GO Ōtepoti · Bloom — 17–26 October 2026 · Ōtepoti Dunedin Tickets on sale 1 August
A Dunedin garden in spring

Your southern spring weekend

Plan your tour

Ten days of open gardens, one beautiful corner of the South. Here's how to get here, where to park the campervan, and what else to see while Ōtepoti Dunedin is in bloom.

Dates, hours & tickets

When it's on, and what it costs

Bloom, our spring season, runs over Labour Weekend and the ten days leading up to it, when Ōtepoti Dunedin's gardens are at their best.

Festival dates
17–26 October 2026

Plus the Bloom Hub opening on Thursday 1 October at the Botanic Garden.

Garden hours
Set by each garden

Gardens open across the ten days, each on its own days and hours. Your ticket carries the times for the garden you have booked.

Tickets
On sale 1 August

Booked online. Buy per garden, or plan your whole tour.

Good to book ahead, some gardens may have limited tickets.

Book your bed early

Labour Weekend is one of the busiest weekends of the year down here, and October fills up fast — the Peninsula especially. Sort your accommodation first, then build your garden list around it.

  • The Bloom Garden Party and the high teas are small, and they go early.
  • Coming a distance? Group your gardens by area so you're not driving back and forth across town.
  • Good to book ahead, some gardens may have limited tickets.
See the open gardens →

Getting here & around

How to reach Ōtepoti Dunedin and the gardens

Flying in

Dunedin Airport (DUD) is about a 30-minute drive (~30 km) south of the city.

  • Air New Zealand — direct from Auckland, Wellington & Christchurch.
  • Jetstar — direct from Auckland, plus a direct trans-Tasman service from the Gold Coast.
  • Rental cars, shuttles & taxis at the terminal (a taxi to town is ~$90).
Driving in

An easy add-on to a South Island road trip.

  • From Christchurch — ~360 km, about 4–4½ hours down SH1.
  • From Queenstown — ~280 km, about 3–3½ hours via Central Otago.
  • From Invercargill, ~215 km, about 2¾ hours up SH1.

A car is the easy way to link gardens across the city and the Peninsula.

Getting around the gardens

The gardens sit in two clusters — the city, and the Otago Peninsula.

  • City gardens — walkable, or hop the bus ($2.50 with a Bee Card).
  • By bike — the flat inner-city gardens link up easily on Ōtepoti Dunedin's central cycleways.
  • The Peninsula — you'll want a car or a guided tour. Two scenic routes: coastal Portobello Road and hilltop Highcliff Road (narrow & winding — allow extra time).
Spring weather & what to pack

October in Ōtepoti Dunedin is mild but changeable. Sun, breeze and a passing shower can all land in one afternoon.

  • Daytime ~13–15°C, nights ~5–7°C; showers on roughly half the days.
  • Layers + a waterproof jacket, every day.
  • Comfortable walking shoes for grass, gravel & slopes.
  • Sunhat & SPF 50+ — the southern spring sun is stronger than it feels.

Campervans & motorhomes

The South is campervan country

Plug in at a holiday park, freedom camp if you're self-contained, or travel with the club that knows every stop. Here's where to put the van.

Holiday parks with powered sites

Dunedin Holiday Park & MotelsSt Kilda · beside the beach, minutes from town · powered & tent sites, dump station
Visit →
Aaron Lodge Holiday ParkKaikorai Valley · 15 min to the Octagon · indoor heated pool, three kitchens
Visit →
Portobello Village Tourist ParkOtago Peninsula · best base for wildlife & Peninsula gardens · powered sites, dump station
Visit →
Waikouaiti Beach Motor Camp~35 min north, off SH1 · beachfront · powered & tent sites
Visit →

🚐 Freedom camping

If your vehicle is certified self-contained (display your current CSC certificate), you can freedom camp overnight on most council sealed/gravel car parks around Ōtepoti Dunedin — max two nights, obey all signage, and stay clear of the central city, beaches and any signed reserves. There are also three managed sites:

Self-contained · non-self-contained · tents

Warrington Domain

Coast Rd, Warrington (~25 min north). Depart by noon.

Self-contained · non-self-contained

Ocean View Reserve

Off Brighton Rd (~20 min SW). Depart by 8.30am.

Self-contained only

Thomas Burns St car park

City fringe, near the harbour/stadium. Depart by 8.30am.

