Marlborough wine tours: Hop on, hop off your own itinerary

Build your own day around Marlborough's wineries without a car

A hop-on, hop-off bus tour through Marlborough wine country where you choose which stops to visit, using the operator's timetable and venue descriptions to plan your own route. The bus runs on a fixed schedule with stops at over 20 wineries, museums, galleries and food venues. You pick a half-day afternoon or full-day ticket and hop off wherever you want to spend time. Most venues offer discounts to passengers on the service.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Marlborough wineries and attractions

• Visit Astrolabe Small Town Winery
• Enjoy wine tastings at Wine + Food Experience
• Shop at Blue Penguin New Zealand Gifts
• Explore Brayshaw Heritage Park museum
• Relax at Seymour Square park
• Discover Marlborough Historical Society exhibits
• See vintage farm machinery and cars
• Visit Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre
• Lunch at Wither Hills vineyard restaurant
• Lunch at family-owned winery
• Taste wines at Hunters vineyard
• Dine at The Fancy Cow restaurant
• Sample craft beers at Moa Brewery
• Visit Cloudy Bay vineyard
• Relax at Allan Scott winery
• Tour Jackson Estate vineyard
• Enjoy Runway Cafe atmosphere
• Taste wines at Seek Spy vineyard
• Visit Clos Henri Estate vineyard
• Stop at Woodbourne Tavern and Motels
• Visit Cork & Keg tavern
• Sample Framingham wines
• Wine tasting at Nautilus cellar door
• Explore Vines Village grounds
• Taste whiskey and cheese at Vines Village
• Buy chocolates at Makana Chocolate factory

The experience

The bus runs a set timetable through Marlborough, and you decide where to get off. Use the descriptions of each stop (Astrolabe's barrel-room tastings, Cloudy Bay's prestige vineyard, Hunters' gardens and artist in residence, Clos Henri in the Wairau Valley foothills, or Framingham's award-winning aromatics) to pick which ones fit your day. If wine isn't your only interest, the route also includes the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre with its rare aircraft displays, the Brayshaw Heritage Park museum, Seymour Square's historic clock tower and lit gardens, and stops at Blue Penguin for locally made gifts, Makana Chocolate for the factory shop, and The Runway Cafe with its full bar and plane outside.

Most venues on the route offer special discounts to hop-on, hop-off passengers, so tastings and meals cost less than walk-in rates. Wine + Food Experience runs self-guided tastings with gin, whiskey and beer options alongside wine, and platters from their cheese, charcuterie and seafood areas. Wither Hills has a restaurant in the vineyard; Hunters offers light lunch in the gardens; Allan Scott pairs wines with a seasonal menu and giant chess; The Fancy Cow serves Italian food with views across Marlborough. The air-conditioned vehicle means you travel comfortably between stops without managing a car or finding a designated driver.

A half-day afternoon ticket covers fewer stops and leaves your morning free. A full-day ticket opens the whole route. The schedule runs throughout the day, so you can spend as long as you want at each venue (an hour for a leisurely tasting, twenty minutes for a quick stop), and catch the next bus when you're ready to move on.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle.
• special discounts at most venues on the route.
• access to over 20 stops including wineries, museums, galleries, cafes and food venues.
• choice of half-day afternoon or full-day ticket.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00Last departure this season: 1 Jan 2027

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (13 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Child (under 13)

GroupUp to 20

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by HOP ON HOP OFF WINE TOURS LIMITED

Is this one for you?A half-day ticket leaves your morning or evening free for other activities in the region. A full-day ticket opens the entire route but commits most of your day to the wine region. Choose based on whether you want to combine Marlborough wine stops with other plans, or dedicate a full day to exploring the venues at your own pace.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 13).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How does the hop-on, hop-off bus work in Marlborough?

The bus follows a fixed timetable with stops at over 20 venues across the wine region. You buy a half-day or full-day ticket, then use the operator's descriptions to decide which stops to visit and when to hop off. Catch the next scheduled bus when you're ready to move to the next venue.

Which wineries are on the Marlborough hop-on, hop-off route?

The route includes Astrolabe, Cloudy Bay, Hunters, Wither Hills, Jackson Estate, Allan Scott, Clos Henri, Framingham, Nautilus and Spy Valley, plus The Vines Village tasting bar and Moa Brewery for craft beer. Each stop has its own character: some focus on tastings, others offer lunch or gardens to explore.

What else is there to do besides wine tasting?

The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre displays rare aircraft with Weta Workshop mannequins; Brayshaw Heritage Park holds a wine museum and vintage farm machinery; Seymour Square offers gardens and a historic clock tower; Blue Penguin stocks New Zealand-made jewellery and gifts; Makana Chocolate runs a boutique factory shop. The Runway Cafe and several taverns serve food and drinks without wine.

What happens if I'm not interested in wine?

The route includes museums, a chocolate factory, gift shops, cafes and taverns serving beer, cider and food. Moa Brewery offers craft beer tastings on a patio; Wine + Food Experience has gin and whiskey options; The Fancy Cow and other restaurants serve lunch without requiring wine purchases.