Picton

The maritime township of Picton (population 4,000) is a popular boating spot and has two sizable marinas, the smaller at Picton Harbour and the much larger at nearby Waikawa Bay. There's plenty to do in town, with crafts markets in summer, cafés and bars, historical sites, and museums (including one on a boat), and walking tracks through bushy scenic reserves to beaches and scenic lookouts over the Sounds. The Picton foreshore is a delightful parklike area looking up into Queen Charlotte Sound. It’s a nice spot to wait for your ferry to the North Island, and to watch the comings and goings of smaller pleasure craft and water taxis.