Rules can change — always check current signage and the Dunedin City Council freedom-camping page before you travel. Confirm Warrington toilets are installed by mid-Oct

🪽 The club to know — NZMCA

The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association is the country's big motor-caravanning club (17,000+ member families) — every member displays the winged badge, which is why members call it "flying your wings." Membership (~$100/year, self-containment required) opens up 300+ low-cost member parks nationwide, plus the Park Over Property scheme — parking on private and partner properties.

Near Ōtepoti Dunedin: the members' NZMCA Warrington Park (~30 km north) and the public Warrington Domain dump station. Idea: a festival garden could host members as an NZMCA "POP" during Bloom

Garden combinations

Garden combination suggestions

You buy a ticket to each garden on its own, so you are free to build your own route. Here are two combinations to get you started, a Peninsula day and a city gardens day.

Peninsula day

A day on the Peninsula

  1. Glenfalloch Woodland Garden, rhododendrons, azaleas and a garden café, ten minutes from town.
  2. Larnach Castle & Gardens, a Garden of International Significance, with high tea in the Ballroom Café.
  3. Hereweka / Harbour Cone, at the foot of the hill (by arrangement).
  4. Wildlife finish, albatross and penguins at Taiaroa Head (October is peak season).
City day

A city gardens day

  1. Dunedin Botanic Garden, the Bloom Hub and the Rhododendron Dell at its peak.
  2. Olveston Historic Home, an Edwardian mansion and its gardens.
  3. Northern Cemetery, the heritage rose garden, a short stroll from the Botanic Garden.
  4. Market morning, time it for the Otago Farmers Market (Saturdays at the Railway Station).

Good to know

Dogs, kids & what else is on

🐾 Bringing the dog

Ōtepoti Dunedin got friendlier for dogs in 2025 — you can now walk the central city on a lead, the Octagon and George and Princes Streets included. A few places are still off-limits though.

  • No dogs in the Dunedin Botanic Garden (the Bloom Hub).
  • St Clair's main beach is dog-free 8am–8pm, year-round.
  • On a lead in all dune areas; stay 20m from wildlife — October is breeding season, so expect temporary signs.

Where to walk your dog — DCC →

🧒 Bringing the kids

There's plenty to fill the gaps between gardens, and a good chunk of it is free.

  • Tūhura Otago Museum — free, plus a hands-on science centre & tropical butterfly forest.
  • Botanic Garden — aviary, playground, duck pond & the little train.
  • St Clair Hot Salt Water Pool — opens 1 October, right on cue.
  • Tunnel Beach, Toitū Settlers Museum (free), Dunedin Railways, OCHO chocolate, Orokonui Ecosanctuary.

🎟️ While you're here

A few other things worth timing your visit around.

  • Otago Farmers Market — every Saturday at the Railway Station.
  • NZSO "Serenade" — Dunedin Town Hall, Wed 21 Oct.
  • Rhododendron Day plant sale — the Botanic Garden's long-running spring fete ~mid-Oct, confirm date
  • Peninsula wildlife, the Public Art Gallery & Toitū (both free), and Olveston.

♿ Access & the practical bits

The questions we get asked most.

  • Gardens vary — some have grass, gravel & slopes. Per-garden access notes to come
  • Toilets & refreshments at the Hub and major gardens.
  • Wet weather? Gardens are at their most atmospheric in light rain — bring the jacket and carry on.
Do I need to book in advance?
Tickets go on sale 1 August. You can buy per garden, but premium events (the Bloom Garden Party and high teas) are limited and sell out first, so book those early. Confirm on-sale details
What's included in a garden ticket?
Entry to that garden for the day, and your visit helps fund the festival foundation. Diamond and Gold gardens are individually ticketed; Bronze gardens are free. Confirm inclusions
Is it wheelchair / pram accessible?
It varies by garden — many have lawn, gravel and slopes. We'll publish access notes for each garden in the open gardens closer to the festival. Per-garden notes to come
What happens if it rains?
Gardens stay open — they're beautiful in soft rain. Come in layers with a waterproof jacket and good shoes. Indoor options (the Hub exhibition, museums, galleries) are easy to fold in.
Can I bring my dog?
Not into the gardens (and no dogs in the Botanic Garden Hub), but Ōtepoti Dunedin is dog-friendly on a lead around the central city and many walks. See the "Bringing the dog" notes above.