealand – my husband was on parental leave and I had accumulated a year’s worth of vacation when I was on maternity leave.
Perfect! 😊
Such beautiful views, wow! Thank you for the tour! ❤️
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. It was a beautiful drive and we enjoyed our time wandering around the waterfront. It was also neat to see how different the terrain is on the South Island compared to the North Island.
You’re welcome! ☺️
This looks like a great stop. I can’t get over the amazing scenery.
While we didn’t spend as much time in Christchurch as we had initially planned, this was a lovely spontaneous and scenic day trip.
A great start to the south island. I’ve never heard of Akoara. The scenery is beautiful and the town looks charming. Maggie
It’s a lovely little town that’s not too far from Christchurch. And to think, this wasn’t even on our itinerary, but was a spontaneous idea in the hopes that our little one would fall asleep on the drive.
Oh, what a spectacularly beautiful part of the world! The views over the harbour, in particular, are stunning 🙂
Oh I know! And the views of the harbour just kept getting better and better the closer we got to Akaroa. It was a beautiful drive to get there and we enjoyed our time walking along the waterfront.
Beautiful pictures! I really love the one of the bench overlooking the valley- it feels like a cousin to the red chairs of the national parks 🙂 I’m feeling quite jealous of the chilly weather as the summer heat here is about to be the end of me.
I couldn’t help but chuckle at your comment about the bench being related to the red chairs at our national parks. If you’re going to put up seating on a trail, it totally makes sense to do it at a nice viewpoint. We’re currently in a heat wave at the moment and I’m missing the chilly weather as well!
The area looks spectacular. Is that a lake or not? BTW, looks like a heart shape in my view. Nonetheless, it is surrounded by the relaxing greens. The mountain views are perfect! Nice shot.
Thanks for your lovely comment. It’s not a lake, but rather an inlet that leads to the ocean. Agreed, the surrounding scenery with those lush rolling hills and mountains in the background is beautiful. It certainly made for a scenic drive.
More travels to cone and take care!!
You bet! Our road trip around the South Island of New Zealand was only just getting started!
Your visit to Akaroa looked beautiful, Linda! Some of the views of the mountain skyline in the distance looked like a water colour painting!
Did you pack rosemary and butter with you? That’s a healthy population of sheep!
Baby M is going to be such a resilient kid from the level of adventures she’s had. I dreaded the naps that happen right when you’re arriving at a destination because they are ripe for meltdowns but she’s doing great!
Can’t wait to see your Christchurch recap!
It was a beautiful drive to get to Akaroa and a great way to enjoy the lush landscape. It’s incredible how many sheep there are in New Zealand, especially on the South Island. Our little one loved seeing them. And “baa baa” was one of her new words she picked up on this trip.
Nap times while travelling can be challenging. And it’s becoming harder the older she gets. I don’t think we could have done this trip as easily if we were to go now. And it doesn’t help that we’re now starting to enter the toddler tantrum phase.
Hang on to the naps. I have a mourning period when T stopped napping. 😆
I’m not looking forward to the day when nap times end. Sometimes that’s the only time I can actually get stuff done! But hey, when she’s a bit older, maybe she can help more with cleaning up her toys and some of the housework!
Hope you had a lovely weekend and are surviving the heat!
You have a solid game plan. 💕
The heat is oppressive! 😆
Thankfully it’s a bit cooler and more comfortable outside now. And the weather is looking promising for the long weekend! I still can’t believe it’s almost August. M will be starting day care soon!
That is a huge milestone. Congrats and good luck!
Thanks! I don’t know who is going to have a harder time when she starts day care though. Probably me!
You sure made the most out of one day! Thank you for sharing. Many of your photos look like paintings. Gorgeous. A “proper snooze” is beneficial anytime. 😊
It was a spontaneous adventure, but it ended up being one of our favourite day trips. The scenery was beautiful. And yes, a proper snooze can be beneficial anytime and make a huge difference to your mood and well-being!
😊🙏🏻
Oh my, what gorgeous scenery! Your photos are spectacular. I’m thoroughly enjoying your post from NZ. Well done for traveling so widely with your little one. She’ll be well prepared when she’s grown! Like you, we started taking our daughter to various locations when she was quite young, and she still loves traveling today. In fact, she and her husband are leaving later this week for Costa Rica. We take full responsibility. 😉
Thanks for your kind words. Glad to hear that you travelled with your daughter when she was young as well. It takes much more careful planning and consideration, but it’s so worth it to share the experiences with her. That’s awesome that your daughter still loves travelling! Hope they have a wonderful time in Costa Rica!
Thank you; they’re back now and loved every minute.
Wonderful to hear. We’ve been meaning to visit Costa Rica. It’s high up there on our travel list.
Looks a beautiful excursion with such lovely views. Four and half sheep each huh…lamb for dinner every night 😂
HA!! There used to be a higher sheep to person ratio … maybe that’s why it’s come down!
It looks such a beautiful country. I would love to have visited but unless my fairy godmother turns up… Thanks for taking me there xx
It was quite the trek to get to New Zealand. And we were very worried how our little one would handle the flights. But she surprisingly did much better than expected. Even though we went for five weeks, I could have easily stayed longer. The scenery and people were outstanding. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. Linda
I had an aunt with a pen pal there, a long time ago, and it was the trip of her lifetime. She left my uncle at home in Devon and never regretted a second.
Thanks so much for following my blog xx
What a stunning outing—with such picturesque skin! This means about four and a half sheep per person…must be feasting on lamb every night!
