Our Region
Blenheim, Renwick and Wairau
Blenheim in Marlborough, New Zealand
Marlborough's main town, Blenheim, has great cafes, galleries and shops wrapped up within the picturesque Taylor and Opawa rivers, a short distance to the region's world famous wineries.
There's an abundance of vineyards and cellar doors surrounding Blenheim, so explore the stunning Wairau Valley and discover why the world is in love with Marlborough wine.
Central Blenheim is best explored by foot, with an abundance of great cafes, restaurants shops and galleries, along with popular walkways along the Taylor River Reserve.
Walk a little further afield to get to Pollard Park, a beautiful botanical garden, playground, golf course and exercise trail.
The Marlborough Farmers’ Market is held at the A&P Showgrounds every Sunday morning and the Marlborough Artisan Market is on in town on Saturdays.
A short drive or bike ride will take you to the world-class Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, where World War One history comes to life thanks to the talents of the team behind The Lord of the Rings.
The centre’s Knights of the Sky exhibition features The Hobbit director Sir Peter Jackson’s personal collection of WW1 aircraft and memorabilia. This story of aviation in the Great War is brought to life in sensational sets created by the internationally acclaimed talent of WingNut Films and Weta Workshop.
Captivating scenes depict the aircraft in context, sometimes recreating an incident that actually happened in the war. Rare memorabilia is on display, worthy of any national collection and ranges from beautifully crafted ‘trench art’ through to personal items belonging to the famous Red Baron.
Or head to the historic Brayshaw Park and Marlborough Museum, where exhibitions include Te Pokohiwi - The Wairau Bar 1250 AD, a land mark exhibition of the Wairau Bar archaeology site, place of the earliest known graves in the country and key to understanding daily life in the 13th century.
Marlborough’s world famous wine industry is on Blenheim’s back doorstep in the Wairau Valley, so make sure you taste its sublime wines amid the vines that grew them.
Head to nearby cellar doors for a taste of Marlborough’s flagship sauvignon blanc, along with award winning aromatics, pinot noir and sparkling wine.
Lunch at a vineyard restaurant to try some amazing local cuisine, including garlic, asparagus, olive oil and cherries grown in the Wairau Valley, and King (Chinook) salmon, oysters and Greenshell mussels from the Marlborough Sounds.
The Wairau Valley is also home to rich heritage and ecology, and a great way to learn more about both is on a kayak trip on the Wairau Lagoons, where Royal Spoonbill, shag, bartailed godwit, herons and terns can be spotted. Learn some of the history of Maori here, and of whalers and pioneering settlers.
Popular in Blenheim, Renwick and Wairau
Mondo Kopua Biking enthusiast
“The thing I love about Marlborough, which you see when you cycle it, is the diversity of the landscape. We’ve got high country like up the Awatere Valley, then the Richmond Range, the Marlborough Sounds and all the rivers. Personally I’m an open country, high country farm sort of person. I love getting up in the hills.”
My insider guide to MarlboroughJack's Raw Bar at Cloudy Bay
Head to Jack’s Raw Bar at Cloudy Bay Vineyards in summer for local salmon, freshly shucked oysters and venison carpaccio in a gorgeous setting.
Cloudy Bay Cellar Door Marlborough
Sample local sparkling wine
While you're here you must sample a Méthode Marlborough. Premium quality sparkling from the Marlborough region has a history as long as it's flagship variety Sauvignon Blanc.
Blenheim i-SITE Visitor Information Centre
Soak up the view at Brancott Estate
Get there early in the morning when it’s quiet and have a coffee looking at the view.
Brancott Estate Cellar Door and Restaurant
Compare vineyard sub-regions
Visit cellar doors in the Wairau, Waihopai, Awatere and Omaka Valleys, comparing the flavour profiles of each sub-region.
Blenheim i-SITE Visitor Information Centre
Journey through WWI & WWII
Explore the living history of aircraft at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, created by Weta Workshops and Wingnut Films, who also made 'The Lord of the Rings'.
Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre
Check out the latest art exhibition
Head to the Millennium Public Art Gallery, across from Seymour Square in the heart of Blenheim. See the latest cutting edge exhibitions from local and national artists.
Millennium Public Art Gallery
Featured
Drink craft beer & eat pizza
Eat pizza and drink Rennaissance craft beer at Dodson’s, looking through to the brewery at work or enjoying the sun in the garden.
Featured
Visit boutique wineries
Hunt down small, artisan boutique wineries and learn about what makes them so special - whether European influenced, organic, or family owned and run.
Featured
Taste sauvignon blanc
Explore the sub regional variation with sauvignon blanc as well as the different ways wine makers approach the wine, including those using oak and age.
Related Guide:
Biking
Mountain bike Marlborough’s epic high country trails and coastal ridges, road bike undulating routes at the edge of the sea, tour on long flat runs through vine-clad valleys or take the whole family biking along one of the region’s many rivers.
Marlborough boasts brilliant weather, stunning scenery and an abundance of acclaimed mountain and road trails, including a Great Ride and three Trails along the New Zealand Cycle Trail, Nga Haerenga.
This pedaller’s paradise has thrilling adventure, low key rides, and everything in-between.
Popular in Blenheim, Renwick and Wairau
i-SITE visitor information services
Blenheim i-SITE Visitor Information Centre
Wine Tours
Explore Marlborough
Winery Cellar Doors & Wine Tastings
No.1 Family Estate
Venues and Accommodation
Chateau Marlborough
Hotel
Chateau Marlborough - Blenheim
Lodge
Hans Herzog Estate - Vineyard Cottage
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