Invercargill

Situated near the southern edge of the South Island in the ancient region of Murihiku, Invercargill, known in Te Reo as Waihōpai, welcomes travelers with genuine, warm southern manaakitanga and wide, elegant Victorian tree-lined streets. This is a city proud of its storied pioneering heritage and mechanical ingenuity. Motor enthusiasts from all over the world make pilgrimages here to explore Bill Richardson Transport World, the largest private vintage transport museum on earth, and Classic Motorcycle Mecca, home to hundreds of gleaming classic bikes.

Speed legacy runs deep in the local DNA, largely thanks to Burt Munro, the hometown hero who set land-speed world records on his modified 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats. You can drive your own vehicle right onto the firm sands of 26-kilometre Oreti Beach, the exact stretch of wild coastline where Burt tuned and tested his legendary machines against cold southern winds sweeping off the Southern Ocean.

Nature and seafood here are legendary. Stroll through the lush 80-hectare oasis of Queens Park with its fragrant rose gardens, aviary, and native bird sanctuaries. Drive twenty minutes south to the historic port town of Motupōhue (Bluff) to take a photo at the iconic Stirling Point yellow signpost and feast on succulent, freshly harvested Bluff oysters, the ultimate southern kai moana (in season March to August). On crisp, clear winter nights, look south toward the Antarctic ocean to catch the magical dancing green curtains of the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis).