Geraldine

About 40 minutes north of Timaru on the scenic inland route, Geraldine is a pleasant farming town that makes a quiet alternative to Timaru. The area around Geraldine offers white water rafting and great walking trails through lowland podocarp forest. The Rangitata River Valley has spectacular alpine scenery and was the location for some of the Lord of the Rings scenes.

The town itself has an evident artistic flair with craft shops lining the main street, and it has nice rose gardens and an historic cinema. It is also home to the Historical Museum and the excellent Vintage Car and Machinery Museum.