If you are considering a Christchurch and South Island holiday, don’t let the February earthquake put you off. There’s still plenty for visitors to do in Christchurch and, while some of the Central Business District (CBD) is still inaccessible, the rest of the city and region is definitely open for business and fully active as a gateway to the South Island.

A Christchurch car rental is a great way to see the city and the rest of the region before embarking on your wider South Island travel experience. If you have already visited Christchurch, your experience this time will be a little different, but you will soon see that there are plenty of accommodation and visitor attractions that are open and very happy to serve you.

You can travel through Christchurch in your car rental and easily drive to many of the best tourist attractions such as the world class International Antarctic Centre, which is near the airport. You can take in some history at the Air Force Museum at Wigram. It’s a great place to see some classic aircraft as well as watch some of the archived movies about flying and get some hands on flying experience with the simulator. Another Christchurch attraction for the mechanically minded is Tanks for Everything on McLean’s Island Road. It gives you the chance to see some military history before getting behind the wheel and experiencing it for yourself.

If you are hankering for some real adventure, try the Adrenalin Forest. It’s a multi level aerial obstacle course which is heaps of fun and a huge challenge, while remaining safe. For something a bit different, drive your car rental to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve and the Ko Tane Maori Village. It’s a great way for visitors to experience New Zealand Maori culture, as well as getting a chance to see a kiwi.

Even though part of the central city is cordoned off, you can still use your car rental to drive into Christchurch city and visit the shops and eateries. You can park your car rental and stroll around the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, taking in the tranquillity and beauty of this gorgeous inner city space. It is easy to visit this oasis and spend hours enjoying the trees, plants and flowers in the 30 hectares of gardens before embarking on the next section of your journey.

Another great option is to take in some of the weekend markets. There are several farmers’ markets and artisan markets which are all up and running and providing a great range of fresh produce and some wonderful locally honed crafts.