The best camping grounds in Blenheim range from a riverside holiday park in the middle of town to motor camps a few minutes out along State Highway 1 and conservation campsites on the beach to the north. Powered and non-powered sites, cabins, lodges and self-contained units mean you can pitch a tent, park a campervan or book a room within easy reach of the Marlborough wineries and the Picton ferry. Blenheim Bridges Holiday Park and Spring Creek Holiday Park lead the list, with two Department of Conservation beach campsites rounding it out for anyone happy to go without power.
1Blenheim Bridges Holiday Park
Blenheim Bridges Holiday Park sits on Grove Road in central Blenheim, with its camp area running alongside the gently flowing Opawa River. The park covers everything from non-powered tent sites through to park motels, self-contained units and an 11 bedroom lodge, so it suits families, couples and larger groups equally. A convenience store and tavern are at the gate, a petrol station is 300 metres away and a supermarket is a five minute drive.
Services
- Powered campervan and caravan sites beside the Opawa River
- Non-powered tent and van sites
- Standard cabins and kitchen units
- Self-contained and studio disabled access units
- Park motel rooms and an 11 bedroom lodge for school or family groups
Highlights
- Swimming pool with an indoor spa available to guests
- Three communal amenity blocks, each with showers, toilets, kitchens and laundries
- Bike hire on site for self-guided Marlborough wine touring
- Two dump stations and car wash facilities available to all guests
- Children’s playground with trampoline and slide, with a BBQ area right alongside it
Location & Contact
Name: Blenheim Bridges Holiday Park
Address: 78 Grove Road, Mayfield, Blenheim
Phone: 03 578 3667
Website: blenheimbridges.co.nz
2Spring Creek Holiday Park
Spring Creek Holiday Park is a traditional family orientated camp set on 3.8 acres of grounds beside the clear water of Spring Creek, five minutes’ drive north of Blenheim and 20 minutes south of Picton. The grounds surround a kauri homestead built in the 1860s on the site of an early Marlborough flour mill, and have been used as a camping ground since the 1960s. Rates sit at the affordable end, which makes it a practical base for families, backpackers and groups touring the wineries.
Services
- Powered and non-powered camp sites
- Ensuite cabins sleeping up to six people
- Standard cabins with a double bed and a set of bunks
- A 12 room lodge with booking capacity for 48 guests
- A two room back room suited to small groups of 11 or more
Highlights
- Grounds built around the historic Redwood kauri homestead and former flour mill site
- Pet friendly sites for guests travelling with dogs
- Resident pet eels that guests can feed
- Easy walking distance to a supermarket, the Ferryman Hotel and a restaurant
Location & Contact
Name: Spring Creek Holiday Park
Address: 1199 Rapaura Road, Spring Creek, Marlborough
Phone: 03 570 5893
Website: springcreekhp.co.nz
3Riverlands Roadhouse
Riverlands Roadhouse is a purpose built complex on State Highway 1 about five minutes south of Blenheim, built in 2010, combining a motor camp with a fully licensed cafe and a working truckstop. Campers get secure powered and non-powered sites with room for caravans, campervans and buses, alongside village cabins and a 19 room motel. It suits road trippers coming off the Interislander ferry and anyone travelling in a large vehicle who wants fuel, food and a wash in one stop.
Services
- Secure powered and non-powered sites for caravans, campervans and buses
- Village cabins for sports teams, school tours, friends and families
- A 19 room motel with ensuite units, flat screen TV and tea and coffee facilities
- Self-service laundry with industrial sized machines
Highlights
- Fully licensed cafe open seven days, with meals prepared using local ingredients
- Caltex fuel stop, certified weighbridge and truck and camper wash on site
- Effluent dump station with easy access whatever the size of your vehicle
- Modern ablution block with hot showers and self-service laundry facilities
- Mini golf on the grounds
Location & Contact
Name: Riverlands Roadhouse
Address: 3535 State Highway 1, Riverlands, Blenheim
Phone: 03 579 3300
Website: riverlandsroadhouse.co.nz
4Rarangi Campsite
Rarangi Campsite is a Department of Conservation campsite tucked in behind the beach at Rarangi, about 8 kilometres north of Blenheim. It is a Standard category site with 40 non-powered pitches, so there is no electricity and no kitchen block, and you camp with the sound of the surf rather than the facilities of a holiday park. Bookings are required year round, which makes it a planned stop rather than a place to turn up on spec.
Services
- 40 non-powered sites for tents, campervans and caravans
- Vehicle access suitable for cars, campervans and caravans
- Online booking through the Department of Conservation, with same-day bookings until 8 pm if space remains
- DOC Campsite Pass accepted
Highlights
- Directly behind the beach, with fishing, walking and picnicking on the doorstep
- Dogs permitted on a leash, which is uncommon on conservation land
- Flat fees of $15 per adult and $7.50 per child aged 5 to 17, with infants free
Location & Contact
Name: Rarangi Campsite (Department of Conservation)
Address: Rarangi Beach Road, Rarangi, Marlborough
Phone: 03 546 9339
Website: doc.govt.nz
5Whites Bay Campsite
Whites Bay Campsite sits beside the surf beach at Pukatea/Whites Bay, reached by carrying on past Rarangi and turning into Port Underwood Road. It is a Standard category Department of Conservation site with 30 non-powered pitches, set in bush close to the sand, and it suits campers who want scenery and water access rather than powered sites and amenity blocks. Bookings are required, and dogs are not permitted anywhere on the site.
