Things to do in Greymouth and the West Coast
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Greymouth and the West Coast
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Summer brings the warmest, longest days, with February the least wet month on average, and the hardest hut and hotel bookings.
Autumn is a calmer shoulder season, with Wildfoods in March and the train moving to a reduced winter pattern by May.
Winter is cold and short dayed with the wildest seas, the best blowholes, and the highest risk of road and track closures.
Spring is wet, October the wettest month on average, with Street Races in late October and Ride the Wilderness in November.
What's on
- Hokitika Wildfoods Festival March, in Hokitika
The coast's biggest food event, filling beds in Hokitika and Greymouth.
- Greymouth Street Races Labour Weekend, late October
Motorcycle street racing in the town centre, with full hotels and restaurants.
- Ride the Wilderness November, West Coast Wilderness Trail
A one day cycle event on the Wilderness Trail finishing in Greymouth.
Best things to do in Greymouth and the West Coast
Greymouth Breakwater
Walk the flood wall past the working port to the breakwater and watch the Tasman meet the Grey River over its dangerous bar.
Pounamu Pathway - Mawhera
An immersive Weta Workshop exhibition on Poutini Ngai Tahu, Mawhera Pa and pounamu, and the best wet weather fixture in town.
Monteith's Brewery
Greymouth's brewery since 1868, with a behind the scenes tour, tasting and pouring lesson, and a gastropub rated for its food.
TranzAlpine
The rail crossing of the Southern Alps to Christchurch, with Scenic Plus at seat dining as the genuine top tier.
Where to stay in Greymouth and the West Coast
Town centre and Mawhera Quay
train arrivals, eating out and no car days
Walk to the station, the flood wall, Pounamu Pathway and most restaurants, with a riverside hotel and the backpackers here.
Rapahoe and the Coast Road north
a quiet splurge and Punakaiki days
Beachfront and rural, 14 km north of town on the road to Punakaiki, with the coast's only true top tier stay.
Blaketown and South Beach
families, campervans and trail riders
Beachfront holiday park space and kitchens 2.5 km from the centre, at the Greymouth end of the Wilderness Trail.
Think twice about
- Grey River mouth and bar
One of New Zealand's most dangerous harbour bars. Watch shipping from the flood wall, never swim or launch a boat here casually.
- Greymouth, Punakaiki and Barrytown surf beaches
Wild, rip prone surf beaches with no patrols. Walk and watch, do not treat them as swimming beaches.
Best restaurants in Greymouth and the West Coast
Buccleugh's on High
The closest Greymouth comes to a special occasion dinner, with lamb, blue cod and generous mid range cooking.
The Speight's Ale House
A heritage gastropub by the station in the 1909 Brick House, with a long beer list and hearty West Coast food.
Priya Indian Restaurant
The town's Indian institution for curries and naans, with a Sunday buffet and strong vegetarian choice.
Sevenpenny
The daytime cafe hero in Town Square for breakfast, big salads, strong coffee and gluten free desserts.
Outdoor things to do in Greymouth and the West Coast
Point Elizabeth Walkway
A coastal bush track following a gold era water race to a lookout with views along the Paparoa coast.
Brunner Mine Site Walk
A free loop over the Brunner Bridge to the coke ovens and memorial for the 65 men killed in 1896.
Pancake Rocks
A paved loop around stacked limestone and blowholes at Dolomite Point, best at high tide with a south westerly swell.
Pororari River Track
A gorge walk between limestone cliffs and nikau palms on the lower Paparoa Track route from Punakaiki.
Shantytown Heritage Park
A recreated 1860s gold town with a steam train, sawmill, Chinatown and gold panning, and the best family half day here.
West Coast Wilderness Trail
A Grade 2 cycle trail from Greymouth to Ross, best sampled as a hired bike day ride to Kumara and back.
Paparoa Track
A 55 km Great Walk over the Paparoa tops from Blackball to Punakaiki, with three bookable huts and Tasman sunsets.
Barrytown Knifemaking
A full day in a working forge at Barrytown where you forge and finish your own hand made knife to take home.
Best hotels in Greymouth and the West Coast
Breakers Boutique Accommodation
A four room absolute beachfront bed and breakfast north of Greymouth, every room with uninterrupted Tasman views.
The Ashley Hotel
A 4 star hotel with restaurant, bar, gym, spa and pool, the fullest service mid range base in Greymouth.
Copthorne Hotel Greymouth
A central riverside hotel on Mawhera Quay by the station and the Wilderness Trail, chosen for location.
Greymouth Seaside TOP 10 Holiday Park
A beachfront holiday park with cabins, units and sites, the best value family and campervan base near town.
Global Village Backpackers
A spotless central backpackers with made up beds, a log burner lounge, spa and sauna, and free bikes and kayaks.
Is Greymouth and the West Coast expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | NZ$110 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | NZ$240 a person |
| Splurge | NZ$480 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Monteith's Brewery: a few days ahead
- TranzAlpine: weeks ahead
- Shantytown Heritage Park: a few days ahead
- West Coast Wilderness Trail: a few days ahead
- Paparoa Track: months ahead
- Barrytown Knifemaking: weeks ahead
- Breakers Boutique Accommodation: weeks ahead
- Buccleugh's on High: a few days ahead
- Book Paparoa Track huts through DOC when bookings open in May, and book Breakers ahead as it has only four rooms.
- Book the TranzAlpine, especially Scenic Plus, Shantytown before midday for the trains, and Barrytown Knifemaking in season.
Is Greymouth and the West Coast safe?
- Emergency number is 111.
- Rivers rise very fast after rain, surf beaches have strong rips, and the Grey River bar is a notorious danger to shipping.
- Carry sandfly repellent for Punakaiki, Barrytown and the gorges, and lock cars at trailheads.
Greymouth and the West Coast travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Assuming a road open yesterday is open today after heavy rain, or packing without a proper waterproof layer.
- Buying greenstone in a hurry without asking who carved it and where the stone came from.
- Planning a tight same day connection off the TranzAlpine or SH6 in bad weather.
Getting around Greymouth and the West Coast: public transport and more
- You need a car beyond Mawhera Quay, Tainui Street and the station. Punakaiki is 44 km north and Hokitika about 37 km south.
- Check NZTA Journey Planner and DOC alerts the morning you travel, slips and flooding close SH6 and SH73 on a recurring basis.
- Time Punakaiki to high tide with a south westerly swell or the blowholes will disappoint.
Who Greymouth and the West Coast suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Greymouth and the West Coast your trip
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