bronnie

We are planning a road trip from Nelson in NZ down the West coast to end in Franz Josef. We realize this could take a while as there is so much to see along the way. Where would be a good place around the half way mark to spend the night?

Melnq8

Nelson to Franz Josef is over a six hour drive w/o stops, so yes, you definitely want to break up the journey with an overnight en route.

I suggest Punakaiki - about a 3:30 hour drive from Nelson. It's basically a spot in the road, but it's home to the Pancake Rocks and Paparoa Nat'l Park with some wonderful walking tracks and coastal scenery.

Westport is another option - - three hours from Nelson - it's not generally on the tourist track, but it definitely has a distinct West Coast vibe, and a seal colony.

Alternatively, you might want to push on to Greymouth - a four hour drive from Nelson w/o stops. It's a NZ town with a gold and coal mining history. The Monteith Brewery tour is well worth it, even for those of us who don't like the stuff.

And then there's Hokitika, a 4.5 hour drive from Nelson, which is know for it's greenstone. It also has a wildlife center with kiwis, and some surprisingly good restaurants for such a small town. The Hokitika Gorge is nearby as is a tree top walk, I've just myself learned about. The advantage of staying in Hoki is that it shortens your drive to Franz the next day which frees up more time there.

Which you choose depends on your particular interests and how much you like to explore en route.

bronnie

thanks for that. Sounds great whatever we choose.

deSchenke

My order of preference would be:
1)Punakaiki
2)Hokitika
3)Westport
4)Greymouth