Picton

Picton exists because of the crossing. The Cook Strait ferries dock here after a three-and-a-half hour sailing from Wellington, the last hour of which threads through Queen Charlotte Sound between steep forested slopes - generally reckoned one of the better ferry approaches anywhere, weather permitting, and the strait itself is notoriously rough when it is not. The town of a few thousand wraps around the harbour with a foreshore, a marina and a walkway to Bob's Bay. From here water taxis run into the Sounds for the Queen Charlotte Track, and the Edwin Fox, an 1853 merchant ship, sits in a dry berth by the wharf. Picton is also the northern terminus of the main South Island railway. For most visitors it is a transit point, but the Sounds start here, and staying a night rather than driving straight out is what people generally recommend afterwards.

What you actually see

• The Sound approach - the last hour of the ferry crossing.
• The harbour town - foreshore, marina and the walkway to Bob's Bay.
• The Edwin Fox - the 1853 hull in a dry berth by the wharf.
• The water taxis - the way into the Sounds and onto the track.

When to go

October to April. Ferries book out in peak season and over holidays - reserve well ahead, especially with a vehicle. Sailings are cancelled in severe weather.

Honest expectations

Cook Strait can be genuinely rough and crossings are cancelled; build slack into any itinerary that depends on one. The town is small and gets very busy when ferries dock. Accommodation is priced accordingly.

Nearby

The Queen Charlotte Track starts at Ship Cove; Blenheim and the Marlborough wineries are south.