Things to do at the Villa
There is much to do in Picton and the surrounding area while staying with us at the Villa:
In & Around Picton
Walk our Villa dogs, Poppy and Milly, along kilometres of local walking tracks in natural bush with great views over the Marlborough Sounds.
Enjoy great coffee, wine and food at our local cafes.
Use our bikes for free and discover the town and surrounds.
Meet the local sea life at Seahorse World and see our history through the little museums and go aboard the historic ship "The Edwin Fox" built in 1857.
Night bush walks to see Glow worms, we will always find something exciting for you to spend another day or two doing.
Horseriding, sea kayaking, guided day trips and multi day, freedom rentals ..we've done the trips and can offer good advice. Water taxis, seal swims, day walks the list is endless!
Or just chill out in our wonderful garden and enjoy the sunshine!
Walking & Hiking
The most popular activities around Picton are The Queen Charlotte Track one day walks or more (The Queen Charlotte Track is now 71kms long) or Mountain biking. The Villa provides a full complimentary booking service to arrange all your transport and accommodation needs to walk or bike the Queen Charlotte Track.
Nelson and Abel Tasman National Park is two hours to the West from Picton, we book all activities over there, very necessary most of the year, except the Department of Conservation huts along the Abel Tasman Track . . . we are working on that . . .
Water Activities
Swim at the beach 100 metres from The Villa or sail a model yacht on the foreshore for 20 cents.
The Villa also has some small sailing dinghys for guests to use while staying at the Villa.
Enjoy a one day or overnight guided sea-kayaking trips from the Villa. With knowledgeable guides, great lunches, a great, safe Sounds experience on the water - very good especially for beginners. SoundsWILD Company, based in Picton, a leading sea kayaking outfit in the Marlborough Sounds is the perfect company for these wonderful trips
Kayak, Speedboat and Mountain bike hire on the Foreshore.
Dolphin Watch Eco-tours ... not just viewing dolphins see seals and bird life as well, enjoy bush walks and learn some of our history as well.
Or try Myths & Legends Eco-Tours, showcasing the environmental delights of the Marlborough Sounds on a classic kauri launch, Tutanekai. Take the opportunity to see kereru, seals, dolphins, blue penguins and gannets on a personalised cruise and absorb the maori myths and legends of this stunning area.
Wine & Food Tours
Wine trails, half or full day tours, gourmet tours too . . . NZ's largest and most famous wine region, Blenheim, starts just outside of Picton.
Visit several wineries, taste all the different varieties, share lunch in a vineyard cafe with your new friends and cap off your tour with a tasting stop at the Distillery.
Tour Companies in Picton
The Marlborough Sounds Adventure Company specialises in guided and independent sea kayaking, walking, hiking and mountain biking holiday tours (bike and kayak rentals are available) of the Queen Charlotte Track and the beautiful Marlborough Sounds.
Further Afield
The Villa is an Accredited Agent for Whale Watch Kaikoura, Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura and seal swims. Kaikoura is two hours by car, train or bus South of Picton. The Kaikoura activities get very busy, especially in peak periods, you are always advised to book ahead...we do that for you.
Tandem Skydiving Nelson is very popular, this season they have a new plane and are offering higher jumps ...yahoo!!
Keep up-to-date with other news from The Villa visit our NEWS page.
Find out the wonderful extensive facilities the Villa has available to all our guests.
The Villa is at the top of the South Island, boasting the scenic Marlborough Sounds, Queen Charlotte Track and NZ's largest wine region. We're an easy walk from the Picton/Wellington ferry.
Want to know what Picton and the surrounding area has to offer? Book with the Villa for the Queen Charlotte Track.
Here we list many useful sites that we think will help you make the most of your time in Picton and the rest of New Zealand.
Keep up-to-date with the Villa Sailing Team with their latest news, results and photo gallery.
