Just passing through on State Highway 2
Food in the Wairarapa
On a road trip? Stop in and get a taste of our fascinating, friendly towns. This itinerary assumes you're travelling north from Wellington. If you're heading the other way, just flip it around.
Follow your nose to C'est Cheese
- Featherston's the first town after the Remutaka Hill. When you get there, head straight for gourmet cheese shop C'est Cheese and get your picnic sorted for lunchtime.
- Explore the family-friendly Fell Locomotive Museum and see the steam train that once hauled passengers over the Remutaka Hill.
- An hour or so to spare? Check out the town's quirky vintage stores - you're bound to leave with something unique!
Drive another 15 minutes and...
Stretch your legs in gorgeous Greytown
- Greytown was the site of New Zealand's first Arbor Day. It's a town packed with history.
- On the way out of town, pull in at family-run Pinehaven Orchard or the Big Apple and stock up on locally-grown fruit.
Just ten minutes up the road is...
Quirky Carterton
- Op shop till you drop! There are cool second-hand stores in Carterton.
- A bit of art shopping at Heart of Arts.
- Try Aunt Ginger's Kitchen for exquisite European style cakes and macarons.
Another 15 minutes and you'll be in...
Family-friendly Masterton
- Jump in a pedal boat, feed the ducks, hire a bike to explore fabulous Queen Elizabeth Park and Henley Lake. It's the perfect spot for picnicking.
- Stock up on holiday reading at Hedleys - a top quality independent bookstore smack bang on the main street.
- Check out the latest exhibition at Aratoi, the Wairarapa's Museum of Art and History
Heading further north? Here are some top spots for breaking up the drive: