Fodor's Expert Review Queen Charlotte Drive

The main road out of Picton, State Highway 1, heads directly to Blenheim. If you're heading west toward Havelock and Nelson, and don't mind a slower, though much more scenic, route, Queen Charlotte Drive is for you. From Picton, the drive climbs the hill to the west of the town, then winds in and out of bays along the edge of Queen Charlotte Sound. Governor's, Momorangi, and Ngakuta bays are gorgeous spots for a picnic. The drive then cuts across to Pelorus and Keneperu sounds, and follows the water's edge to Havelock township. Cullen Point, a short walk near the Havelock end of the drive, leads to a good lookout point across Pelorus Sound. From Havelock you join State Highway 6, which leads to Nelson.