South Island Workshops: Top Classes & Creative Escapes

Dreaming about some downtime where you, like your brain actually gets to switch off and get creative? Thinking about picking up a fresh skill, or just wanting to try your hand at something a bit different? So, the South Island of New Zealand has totally got you covered! This awesome area isn’t just all breath-catching landscapes, it’s almost positively loaded with workshops and classes perfect for anyone itching to get those creative juices flowing.

1. Black Cat Cruises: Dolphin Swimming, Akaroa

Yeah, swimming with dolphins? Completely and utterly counts as a workshop! Based in beautiful Akaroa, very Black Cat Cruises offers that truly outstanding chance to actually swim with the tiny, playful Hector’s dolphins. That’s very, very cool, right? The trip starts with a really, really handy briefing on dolphin behavior and how to interact with these super cool creatures respectfully. So, it’s not just some splash-around – there is real learning going on. You get the full wetsuit treatment, plus all your snorkeling gear. Plus, you learn so much from that genuinely passionate crew about that area’s ocean wildlife. Seriously, what might be a better way to, like, learn while also checking off that massive bucket-list item? Remember to confirm availability ahead of time; you’ll be on an adventure where preparation is key. Learn from pros and explore some amazing dolphin-encounter activities; for more, click here.

2. Barry Brickell’s Driving Creek Railway & Pottery, Coromandel

Ok, sure, this technically is not *on* the South Island but hear me out. Many people do forget about the whole North Island on this “bottom island”. It’s an experience worth adding to your itinerary should you decide to cross Cook Straight. If you are into, almost seriously amazing art, like seriously combined with a dose of Kiwi ingenuity, this place is like a total must-see. Started by the, almost brilliant potter Barry Brickell, Driving Creek is so a conservation project and a crazy artistic creation. So, hop on this narrow-gauge railway that zigzags its way through that absolutely breath-catching pottery-studded hillsides. It’s very quirky, rather imaginative, and gives you a great sense of what one individual is capable of when fuelled by passion. This is more than just looking, this is very seeing real passion and ingenuity alive in South Island’s neighbour.

3. Hokitika Craft Gallery Workshops, Hokitika

If you are almost completely captivated by New Zealand’s unique greenstone? Then Hokitika, like your Craft Gallery workshops, are basically a place to be! Hokitika is, too it’s almost basically the greenstone center of the South Island, and that gallery gives you a totally fantastic chance to actually learn how to carve your very own piece. With advice from working artists, you’ll actually get to find out how to shape that raw stone into that super, beautiful treasure. That is, like seriously talk about bringing home like a meaningful souvenir! Those workshops fill up very quickly, so, is that, actually it’s essential to book way ahead of time if you’ve got plans to attend these amazing greenstone sessions in South Island.

4. The Jade Boulder Gallery, Hokitika

Staying put in Hokitika (since, you know, it’s basically the *spot* for like stone stuff), you, like your Jade Boulder Gallery, very offers up hands-on jade and bone carving courses. That is basically designed to show you, such that anybody– even complete beginners — can turn stone and bone into some totally precious jewelry pieces. Courses here aren’t only, like, just a learning exercise, yet it’s really, truly kind of a cool experience into Maōri culture and craft methods. That is very awesome, yeah? If, say, greenstone is genuinely your jam, then getting this education is very invaluable; click to find out when they host them and plan ahead in South Island.

5. Gibbston Valley Winery Cooking School, Queenstown

Okay, picture that situation: that completely, crazy beautiful scenery of Gibbston Valley, really coupled with all that joy of learning how to make outstanding food. So, at that Gibbston Valley Winery Cooking School, you’ll not only like enjoy outstanding Pinot Noir but in addition gain skills with really a fantastic range of cooking classes. Right from mastering classic French techniques, even more to diving right into that art of matching wine with food (very crucial, naturally!). This is for that genuine foodie in you – is that very cool for exploring and satisfying a hungry heart? That experience doesn’t just like boost ones foodie understanding, in addition it enables very immersive lessons related to Central Otago’s wine and dine traditions and flavors of South Island.