Services
- 30 non-powered sites for tents, campervans and caravans
- Vehicle access suitable for cars, campervans and caravans
- Online booking through the Department of Conservation, with the DOC Campsite Pass accepted
Highlights
- Beside the Pukatea/Whites Bay surf beach, with walking, fishing, swimming and kayaking from the campsite
- Entrance gate locked from 9 pm to 7 am between Labour Weekend and Easter, so the site stays undisturbed overnight
- No dogs permitted at any time
- Same flat fees as other Standard conservation campsites, at $15 per adult and $7.50 per child
Location & Contact
Name: Whites Bay Campsite (Department of Conservation)
Address: Port Underwood Road, Marlborough
Phone: 03 546 9339
Website: doc.govt.nz
Camping Grounds in Blenheim at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Blenheim Bridges Holiday Park | Mayfield | Swimming pool with an indoor spa available to guests |
| Spring Creek Holiday Park | Spring Creek | Grounds built around the historic Redwood kauri homestead and former... |
| Riverlands Roadhouse | Riverlands | Fully licensed cafe open seven days |
| Rarangi Campsite | Rarangi | Directly behind the beach |
| Whites Bay Campsite | Marlborough | Beside the Pukatea/Whites Bay surf beach |
How to Choose the Right Camping Ground in Blenheim
- Decide first whether you need power, because the holiday parks offer powered sites while both conservation campsites are non-powered only.
- Match the site type to your setup, since tent sites, powered sites and long bays with room for a bus are not all available at every park.
- Check the amenity blocks, as kitchen, shower and laundry facilities differ a lot between a traditional motor camp and a Standard category conservation campsite.
- Weigh up distance from town, because a central park puts you within walking distance of shops and restaurants while a beach site trades that for quiet.
- Ask about pets, gate hours and group bookings early, as dog policies, overnight lock-up times and lodge capacity all vary and fill quickly over summer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blenheim Camping Grounds
How much does a camp site cost in Blenheim?
Rates vary by park and season. Spring Creek Holiday Park publishes $35 for a power site and $30 for a tent site for one or two people, with extra adults and children charged on top. The Department of Conservation campsites at Rarangi and Whites Bay charge $15 per adult and $7.50 per child per night. Cabin and lodge rates are higher, and group and long-term discounts are usually available on request.
What is the difference between a holiday park and a conservation campsite?
A holiday park is privately run and sells powered sites alongside cabins, units and shared kitchens, laundries and showers. A Standard category Department of Conservation campsite is basic by design, with non-powered pitches and no kitchen block, and is priced accordingly. Choose the park if you need power, hot water or a room, and the campsite if you want the beach and are self-sufficient.
How far are Blenheim camping grounds from the Picton ferry?
Blenheim Bridges Holiday Park is about 25 minutes from the Picton to Wellington ferry terminal, and Spring Creek Holiday Park sits roughly 20 minutes south of Picton. Riverlands Roadhouse is a little further south again, on State Highway 1 heading towards Kaikoura. Note that Whites Bay is not suitable for late ferry arrivals in peak season, because its gate is locked overnight.
Which camping grounds in Blenheim allow pets?
Spring Creek Holiday Park states that it is pet friendly in the park, and Rarangi Campsite allows dogs on a leash. Whites Bay Campsite does not permit dogs at all. Policies change and often apply only to certain site types, so it is worth phoning ahead and confirming the arrangement before you arrive with a dog.
Do I need to book ahead?
For the conservation campsites, yes. Bookings are required at both Rarangi and Whites Bay, no spaces are held for campers who arrive without one, and the peak period runs from 1 December to 28 February plus public holiday weekends. The holiday parks take walk-ins when they have room, but summer and the wine festival weekends fill early.
Can I freedom camp around Blenheim instead?
Freedom camping in the region is controlled by bylaw, with designated areas and vehicle requirements that change from site to site. The Marlborough District Council camping pages set out where you may and may not stay, and fines apply where camping is prohibited.
Do Blenheim camping grounds cater for large groups?
They do. Blenheim Bridges Holiday Park has an 11 bedroom lodge aimed at school and family groups, Spring Creek Holiday Park runs a 12 room lodge with capacity for 48 guests, and Riverlands Roadhouse offers village cabins built for sports teams and school tours. Book well ahead, as group space is limited.
Where can I stay in a bus or large motorhome?
Riverlands Roadhouse is set up for large vehicles, with secure powered and non-powered sites for caravans, campervans and buses, an easy-access effluent dump station and a truck and camper wash. Blenheim Bridges Holiday Park also has two dump stations and car wash facilities for guests.
How We Chose the Best Camping Grounds in Blenheim
Every business in this guide was found by searching for camping grounds in Blenheim, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Blenheim, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.