Location: Oamaru
Top Things to do in Oamaru
What to do and see in Oamaru, South Island: The Best Things to do
Oamaru (/ɒməˈruː/ ( listen); Māori: Te Oha-a-Maru) is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is 80 kilometres (50 mi) south of Timaru and 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of Dunedin on the Pacific coast; State Highway 1 and the railway Main South Line connect it to both cities. With a population of 13,900, Oamaru is the 28th largest urban area in New Zealand, and the third largest in Otago behind Dunedin and Queenstown.
Restaurants in Oamaru
1. Vertical Ventures NZ Ltd
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 25 reviews
Pop-in to our cycle shop, opposite the brewery in the historic area of Oamaru for advice of where to ride. We offer a range of services on The Alps 2 Ocean Cycle trail (A2O). Our tours are second to none and we pride ourselves on delivering high quality services. Our clients are considered are ambassadors and we will cater to your needs. If you want to be independent then we can organise and book your itinerary for you. We offer bike hire including e-bikes and children's bikes. Theres Nothing like slowing things down, getting some light exercise and fresh air. Hire a bike for the day and head inland on the A2O for a spot of lunch at Enfield or further to explore the Rakis tunnel, a great day out.
2. Sanctum Grove Equine
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 22 reviews
Reviewed By Bubbbblz
We had an amazing trail riding experience. Tania was so welcoming and accomodating; she went out of her way to make sure we were comfortable and had a great time. The ride was the perfect length and the walk through the stunning rivers was an unforgettable experience. 100% would recommend!!
3. Whitestone City
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 144 reviews
Learn about our history by taking part in it. Take a tour of the visual tale of our town from the rough-sawn Whitestone beginnings to the polished and finely worked grandeur of our facades that still exist today. Partake of Victorian pastimes or boldly go beyond the curtains to encounter our colourful past. Leisurely repose oneself in the sumptuous surrounds of our parlour.
Reviewed By 13Sue - Auckland, New Zealand
My daughter and I decided to do the Grand tour in Whitestone city. This involved getting dressed up in victorian clothing and being guided around the building by Sandy who provided us with some interesting history of Oamaru as well as snapping photographs of us on our phones. Sandy was very passionate about Oamaru and the history of the area and she spent time ensuring we looked the part which we certainly did! We even attracted a bit of attention as we had our photos taken outside. I loved how we could touch things as we walked around and they even had a Penny Farthing carrousel. I would highly recommend this to dress up fans and history buffs, even those who arent would enjoy this I'm sure. Suitable for all ages.
4. Friendly Bay Playground
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By Melanieg2776
Lots of fun activities for the kids with a handy cafe right beside it for awesome coffee there was a wee small beach there as well
5. Grainstore Gallery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 67 reviews
Reviewed By D1253RBpeterr - Christchurch, New Zealand
What an experience. The Artist Donna was as delightful and passionate as her paintings and Artistic creations. I immersed myself in the glorious surroundings of her passion. An hour was not long enough. Thank you Donna. You are an INSPIRATION
6. Art On Tyne
7. Whitestone Cheese
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 239 reviews
A working cheese factory store, guided tours available, plus cheese platters, wine, coffee and some light cheese themed accompaniments - cheese rolls, scones, cheesecake. A family owned and operated business for over 30 years.
8. The New Zealand Whisky Company
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 98 reviews
Our Cellar Door is now closed. We hope to open a new Cellar Door again in the near future. Please follow us on Facebook for updates.
Reviewed By Ash_84nz - Hamilton, New Zealand
I had planned trip down to Oamaru for months. I had previously tried lot of there older bottlings And had paid for a private 20 litre whisky cask. Tasting room is very well appointed with some very reasonably priced whiskies to try. Team at Nz Whisky is outstanding and are well trained to cater for a discerning client. I would highly recommend visiting to try some of there drams. You can also buy bottles on site.
9. Oamaru Opera House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 38 reviews
The beautiful Oamaru Opera House stands resplendent in historic Thames Street, Oamaru, New Zealand. Built over a century ago the Oamaru Opera House is still the first choice for quality entertainment, meeting space and conferencing in North Otago. The Opera House is open to the public 8:30am to 4pm weekdays and 10am to 1pm Saturdays. Feel free to come in and have a look around. For formal tours, staff are available 10am to 1pm weekdays.
Reviewed By chrisandbarbara2019 - Dunedin, New Zealand
We were lucky to catch a Bach concert by NZ Symphony in this heritage building. Intimate and great acoustics. Take the time to inhale the inside ambience - old posters and quaint windows. Check it out during the day and return at night for the beautiful light show.
10. Steampunk HQ
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,066 reviews
Steampunk hq, which opened in november 2011, is an art collaboration proudly based in oamaru, new zealand. It sets out to portray an industrial version of steampunk, with a giant sense of humour and larger than life visions of an off the wall steampunk universe. Steampunk HQ is well known for its full scale train engine that spits fire and billows smoke The lonely planet guide rates steampunk hq as one of nz’s best new tourist attractions.
Reviewed By CollRr - Auckland, New Zealand
The Steampunk Museum is iconic in Oamaru. It contains a wide variety of various artefacts made from old industrial machinery - there are animals, masks, outfits, and new machines created as retrofuturistic. There is also a futuristic light show which enables you to see yourself “travelling time and space”. Worth a visit and filled with interesting objects.