Thanks for your kind words. The scenery along the drive was beautiful. There used to be a much higher ratio of sheep to people. So I guess a lot of people have been feasting on lamb!!
I wasn’t aware of a place called Akaroa before, but oh how beautiful it looks in your photos! The scenic road to get there only makes it even better. It’s interesting to learn about its past French connection, the giant totara, and the historic houses. And the sheep! What’s not to love about them.
It’s funny because we weren’t initially planning to visit Akaroa. But our little one was due for a nap so we figured we might as well take a day trip from Christchurch. We were pleasantly surprised by the drive and beautiful landscape. And the town was very charming with those historic houses. They were quite different compared to other houses in nearby towns.
This sounds like such an amazing trip, Akaroa looks like a dream! I love the little details, like the 2,000-year-old totara tree and the fun sheep fact. Makes me want to plan my own getaway while I’m just sitting here waiting for the carpet cleaners to finish. At least I’m getting a little travel inspiration in the meantime!
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. Akaroa is very charming and the scenery is beautiful. The views of the harbour just kept getting better and better. And all those sheep were very adorable. I hope you’re able to make it to New Zealand someday. It’s such a special place.
The scenery looks beautiful!
With our little one asleep in the back I tried to master the art of taking pictures while we were driving. It was tough to put the camera down as the landscape looked so beautiful.
Wow, that’s a long day! I love the super old tree, and also the views from the scenic route.
It was definitely a long day. And very spontaneous as we were initially planning to explore Christchurch. No regrets as Akaroa was one of our favourite small towns that we visited on the South Island. And the scenery was beautiful, especially on the scenic route.
Absolutely beautiful views on the drive. It’s such a gorgeous country, and that bench sure has a view!
Oh I know! I’m glad my husband was driving so I could take pictures along the way. The views of the harbour just kept getting better and better.
So incredibly beautiful — I wish I was there!
I wish I was still there! New Zealand is such a lovely country. And we enjoyed our unexpected day trip to Akaroa.
It’s amazing how old the trees in NZ are – I remember we saw quite a few during our visit. We also read that there are more sheep than people in NZ – yet we never saw a lot of sheep (we were probably just not in the right places 😉). Love the little lighthouse and stunning photos of your views along the drive.
Oh I know! The ancient kauri trees are very mighty and majestic. That’s funny how you didn’t see a lot of sheep. We noticed that there were a lot more on the South Island compared to the North Island. Our little one loved seeing them all and learned how to say “baa baa” on this trip.
Wow, kind of amazing to think a toddler’s nap schedule and a 2,000-year-old tree crossed paths on the same trail—both persistent in their own ways.🌳😄✈️
Very true! And both were in an agreeable mood!
Love the landscape, especially the photograph of the wooden bench overlooking the valley. Gorgeous! The historic houses are charming. We cannot wait for autumn weather here as the summer has been brutal thus far.
Thanks! The scenery and weather were both wonderful. We’re looking forward to the cooler autumn weather as well. The heat (and especially the humidity) have been oppressive. Hope you’re managing to stay cool.
What a lovely post… I never heard of Akaroa, but it surely looks amazingly beautiful. So peaceful and full of charm. The views, the lighthouse, the ancient trees… it all feels like a perfect place to visit, maybe even live the rest of our lives in peace and harmony.
Thank you for sharing …
Thanks for reading and for your kind words. It’s a charming little town. We weren’t initially planning to visit, but made a last minute decision to check it out in the hopes that our little one would nap on the drive. It was definitely very peaceful and it surprisingly wasn’t too busy considering we were visiting on the weekend.
The landscape looks gorgeous with all the mountains there. The lighthouse is also beautiful!
It was definitely a scenic drive. The hilly landscape looked so lush and the views of the harbour just kept getting better and better. Plus we saw an insane amount of sheep. It was nice to walk around the waterfront afterwards. I can never resist checking out a lighthouse.
Beautiful photography! Well shared 💐
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. I’m convinced it’s impossible to take a bad picture when the landscape is that beautiful.
This is so beautiful 😍. Stunning photos of a gorgeous place.
The landscape was very picturesque with those rolling green hills and beautiful coastal views. We had a lovely scenic drive. And it was nice to stretch our legs and explore the waterfront before driving back to Christchurch.
I like your choices to take the scenic route and to walk instead of drive. It’s nice to truly see and experience places!
Even though it took a bit longer, it was well worth it to take the scenic route. Plus our little one was napping, so it worked out well!
I find how you manage so much travel with a little one in tow particularly thoughtful and fascinating! You could write another blog just on that 😊
Aww thanks! Every time we travel and she gets a bit older, it’s a whole different set of challenges and considerations!! And different stuff to pack!
Beautiful!
I’d say the scenic route lived up to its reputation! It was a very lovely drive to get from Christchurch to Akaroa and back again.
I also took the narrow summit road to get to Akaora. I was interested to see what was left of the French attempt to set up a colony there. There are a few references, but for commercial purposes.
The scenic route along the summit road is definitely the way to go, even though it’s a longer drive. The history of this town is fascinating. It’s also very charming.
Every single picture is absolutely beautiful. I honestly don’t know how you could ever leave.
Thanks for your lovely comment. The drive was incredibly scenic and the town itself very charming with all those historic houses. They had a lovely used bookstore there too that you would have loved.
It sounds perfect.
It was. This ended up being one of our favourite spontaneous adventures in New Zealand.
I so love love love Akaroa. Thanks Linda for taking me back there through your lens