Ashburton district, Canterbury, New Zealand

Places to visit near Methven

Methven is a town in Ashburton district, Canterbury, New Zealand, home to about 1,236 people. Within 50 km by road there are 162 places to visit — 107 hill stations & viewpoints, 14 wildlife, forests & gardens, 6 churches and 5 parks. The must-see places are Rakaia Gorge (19 km), Sharplin Falls (24 km) and Mount Hutt (26 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Methven on the map

Methven, Canterbury
Methven, Ashburton district, Canterbury, New Zealand. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Methven at a glance

Location
Ashburton district, Canterbury, New Zealand
Population
about 1,236
Coordinates
43.6333° S, 171.6500° E
Places within 50 km
162 (18 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for churches and parks

Top places to visit near Methven

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Methven: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

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Things to see near Methven, by type

Hill stations & viewpoints near Methven

147 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Methven. The closest is Pudding Hill (16 km); the best-known is Rakaia Gorge (19 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Methven

23 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Methven. The closest is Alford Scenic Reserve (16 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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Churches near Methven

15 churches within 100 km of Methven. The closest is St John's Hall (34 km). Best time: year-round.

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Parks near Methven

11 parks within 100 km of Methven. The closest is Awa Awa Rata Reserve (16 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Methven

11 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Methven. The closest is Lake Hill (40 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

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Forts & heritage near Methven

10 forts & heritage within 100 km of Methven. The closest is Methven War Memorial (1 km). Best time: october to february.

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A one-day trip from Methven

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 85 km on the road.

  1. Start in Methven
  2. 1 km Methven War Memorial · monument, Ashburton
  3. 24 km Sharplin Falls · waterfall, Ashburton
  4. 4 km Mount Somers · viewpoint, Ashburton
  5. 26 km Mount Hutt · viewpoint, Ashburton
  6. 11 km Rakaia Gorge · viewpoint, Ashburton
  7. 19 km Back to Methven

Plan a longer trip from Methven — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Methven

No traveller has reported from around Methven yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Methven

    All places near Methven by distance

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Methven by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Hill stations & viewpoints107147Pudding Hill (16 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens1423Alford Scenic Reserve (16 km)
    Churches615St John's Hall (34 km)
    Parks511Awa Awa Rata Reserve (16 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs1111Lake Hill (40 km)
    Forts & heritage410Methven War Memorial (1 km)
    Other attractions28The Big Salmon of Rakaia (41 km)
    Waterfalls55Washpen Falls (21 km)
    Museums13Ashburton Art Gallery & Heritage Centre (39 km)
    Beaches & coast33Cookies Point (28 km)
    Caves22Caves Stream Siphon (23 km)
    Rivers, islands & mangroves22Gold Smith Rapids (24 km)
    Mosques & dargahs01Al Noor Mosque (98 km)

    Methven: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Methven?

    Rakaia Gorge (viewpoint, about 19 km), Methven War Memorial (monument, about 1 km), Sharplin Falls (waterfall, about 24 km), Mount Hutt (viewpoint, about 26 km), Mount Somers (viewpoint, about 28 km), St John's Hall (church, about 34 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Methven?

    162 places on Spotwander: 107 hill stations & viewpoints, 14 wildlife, forests & gardens, 6 churches, 5 parks, 11 lakes, dams & reservoirs.

    Which is the nearest viewpoint to Methven?

    Pudding Hill, about 16 km by road; Bryans Hill (18 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest sanctuary to Methven?

    Alford Scenic Reserve, about 16 km by road; Pudding Hill Scenic Reserve (16 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest church to Methven?

    St John's Hall, about 34 km by road; Glentunnel Chapel (36 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Methven?

    Start in Methven, visit Methven War Memorial, then Sharplin Falls, then Mount Somers, then Mount Hutt, then Rakaia Gorge, and drive back — about 85 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Methven?

    October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for churches and parks.

    Towns near Methven

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Methven’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Methven on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.