Greymouth Day Trips: Top 5 Unforgettable West Coast NZ Adventures

Planning a trip to the rugged West Coast of New Zealand, and also is Greymouth your base? Well, so Greymouth provides almost a fantastic jumping-off point for heaps of pretty amazing day trips. That’s right, you could uncover stunning scenery, get stuck into a bit of history, and maybe even tick off some must-see spots. This article highlights the top five day trips from Greymouth that could seriously bring your West Coast experience to life. Prepare to explore!

1. Hokitika Gorge: A Turquoise Dream

Firstly, maybe the Hokitika Gorge is something you’ve already seen pictures of. After all, so it’s seriously famous for pretty unbelievably blue waters. Like your favorite tropical lagoon brought somewhere cooler, you know? From Greymouth, that drive over is just shy of 40 minutes. Basically, you travel inland to get there, passing some nice green farmland along the way until the bush just starts getting thicker.

Once you show up, it’s literally like a super quick walk via the bush down to a viewing platform. Clearly, that platform overlooks a crazy scene. The Hokitika River seriously cuts via a deep gorge, and that water? Sort of indescribable. Maybe turquoise or glacial blue might get pretty close to the vibe. Apparently, there is a swing bridge too, which kind of bounces as people walk across. Basically, getting those perfect photos is really easy here.

Think about how you want to spend an hour here, breathing in all that clear air and sort of taking way too many pictures. As I was saying, you could also carry on a bit more to some river banks for seriously extra stunning views, even. However, those can close sometimes, so literally see what’s open before planning your photography shoot, right?

2. Shantytown Heritage Park: Reliving the Gold Rush

Wanna step almost way back to the Gold Rush days? After all, Shantytown Heritage Park isn’t too far of a drive from Greymouth and just transports you straight back in time. Basically, they’ve fully recreated a classic gold rush town. Obviously, this really gives you a feel for life way back when those shiny nuggets basically dictated destiny of course.

That being said, strolling along that Main Street there is rather like stepping onto some film set. But definitely real, you know? As a matter of fact, you can pop into like, that old-style saloon, sort of watch the blacksmith at work, and you could even try panning for actual gold yourself! To be honest, kids specifically seriously love this place, but, obviously, you might find yourself getting pretty into the hunt too. I mean who doesn’t wanna find gold?

That’s not it though! They sometimes have like, steam train rides that sort of loop around a section of a pretty lush forest nearby. Really cool idea. Also, they have photographic studios where you could put old-timey costumes on. To be honest, they kind of add to the day’s vibes. Think you’ll need like, two or three hours here to explore everything and try out that gold panning.

3. Punakaiki & The Pancake Rocks: Nature’s Sculptures

Fancy viewing some, well, geology’s wild side? To be honest, Punakaiki, specifically the Pancake Rocks and blowholes, isn’t even an hour’s drive north of Greymouth. Think dramatic rock formations that, sort of legitimately look like stacked pancakes and like your typical insane coastal views. Definitely iconic!

Arguably, the short, accessible loop track kind of winds along the coast, just passing by some views and blowholes. First, as that tide comes in (specifically high tide for all of your maximum blowhole viewing), that ocean shoots almost straight up into some air via some holes within all the rock formations! First, those sounds aren’t easy to describe; that’s like, roars and rumbles and just loads of spray. Think that coastal wind gets a good taste of some of the water, too! Seriously awesome if you’ve literally never seen anything like that. Arguably, on a clear day, I guess you could almost hang around some cafes in the area before literally enjoying lunch as like, the Tasman Sea literally spreads itself.

The other thing you could do is continue sort of north for other sightseeing points. However, apparently, be prepped for like, some twisty coastal roads as literally you just head up along that coast. Then after some serious photo time and the like, allow three or more hours literally depending on how slowly all that scenery pushes your trip and all of that snacking.

4. Lake Brunner: Tranquil Waters and Scenic Walks

Need some chilling lake vibes? I mean, who doesn’t like like clear waters that do some calming for your mental stability, or something? Apparently, Lake Brunner’s like, a bit inland from Greymouth. Sort of less than 30 minutes’ drive brings you to the largest lake up on that West Coast. To be honest, the spots over there kind of include Moana as, clearly, the main village over there.

After all, one highlight here includes taking boat trips from Moana or the sort of surrounding areas. Then that takes you to some secluded bays and pretty pristine shoreline settings that aren’t actually always too accessible just by road. Still pretty ideal when all that just makes a lazy kind of hot afternoon. Basically, people like water ski, fish, and get up to some mild chilling when some waters start warming up even in summer.

The area gets so busy with walking tracks like everywhere! As a matter of fact, short bush walks provide seriously insane views, and apparently, there’s way longer options for someone like your average keen trampers or even the average energetic hikers. The views almost spread out during sunset across like, the waters in many different places across these shores. So, obviously, just aim right there for a late-afternoon adventure if pictures with sun color kinda spark your interest! So, you’ll seriously enjoy whatever time that, so you might want three to four hours on all the shore side if I’m really honest.

5. Glacier Country (Franz Josef or Fox Glacier): Witnessing Glacial Giants

Ready to see the mighty glaciers? Anyway, driving south from Greymouth could get you almost seriously pretty near to glacier country, so pick your base like somewhere around Franz Josef Glacier and sort of Fox Glacier. Still roughly just two-hours drives get there in either area.

Once on location there the obvious options involve some actual helicopter rides just so the upper reaches of a particular icy beast can seriously open wide, too. Well, like for those not just sort of jumping out and so hiking via like all this ice like those tours there literally get taken up as well there’s seriously like loads, to just get seriously on that frozen landscape somehow there even without needing the plane/heli assistance.

However, that doesn’t mean it does just have to be sort of all ‘splashing all the cash. Actually loads, actually short accessible walks go along that valley just all so way closer just to faces for just your particular glaciers in each of both regions really actually and sort of loads pretty scenic almost ones literally going from all around nearby lakes along that region literally. Just literally pack and basically enjoy seriously exploring from any base in all the glacial zone there so just aim or about five + so total time, actually just allowing basically plenty just to account just on all that pretty solid car ride itself along the glacial parts, seriously!