Not all travel days are going to be good travel days.
No matter how much we try to ignore it, the fact is that, even on the road in an amazing country, we can get bored.
Sure, travel is generally more exciting day-to-day than sitting in a cubicle, but even the most fascinating country can’t captivate and entertain every single day of the year. There are bound to be cities or activities that just fall short, or that just aren’t that interesting.
That’s kind of the way I felt about Greymouth, New Zealand.
I’m convinced that Greymouth was designed to be a “just-passing-through” kind of town. It’s the departure and arrival point of the TranzAlpine train to/from Christchurch, and is generally seen as the gateway to New Zealand’s rugged West Coast.
But other than that? There’s really not much to do here.
I arrived in Greymouth around 1 p.m. after my TranzAlpine journey, figuring I would be able to occupy myself for the rest of the day in town.
Well, this may have been possible if it weren’t raining. Or if I liked beer. Or if it wasn’t shoulder season for New Zealand tourism.
But, seeing as how all the conditions seemed to be against me, all I ended up doing was roaming aimlessly around town — about three times, since there are basically only 2 main streets in Greymouth. I grabbed a pizza for dinner at a local place called Bonzai, and tried to make small talk with the handful of other backpackers at my hostel. Eventually, though, I gave up and called it an early night.
While it was frustrating to feel like I wasted a day being bored in New Zealand, it was important for me to be reminded that travel isn’t always great. And it certainly isn’t always what you expect (or want) it to be.
That being said, though, I decided to come up with some tips for others who may someday pass through Greymouth. I may have had a pretty boring day here, but that doesn’t mean you have to.
Things to do in Greymouth, New Zealand
Monteith’s Brewery
If you talk to anyone in New Zealand and ask them for suggestions on what to do in Greymouth, they’ll probably tell you that a tour of Monteith’s Brewery is a must. Located right smack in the middle of town, this small brewery offers frequent tours – and plenty of free samples. I’ve heard good things about it, and I was almost tempted to do the tour anyway, despite the fact that I don’t drink.
Hiking
There are some short hikes in the area immediately surrounding Greymouth, including the King Domain walk that heads up to 4 lookouts in the Omotomotu Scenic Reserve, and the Point Elizabeth Walkway, which is said to have good sea views. I almost decided to do 1.5-hour King Domain walk, but the rain and low-slung clouds wouldn’t have afforded a very good view. On a good day though (of which there ARE a handful per year here in Greymouth), I imagine the views would be pretty spectacular.
Take a Walk
If you’ve exhausted your other options, take a stroll around town. It won’t take very long, but at least it will get you out of your hostel or hotel.
There’s a nice elevated walkway along the Grey River floodwall, as well as a few interesting-looking buildings in town, including some art galleries. I was a bit disappointed to find many empty shop fronts as I walked down Greymouth’s (few) streets, however.
Visit the Pancake Rocks
Not far north of Greymouth lies the small town Punakaiki, which is home to the “Pancake Rocks.” These limestone rocks have been eroded into weird formations that kind of look like pancakes stacked on top of one another. The sea also tends to burst through a lot of blowholes here at high tide, which makes it a popular destination on the West Coast.
If you have a car, Punakaiki is a just short drive from Greymouth. If you don’t have your own transportation, there are a few tour companies that do half-day trips from Greymouth and can coordinate with you if you're arriving on the TranzAlpine. I had hoped to check out the Pancake Rocks, but most companies require at least two bookings for the tour to go ahead. Bummer I was traveling solo.
Check out Shantytown
Itching for some kitschy gold mining history? Then Shantytown is for you. The West Coast of New Zealand’s was no stranger to the country’s gold rush in the 1860s, and Shantytown aims to recreate the atmosphere that New Zealand’s gold mining pioneers would have been familiar with. Here you can ride a steam train, pan for gold, take an “old time” photo, and more.
An express bus leaves from Greymouth twice daily to coincide with the TranzAlpine's departure and arrival, allowing you a couple of hours at the attraction.
Relax
And, at the end of the day, if you just can’t shake the boredom in Greymouth, stop trying. Just accept that there isn’t much to do here, and take a night off. Just relax. Watch some TV. Chat up a stranger. Take advantage of the fact that you don’t HAVE to be doing anything.
Hopefully, in the end, you can enjoy Greymouth a little more than I did.
How do you deal with a travel day that doesn't quite live up to expectations?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
its a stunning place if you have a car, drive over the Cobden bridge turn left the left at the Cobden TAKEAWAYS world famous fish and chips , TAKE A $7 FISH AND CHIP PACK TO EAT AND ENJOY, IF YOU drive along mawhera quay to the river mouth mouth amazing views you will witness the amazing views u will ever see . both sides of the spit is THE GREY river AND Cobden beach LOOKING AROUND to Point Elizabeth in itself a remarkable walk in rain forest looking down to the Tasman Sea, also on a clear day from the Cobden river mouth where it meets the sea looking south is the MOST STUNNING VIEWS OF MOUNT COOK And THE REMARKABLE SOUTHERN ALPS GLISTENING IN THE SUN WITH ITS SNOW CAPPED MOUNTAIN TOPS also there is the beautiful lagoon beach circuit walk at the camper van park , enjoy the tranqill lagoon and the wild birds , great photo shoots ,just to name a few , so dont listen to the negative people m just ask local dont be shy as they will give you the best and most friendly advise to make your Greymouth stay so rewarding the people are the kindest and warm hearted on GODS earth, dont miss lake Brunner lovely place to visit and 7 mile beach at Rapahoe only 5 minutes away next to Runanga
i meant left into nelson quay,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, not mawhera quay as thats the Greymouth river walk street
Yep, just had a very similar experience in Greymouth. The title is perfect and we stayed at the same hostel. Good to know that what you wrote in January 2018 is still very current in November 2019
Can we get to the skywalk in Hokitika from arriving on The transalpine?
I haven’t heard of the skywalk in Hokitika, but a quick Google search shows that it’s 45 minutes away from Greymouth. So unless you’re planning to rent a car after the Transalpine, I’m not sure how easy it would be to get there.