With some great road trip options in the surrounding area, renting a car makes sense. Without one, it’d be much more difficult to enjoy everything that Palmerston North, 19 miles away, has to offer. The Square, New Zealand Rugby Museum and Arena Manawatu alone justify the drive out here. The locals will also probably point you in the direction of Eketahuna, 30 miles away. If you can only find time for one thing here, make sure it’s Middleton Model Railway. (But we’re also big fans of Mark Dimock Gallery and Mount Bruce Lookout Walk.)