Dunedin Travel Guide

Larnach Castle has featured in pretty much every section of our guide and that tells you all you need to know when it comes to paying a visit. This is New Zealand’s only castle and is truly spectacular. Set to the dramatic backdrop of the Otago Peninsula and beyond, the castle and beautiful grounds are a must visit any time of the year. In the warm, summer months, it’s great to get out and explore the grounds. In the winter, a tour of the castle is a great way to spend a few hours and if there is snow on the ground, the castle looks magical. Larnach Castle is one of our exclusive GO Play partners so you can save 10% on a castle tour when you show your GO Play card.

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People don’t always think of beaches when they think of Dunedin but the city has some absolute crackers. One of the most popular is Tunnel Beach. Located around 8kms south of the city and just south of St Clair, the beach has sea-carved sandstone cliffs, rock arches and caves which make it the perfect place for the family to go exploring. Getting down to the beach is part of the fun as you make your way down through an excavated tunnel to the secluded beach and it’s a definite favourite for the kids.

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It seems as if these rare outdoor pools are vanishing. St Clair’s hot salt water pool is the last surviving of several that were built in Dunedin in the late 1800s. The pool enjoys a stunning location at the southern end of the magnificent St Clair beach and is great for those who like to swim in salt water but maybe don’t feel confident to swim in the open sea. The water is heated to 28 degrees Celsius and is extremely popular with locals and visitors alike. We definitely recommend a dip when you’re down this way.

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New Zealand has some amazing rail trails. Basically created by converting old railway lines and making them accessible for walkers and bikers. The Otago Rail Trail is the original and will take you on a 152km journey through the Otago region. Opened in 2000, the trail has been welcoming cyclists and walkers for nearly 20 years. The trail takes you through some truly breath-taking countryside and includes a number of spectacular bridges. Open all year round, take some time to get out and explore this amazing rail trail.

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Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula are spoilt for choice when it comes to wildlife. Whilst you can go in search of the wildlife yourself, if you want to learn more about the different creatures that call Otago home, it’s always good to go with the experts. Elm Wildlife Tours offer some awesome wildlife tours from land to sea. Peninsula Encounters is their most popular tour and you can expect to see penguins, fur seals and sea lions in their private protected conservation area. There’s also the option to go and check out the Albatross breeding tour or a one hour cruise. It’s definitely worth the cost and when you rent with GO, you’ll save 10% with our exclusive GO Play card.

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Olveston historic home is another of Dunedin’s amazing historic buildings. With six one-hour tours running every day, you can find out all you need to know about this home with a rich and at times, scandalous past. Designed by acclaimed English architect Sir Ernest George, the house and its contents were gifted to the City of Dunedin in 1966 after the passing of Dorothy Theomin, the last surviving member of the Theomin family who had the house built in 1906. The house has been preserved as it was and is a great depiction showing how a wealthy family lived in the early twentieth century. Book with GO and save 10% on a tour with your GO Play card.

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Speight’s Brewery is a Dunedin icon. We’ve already featured them in our ‘best places to eat out in Dunedin’ section, however we think the brewery tour; is also a must. Learn all about one of New Zealand’s most iconic beers from where the hops are sourced to how their many beers are brewed. Every tour finishes up with an opportunity to sample some of their latest releases or your all-time favourites. We would recommend tying in your brewery tour with a lunch or dinner reservation where you can keep the drinks flowing! You’ll be pleased to know that Speight’s are another one of our awesome GO Play partners so you can save 10% on your brewery tour. Winning.

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We’ve already looked at cycling on the old railway line but Dunedin also has a great active railway system too. That also means you get to visit the beautiful Dunedin Railway Station from where you will start your journey. The Taieri Gorge Railway. There are a couple of options depending on when you are in town. On a Friday and Sunday you can get out as far as Middlemarch and on all other days, you can take the 4 hour return trip to Pukerangi. Whichever journey you take, you’re in for a treat as the train wends its way up through the amazing Taieri Gorge crossing 10 bridges and across countless viaducts. A great experience and a wonderful way to spend the day.

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If you are looking for a great rainy day activity, a trip to the Toitu Otago Settlers Museum should be up at the top of your list. The museum has a collection of over 100,000 objects and they highlight the character, culture, technology, art, fashion and transport of the Otago region from before the time European settlers arrived to the present. This is a great way to find out more about the region and discover the rich history of the Otago region. Find out more: http://www.toituosm.com/.

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