Places to visit near

Timaru

Timaru is a town in Timaru district, Canterbury, New Zealand of about 28,007 people. Within 50 km by road there are 65 places to visit: 16 hill stations & viewpoints, 25 wildlife, forests & gardens and 3 lakes, dams & reservoirs. The must-see places are St Mary's Church, South Canterbury Museum and Sacred Heart Basilica.

44.3967° S, 171.2536° EPop. 28,007

© OpenStreetMap contributors
Within 30 km32 places
Within 50 km65
Must-see20
Notable256
Best timeOctober to February

Start here

The 3 places worth the trip

Places near Timaru by type

All 276 places by distance →

One day from Timaru

5 stops, one loop, back by 4:33 pm

52 km on the road, in driving order so you don’t double back. Times assume an 8 am start and typical visit lengths.

  1. Leave Timaru
  2. Waitarakao / Washdyke Lagoonlake · 45 min
  3. Rosewill Recreation Reservenature spot · 2 hrs
  4. Woolshed Gullyviewpoint · 1 hrs
  5. Claremont Scenic Reservenature spot · 2 hrs
  6. Tuhawaiki Point Lighthousebeach · 1.5 hrs
  7. Back in Timaru
Today’s loopTimaruStopStraight lines between stops — distances are road estimates
Imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics · © OpenStreetMap contributors

Questions people ask

What are the best places to visit near Timaru?

St Mary's Church (church, about 1 km), South Canterbury Museum (museum, about 1 km), Sacred Heart Basilica (church, about 1 km), Tuhawaiki Point Lighthouse (beach, about 6 km), Landing Service Building (heritage site, about 1 km), Te Ana Māori Rock Art Centre (museum, about 1 km).

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

65 places on Spotwander: 16 hill stations & viewpoints, 25 wildlife, forests & gardens, 3 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 3 churches, 5 beaches & coast.

Which is the nearest viewpoint to Timaru?

Benvenue Cliffs, about 2 km by road; Woolshed Gully (12 km) is next.

Which is the nearest sanctuary to Timaru?

Timaru Botanic Gardens, about 2 km by road; Caledonian Sports Ground (3 km) is next.

What is a good one-day trip from Timaru?

Start in Timaru, visit Waitarakao / Washdyke Lagoon, then Rosewill Recreation Reserve, then Woolshed Gully, then Claremont Scenic Reserve, then Tuhawaiki Point Lighthouse, and drive back — about 52 km by road in all.

Nearby towns with their own guides