tlslexma

Advice please!
We (mom, dad, 2 college age kids) will be in Abel Tasman for 2 days in January, as part of our 3 week NZ trip. After Abel Tasman, we were planning to drive from there to Fox Glacier in one day, but I'm told that is too far to realistically accomplish.
Is that true? If so, where can we stay for a one night stopover that is not more than 2 hours from Abel Tasman? This would be just to knock some time off the next day's drive. We will be driving in the late afternoon/early evening after a day at the park, so I don't want to push it too far.
Likewise, after a day spent at Fox Glacier, we will be heading to Queenstown where we will spend 3 nights. Is it possible to do this drive in one day? I do not want to stop at Wanaka for the night (which seems like the usual advice for a stopover on this trip), as our schedule is pretty tight. So would driving from Fox Glacier to Haast at the end of the day be feasible/advisible? Again, it's just to cut the amount of drive time to Queenstown the next day.
Suggestions? Thank you!

tasmangirl

All the advice you have been given is correct. Driving here is slower than the US and takes time and concentration.
Are you leaving from Marahau or Kaiteriteri?
Murchison is about 2 hours but not the most exciting place in New Zealand!
Westport is more than 3 hours drive but you don't want to be driving the narrow roads of the Buller Gorge at night.
See if you can get accommodation at Haast before you decide to stay there. January is peak holiday time here.
IMO planning long drives after a day's adventures is a bit crazy. Get up early and drive when you are fresh.

Melnq8

Well, the good news is that you'll have lots of daylight in January, so you might reconsider that two hour maximum based on daylight hours.

Punakaiki makes a good overnight stop, but accommodation is very limited there, you'll need to book soon.

Fox to Queenstown is quite doable and done all the time - we've done it ourselves about a dozen times. It's a 6-7 hour drive depending on number of stops. Easily done if you get an early start and have all that wonderful daylight that you'll have in January.

Stopping in Haast for an overnight is not at all necessary IMO.

someotherguy

Don't rush the Buller Gorge: it's one of the most scenic roads in New Zealand.

mlgb

I have done Westport but prefer Hokitika.

No stops til Qtown other than Wanaka for me.

tlslexma

This is very helpful, thank you all!

annhig

Contrary to all the advice we were given we did drive all the way from Nelson to FJ in a day [which enabled us to avoid a one night stay somewhere which we hate and gave us two nights at FJ] and we managed to stop off at Greymouth and Westport en route.

It wasn't really that bad - the road is pretty straight, you can't get lost, and you will have plenty of daylight - but of course we have the advantage of being used to driving on the left on single-carriageway roads, which may make a difference. also 2 of us were driving.

But if you can work a stop over into your itinerary, and don't mind a one-nighter, so much the better.