With a population of just over 25,000 citizens, Blenheim is town with a difference.
A city centre long ago claimed, piece by piece, from a then wayward river has resulted in a street
layout with spirit and character that abounds with quirky lanes and sunny gathering places. The
clear, spring-fed Taylor River, which flanks the town, is now an attractive friend where sightseeing
riverboats retrace the route of steamboats that once carried produce.A miniature railway runs
alongside the river carrying passengers to Brayshaw Park.
 Central focus of Blenheim is The Forum, with its historic bandstand watching over an area where
shoppers rest and street markets buzz. The Forum also provides an occasional amphitheatre for
a wide range of performing arts. The modern shops and cafés that surround The Forum are a sample
of a town that is deserving of the praise it receives from visitors. The wide range of shops feature
everything from imported high fashion to the works of the many artists and crafts people who live
in the area.
The foresight of its residents, past and present, sees Blenheim blessed with many attractive
parks. Seymour Square, close to the town centre, is a feast of colour with carefully tended flower
beds surrounding the stone memorial clock tower and a cooling fountain. At night, the Seymour
fountain, colourfully lit, makes a spectacular sight. Pollard Park, just a few minutes walk from
town, is a large area of trees and gardens through which meanders a spring-fed creek. Pathways
wind through the contoured grounds providing numerous delightful vignettes. A children's playground
and picnic area help to make this an ideal place to lunch after a morning in town.
On the outskirts of town, Brayshow Historic Park preserves the province's pioneering endeavour.
Relocated colonial buildings in a recreated turn-of-the-century street keep company with a modern
building housing archives and a museum. The vintage farm machinery museum, where faithfully restored
tractors and other machinery are displayed, is world renowned.
Wairau Plains
Like its main town, the character of central Marlborough is defined by the river that flows through
it. The Wairau River, which rises in the western mountain ranges, is the life blood of the province's
prosperous wine and horticultural industries. The river and its tributaries are also a focus for
recreation. The swift upper reaches are ideal for kayaking, while Mt Richmond Forest Park lying
north of the river is a popular hiking area. Probably the most popular recreational activity on
the river is trout fishing, and good catches of brown and rainbow trout can be made quite close
to Blenheim. A drive around the Wairau Valley will take you through some of the most attractive
farming and horticultural country in New Zealand, set against a backdrop of forest clad mountains.
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Places not to miss!
 Picton - Marlborough's main commercial port with access to Queen Charlotte Sound.
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Blenheim
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